Poly Webbing for Tree Straps?

I recently purchased some 1.5 inch poly webbing material to make a longer set of tree straps. Upon returning home I noticed that my old straps and my new material are different, they are the same width, but the weave of the material is different. The old straps resemble seat belts while the new material resembles..... I can't think of anything off hand.

Old Strap
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/p...ictureid=17812

New Strap
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/p...ictureid=17811

I am wondering if this new material will hold my weight? What should the break strength of your tree straps be? I don't really want a sore butt if I don't need one, but I guess sometimes experimentation is all there is.
If you have any answers please reply. I am going to go ahead with this test, to see if the poly material will work, or if I need to get the nylon webbing.

Sincerely Snide Tripod

What is the new material rated at from the manufacturer?
It also looks like a med/tight weave not very/tight like the old ones. Check to see how much stretch you have in the new one. You don't want any stretch if possible or very limited.
1" utility straps from Walmart are rated at 500lbs breaking strength and 167lbs load limit and you have 1 1/2". So it should be stronger. I use the 1" utility strap with no problems (yet), but that is pushing my luck.

The type of weave in your new webbing is fine. Unless it is unusually light weight webbing (doesn't look like it) and being 1.5", I would expect it too be well over 1500 lbs.

The breaking strengths being used will be all over the place.

1500 lbs is a commonly used strength with some going down to ~1000 lbs and many using even stronger webbing.

Your data shows you have whoopie slings. 7/64" amsteel has a breaking strength of 1600 lbs so any webbing at 1500 lbs or greater would be a good match.

While the new should be fine (I prefer your old style) be careful with certain trees. I noticed that mine left a waffle mark on a tree once. Unfortunately I don't know what kind of tree it was but it wasn't pine like I'm normally hanging from.

I am thinking about making some leather guards that will slide on, protecting the tree from the straps or vice versa. Weight is not really an issue with me.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gmcttr

Your data shows you have whoopie slings. 7/64" amsteel has a breaking strength of 1600 lbs so any webbing at 1500 lbs or greater would be a good match.

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My whoopies are actually 3/16 amsteel. It was all I could find around where I live.

As for the tree straps, I have completed them. Here are some pics.
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/p...ictureid=17814
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/p...ictureid=17815
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/p...ictureid=17816

They did not take long to make, and I found that towards the end, my stitching got better. They are 62" long, which is a great difference compared to the stock straps supplied with my HH EXPED at only 43 1/2". Now, to test these suckers out, and make a video of it all.

Does anyone have a preffered length for their tree straps?
:D:D:D

The ones from hennessy are polyester while what you bought looks to be polypropylene. The lightweight stuff I use in 1-1/2" is rated at 900lbs breaking strength and the heavyweight at 1350lbs. It's not as strong as I'd like but so far no fraying or any problems. I'd say a lot of the trees I hang from will let go before the strap does.

We have some really big oaks here in FL that I occasionally have to hang from so I have some 10' straps. This is overkill most of the time. In order to spread out the weight and also distribute the wear and tear on the straps, I will lark's head them around smaller trees before tying a marlin spike hitch.

My straps might be the weak link but that's fine since I expect to replace them every so often.

Since you mentioned it: If possible avoid nylon webbing. It will stretch and if you use enough you could end up on the ground in the middle of the night.

On a whoopie suspension I prefer 6ft tree straps, just so I'm not limited as to what I can hang on.

Poly? Polyester or polypropylene? Polypropylene is not as strong as polyester but at 1.5" it should be plenty. There are different weaves in webbing two I can think of are traditional and Jackstay (which I think is what your new straps are), that shouldn't have any effect on the durability of the fibre though.

Try them with your hammock a couple of inches above the ground with a cushion of some kind underneath, bounce about and if they hold you should be fine (very scientific, eh?) Good luck. :)