Reply With QuoteI have two and have to say there very impressive , for the money you cant go wrong
I don’t want to spend 70 odd quid on a genuine isofrane, but have seen the Borealis copy that looks to be good for the price they are asking. Has anyone got one they can comment on?
Thanks.
I have two and have to say there very impressive , for the money you cant go wrong
Very similar in looks, softer than Isofranes, good VFM.
I have a bunch in 22mm and only issue is that the keepers are a bit too large (ironically since many find the Isofrane keepers too tight) but from what I’ve read this is less of an issue on their 20mm & 24mm versions.
Just buy one of Eddies vintage dive straps. Very similar, very cheap but great quality.
I've had 3 and they are excellent for the price. As mentioned the keepers are loose which drives me a bit crazy, but they don't move around much because of it. If borealis produced some tighter ones to buy aftermarket I'd be all over them.
Where do you buy them?
Watch Gecko have very good quality ones at about £25
Obris Morgan has also ISO type straps for 20$.
Much much better in quality then Borealis. I have had both and also Cuda isofrane.
OM is by far over these.
Thanks for the replies. I’m looking for 24mm straps so this narrows down where I can get them, as most only seem to do 20mm and 22mm. Borealis seem to be the only ones doing 24mm, so will give them ago.
Oh. Sorry did not realise that part.. I still think that Cuda straps are available in 24 mm.
By the way, Borealis changed the recipe of the rubber in their straps a few years ago and the early ones didn't get a good reception, so bear that in mind with regards to reviews, etc.Originally Posted by Darra8
Me too and I think borealis is miles better Tham both cuda and OM ;-)
Summary:
- much softer
- a lot more holes = easier to get a perfect fit.
I rank borealis almets as high as iso (having owg a fem). OM has a bunch of nice colors though!
Coincidentally, I just asked about a thinner alternative to Isofrane over in the straps subforum, before immediately spotting this thread. Seems like there is a bit of overlap here, although I am specifically looking for something thinner, not necessarily cheaper (but cheaper is also good). I already have a real Isofrane the right size, but it's just a tad too bulky in this case.
I might give the Borealis a try as well, just because I find the real Isofranes a bit stiff, and the sticky keepers can be pretty annoying at times. Does anyone sell them in the UK, or can you only buy them direct?
For thinner options the only real alternative I’m aware of is vintage Isofranes, here’s a comparison of Isofranes & Tudor Snowflakes (Pelagos has a contemporary Isofrane).
Weirdly, although I was aware that the vintage ones were different (and slightly better), this is the first time I've heard they are thinner. It's pretty noticeable in those photos.
But as I understand it they are not easy to get hold of.
The Borealis ISO's are the best quality for the price available IMO.
I'm shocked if anyone is still buying ISO's at the inflated price Synchron (company that rebooted Isofrane/DOXA/Jenny/Aquadive names) are offering.
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