Tree straps... different materials?

**Albert Skye** · 04-05-2010, 20:57

Webbing has width and it also has thickness (i.e., webbing of a given width and material can be weaker or stronger depending on thickness).

Material properties vary significantly.

By weight (not volume), the strongest nylon is generally stronger than polyester; polypropylene is similar (and sometimes even greater) in strength than polyester.

Personally, I like some elasticity in my suspension (especially when using a main line of UMPE which has essentially none); elasticity in the tree slings provides some shock absorption (and reduces stress on whole system).

**warbonnetguy** · 04-05-2010, 21:49

Originally Posted by Albert Skye

Webbing has width and it also has thickness (i.e., webbing of a given width and material can be weaker or stronger depending on thickness).

Material properties vary significantly.

By weight (not volume), the strongest nylon is generally stronger than polyester; polypropylene is similar (and sometimes even greater) in strength than polyester.

nylon and polyester are fairly similar i believe (strength to weight).

http://www.lehighgroup.com/fiber.htm

polypro is most commonly avail in reg or heavyweight. the heavyweight is usually rated at 400# per inch of width. i've never seen polypro listed stronger than that.

**Albert Skye** · 04-05-2010, 22:26

Perhaps I should have emphasised *strongest* (i.e., the weakest nylon can be weaker than polyester). "Material properties vary significantly."

Originally Posted by warbonnetguy

http://www.lehighgroup.com/fiber.htm

"Rope Facts"

This is more appropriate content for that title.

Originally Posted by warbonnetguy

i've never seen polypro listed stronger than that.

Look and ye shall find.

**warbonnetguy** · 04-05-2010, 23:39

i just did a quick google search and that's what came up. you'll find lots of other links that say the same thing. generally the relationship between fiber types isn't going to change between rope and webbing, so if one fiber is stronger than another (at the same weight) in webbing form, the same would be true for rope as well and vice versa.

you stated that "polyester and polypro are similar in strength and sometimes polypro is stronger", i do not believe that is the case. nylon is slightly stronger than polyester, but they are very similar in strength, and polypro is signifigantly weaker (# for #) than either of them. you can find multiple text that say this.

if you can find something that says polypro has a similar or greater strength compared to polyester (# for #) i'd love to see it, but that is not my understanding and i've only seen info to the contrary.

**Albert Skye** · 04-06-2010, 02:24

Originally Posted by warbonnetguy

if you can find something that says polypro has a similar or greater strength compared to polyester (# for #) i'd love to see it, but that is not my understanding and i've only seen info to the contrary.

If you're curious, look and see.

Personally, I've compared manufacturer's specifications for rope of each material made with identical construction, &c.

Initially, I was also doubtful because popular opinion says "PP is weak". The truth (according to my research) is that it's strength:weight can be very high (higher than polyester or weak nylon for that matter). Once again: Material properties vary significantly.

By the way, this 1" PP webbing is much more than I'm after but I imagine many readers might like it.

**Clark-O-Phile** · 04-06-2010, 02:44

Originally Posted by sir_n0thing

Good info to know. Thanks C-O-P...
I like the flexibility that the 89" straps give me (BIG trees, etc), but the bulk is pretty significant to be sure.

No problem m8.
I might use them too hanging with the car close by or when i get out for an overnighter close to home.
Other than that,i'll stick to 1'' nylon webbing.And those black poly ropes,well , i never got to use them after all,i took them off as soon as i got my clark 2 months ago

C-O-P

**warbonnetguy** · 04-06-2010, 11:43

Originally Posted by Albert Skye

If you're curious, look and see.

Personally, I've compared manufacturer's specifications for rope of each material made with identical construction, &c.

Initially, I was also doubtful because popular opinion says "PP is weak". The truth (according to my research) is that it's strength:weight can be very high (higher than polyester or weak nylon for that matter). Once again: Material properties vary significantly.

By the way, this 1" PP webbing is much more than I'm after but I imagine many readers might like it.

ok, well i'll admit that alot of my understanding is based on the polypro that is redily avail "heavyweight" which is kinda weak. i've not seen any "high tenacity" polypro webbing till now, strapworks hasn't always carried that stuff. any idea how much it weighs though? what webbing are you using?

**Albert Skye** · 04-06-2010, 13:01

Originally Posted by warbonnetguy

ok, well i'll admit that alot of my understanding is based on the polypro that is redily avail "heavyweight" which is kinda weak. i've not seen any "high tenacity" polypro webbing till now, strapworks hasn't always carried that stuff. any idea how much it weighs though? what webbing are you using?

The regular "heavyweight" PP from Strapworks in 1" is rated at 1000 lbs. Speer used to sell strong PP webbing. AHE has some at 1" at 600 lbs.

It appears that most PP products are optimised for low cost not high strength. In any case, there is a large spread in strength depending on the fibre quality and construction.

PP is lighter than HMPE.

I used the straps that came with my BPULA until I lost them. Since then, I've been using a pair that I made while travelling; they're nylon. I use a basket hitch (in favour to the much weaker choker hitch), and my tree slings are relatively short. My new ones will likely be PP.

**SGT Rock** · 04-06-2010, 16:55

I've been using one of these:

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/cat...uestid=2620507

Cut the long end in half to make two 4.5' straps. The label on them says breaking strength is 3 times the recommended load, and the recommended load is 300 pounds. It's softer and lighter than other straps I've used. Soft is important to me because the wear I've seen on straps is usually straps cutting through themselves when looped around through an eye sewn into them. I fell and busted my butt on one made from some of the more "durable" straps. I've used some of these quite a bit and my wife's suspension is totally made of this stuff.

**cooldays** · 04-06-2010, 17:14

I had the clark tree straps which I conveniently left on a few trees at turkey pen gap when I was packing up in the sleet.

Maybe they are still there?

In any case i bought some bright orange webbing from opie that he had extra thinking it would be similar. I don't think it is something he sells it was just I made a post that I need some straps and he offered and i bit.

The orange webbing is probably twice as thick one inch and more "seatbelty" than the stiff 2 inch clark webbing. The clark webbing is sooooo much lighter. I actually called clark and told them and they said because I had a clark hammock they sell replacement straps for only 6 bucks so I bought 2 sets...one to use and one to lose again.

Anyway....My point ... I prefer the clark webbing but would like to get some 1 inch rather than 2 inch. Any suggestions out there? It really is super light and according to clark super strong so it seems ideal but with one inch it will work with dutch clips and fit smaller in my pack.

thanks

cooldays