I'm interested in getting a backplate from www.swmetalproducts.com and webbing it myself in hogarthian fashion. What type of webbing do people prefer for this? heavy weight-belt material? or something more flexible like that on a seatbelt? Also, how much material am I going to need (I'm a big guy)? Thanks.
Harness Webbing Material?
- Thread starter Bnscherm
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CALI68
Contributor
Bnscherm:
2" webbing available at most dive shops. Extreme Exposure sells the Halcyon Webbing with a grommet dead in the middle and you thread it from either side. I think it's about $16. You can get the whole webbing and hardwear from them for $61. It's pretty long so I don't think the length will be an issue. The Halcyon webbing is first rate but you can buy cheaper stuff for sure.
http://www.extreme-exposure.com/acc/halc-accessories.shtml
I found that the seat-belt webbing was too soft and flexible for the job and, while it has excellent tensile strength, it tended to fray very easily and didn't last very long.
Some folks aren't comfortable with the stiffness of weight-belt webbing but I've found that it softens up with a little use (toss it in the washing machine for a couple of runs) and that the extra stiffness makes it easier to get in and out of my rig. In my experience, it lasts longer than any of the alternatives I've tried.
There is an intermediate material - call it weight-belt material lite - that is close to ideal but sometimes hard to find. Halcyon and most manufacturers uses it for their webbing, you used to be able to buy this stuff online from Northeast Scuba, I don't know if they still carry it.
I've found that I need to replace my webbing every couple of years pretty much no matter what material I use and I've found that the stiffer stuff doesn't bother my shoulders while making it easier to don/doff the rig. It's readily available and cheap, so I've kind of stopped searching for the grail of webbing. It's easy to use a soldering iron to burn a hole instead of buying it pre-punched, which means I can spool off as much as I need and not have to worry about guessing the exact length. Every body is different so guessing exactly how much you'll need is hard to do. At the long end, a big person will need less than 15 feet, smaller folks might make do with as little as 10.
Oh, I do use the kinder, gentler seat-belt material for the crotch strap...
Some folks aren't comfortable with the stiffness of weight-belt webbing but I've found that it softens up with a little use (toss it in the washing machine for a couple of runs) and that the extra stiffness makes it easier to get in and out of my rig. In my experience, it lasts longer than any of the alternatives I've tried.
There is an intermediate material - call it weight-belt material lite - that is close to ideal but sometimes hard to find. Halcyon and most manufacturers uses it for their webbing, you used to be able to buy this stuff online from Northeast Scuba, I don't know if they still carry it.
I've found that I need to replace my webbing every couple of years pretty much no matter what material I use and I've found that the stiffer stuff doesn't bother my shoulders while making it easier to don/doff the rig. It's readily available and cheap, so I've kind of stopped searching for the grail of webbing. It's easy to use a soldering iron to burn a hole instead of buying it pre-punched, which means I can spool off as much as I need and not have to worry about guessing the exact length. Every body is different so guessing exactly how much you'll need is hard to do. At the long end, a big person will need less than 15 feet, smaller folks might make do with as little as 10.
Oh, I do use the kinder, gentler seat-belt material for the crotch strap...
reefscuba.com sells the nylon (stiff) webbing - .60/ft. This place sells the Poly (soft) webbing - .20/ft. www.plastic-buckle.com (though oversea's service and timing is excellent).
The stiff is better for the Backplate, soft is nice for the crotch strap. Get 20 ft. Use a soldering iron if you need to make a hole.
The stiff is better for the Backplate, soft is nice for the crotch strap. Get 20 ft. Use a soldering iron if you need to make a hole.
DrDuktayp
Guest
Bnscherm:
I have been getting mine from the LDS. However, I know that I could get it for a better price from http://www.questoutfitters.com/ . I've done business with them and really liked their prompt service. This is a good source for outdoor materials.
DrDuktayp
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