straps slipping in ladderlock buckles

**Gadgets** · 01-27-2014, 18:29

This probably isn't the best for ease of removal but couldn't you safety pin the tag end to the main strap?

**oldgringo** · 01-27-2014, 18:32

In my experience, the only buckle that doesn't "pump" is a belt buckle.

**Ramblinrev** · 01-27-2014, 18:54

Originally Posted by oldgringo

In my experience, the only buckle that doesn't "pump" is a belt buckle.

Those kinds of buckles work best under stable tension loads. A dog pack is constantly moving and bouncing. The tension changes with every step meaning more chance for the straps to slip. At least that's what I found.

**gmcttr** · 01-27-2014, 22:30

Originally Posted by WV

...I've got a dog pack brain trust!...

Huh?.........You calling us a dog pack?

Woof! I've been called a lot worse.

WV · 01-28-2014, 07:14

Originally Posted by gmcttr

Huh?.........You calling us a dog pack?

Woof! I've been called a lot worse.

No, a "dog pack brain trust" is a bunch of seriously capable thinkers who study dog packs - bags that are used to have dogs carry gear for us (but I suppose they could study groups of dogs instead). This is not to be confused with a "brain trust dog pack", which I guess is a bunch of very canny canines. You can be one of them, too, if you want.
-------
"What are you getting at?"
"Words ... words. They're all we have to go on."
- Tom Stoppard, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead

**Two Tents** · 01-28-2014, 09:13

I was a parachute rigger in the navy. I worked in the sewing shop my first few years. If we wanted to lock a buckle in place we'd use a large thread and put a through stitch in and back up through both layers of webbing, tieing it off with a surgeons knot with a square knot on top of that. The buckle won't slip with the thread (snew type) and the knot. It is really good for buckles that do not get moved regular. If there was a harnesss or other buckle that needed moved in the field the the pilots that I outfitted had a sail needle with the thread/snew ready in their survival gear to 'lock' any buckle. My dog ben has all his buckles tacked in this way except for his girth one and it needs adjusting through out the day just as my hip belt does.

WV · 01-28-2014, 09:52

Originally Posted by Two Tents

I was a parachute rigger in the navy. I worked in the sewing shop my first few years. If we wanted to lock a buckle in place we'd use a large thread and put a through stitch in and back up through both layers of webbing, tieing it off with a surgeons knot with a square knot on top of that. The buckle won't slip with the thread (snew type) and the knot. It is really good for buckles that do not get moved regular. If there was a harnesss or other buckle that needed moved in the field the the pilots that I outfitted had a sail needle with the thread/snew ready in their survival gear to 'lock' any buckle. My dog ben has all his buckles tacked in this way except for his girth one and it needs adjusting through out the day just as my hip belt does.

Thanks. That's pretty much what I planned to do, and it's good to have it confirmed. I replaced the single chest strap (under Freia's neck) with a triangular pad that has two upper straps to the front of her pack bags and a lower strap that connects to her chest strap behind her forelegs. All three connections to the pad have ladderlock buckles, which I've temporarily secured with safety pins, but safety pins aren't very strong, and I don't want her to get stuck when one comes loose. (They do come loose with the "pumping" of her pack straps as she walks.) My plan is to use a couple of stitches of heavy thread to hold the strap ends, then change the length in a year or so as her chest fills out. Eventually I'll probably remove one of the buckles entirely and just sew the strap to the pad.

The two straps underneath her will need to be adjustable, as you suggest. I now recall that the Wenaha packs I used with previous trail dogs had 2" straps for the main bellyband. (Is that the correct term? It's the same thing I called a "chest strap" earlier. I'm reminded of Mark Twain's description of how to hitch a horse to a wagon, in which he didn't allow himself the luxury of referring to things by their names.

) I think even the heavier 2" straps slipped occasionally.

**JLeephoto** · 01-28-2014, 10:28

I've been contemplating making a pack for my dog but have had trouble finding a good pattern. Looked at the instructions for lashing on a commercial made pack but just trying to read them gave me a headache. If anyone has a good DIY dog pack, I'd love to get those plans.

WV · 01-28-2014, 16:50

http://youtu.be/KObhjGMBViU

(Mods, where did the Youtube icon go?)

**Country Roads** · 01-28-2014, 17:36

Originally Posted by JLeephoto

I've been contemplating making a pack for my dog but have had trouble finding a good pattern. Looked at the instructions for lashing on a commercial made pack but just trying to read them gave me a headache. If anyone has a good DIY dog pack, I'd love to get those plans.

Green Pepper has dog pack plans. I can't vouch for the plans, since I have not used them, but they might be a good place to start.