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  1. #1
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    What webbing for tree straps?

    I decided I'd like to have a go at making some long-ish tree huggers/straps but am in a bit of a quandary about what width & thickness webbing to use. The choice seems to be (all polyester):

    * 1" ~1mm thick. Breaking strain ~1500lb
    * 1" ~2mm thick. Breaking strain ~3500lb
    * 1.5 " ~ 1 mm thick. Breaking strain ~2000lb
    * 2" seatbelt webbing. Not sure of thickness but <= 1mm. Breaking strain ? but ample.
    * possibly 1.5" seatbelt webbing.

    It's hard to know what to use. My son's HH Cub's tree straps uses 1" webbing. My HH Explorer uses 2" seatbelt webbing which is quite soft for handling and stuffs well into a bag but, after only a few nights use, already has a damage point from a protuberance on a branch. Other suppliers use variations of the above. Is 1' wide enough to protect the tree? A commenter on these forums mentioned that some parks require minimum width (1.5"?).

    So....what to use? What has a good balance between durability, weight, flexibility (for stuffing in my pack or stuff sack), strength & cost?
    Last edited by Tinstaafl; 10-12-2013 at 12:55.

  2. #2
    Senior Member Lost_Biker's Avatar
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    Any of the 1" is sufficient for tree straps - 1500 or 3500. I personally use 3000 as I have had a problem with some of the 1500lb ones. I also use 2" seat belts (salvaged from a truck) and do like the softness/packability. I use the 2" if I know I'll be hanging with "soft" bark trees.
    I got in a fight one time with a really big guy, and he said, "I'm going to mop the floor with your face." I said, "You'll be sorry." He said, "Oh, yeah? Why?" I said, "Well, you won't be able to get into the corners very well."


    Underquilts.com

  3. #3
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    Thanks, LB.

  4. #4
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    DIY Straps

    Good suggestions from LB; Polyester is preferred as it doesn't stretch as much as Nylon Strapping will. Strapworks has a good variety of widths/colors to choose from..DIY Gearsupply, Dutch, Arrowhead Equipment all offer the 1" strap making stuff as well. Use a good quality strong thread like guterman tera 50. Cheers

  5. #5
    Senior Member SkunkApe's Avatar
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    I also use the 1500 with no issues. I am 180lbs. Of course, I also use Dynaglide whoopies on a SL 1.1. I like to live dangerously.

  6. #6
    Senior Member GT's Avatar
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    I personally wouldn't recommend the 1500 for wrapping around a tree with a rough surface. It will hold your weight for sure but they won't last long.

    Up here we have all rough trees, oak, maple, white and yellow pine, hemlock, you name it, and I use the 1" 3000 lb with no issues at all. And mine are a couple years old with over a hundred hangs on them.

    If you're going to be hanging in a state park, than you probably want to look at the 2" wide strap since the rangers don't like the 1" ones.
    For that, I use a 2" wide strap for around the tree only, then attach a 1" strap for hanging my hammock.

    Either way, I'd go with the low stretch polyester. Polyester is 5 times more abrasive resistant than nylon. Is 100% water proof, nylon is not, and has better UV protection and much less stretch under load than nylon.

    Nylon is ok and used in climbing for absorbing factor falls but it's not that great for static hanging. It will also stretch more when it gets wet and over time tends to rot from the middle out. And since it is not waterproof, it will also freeze when wet. Oh! I see you are in Fla. Forget about the freezing part.

  7. #7
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    Thanks everyone.

    I'd already realised polyester was the way to go, from reading these forums. Just 'um-ing' & 'ah-ing' over width/thickness stuff. I decided to split the difference & go with 1.5" W x 1 mm thick @ 2000lb. A bit stronger than 1"x1mm, a bit thinner & more easily folded (or more likely, stuffed) than 1"x 2mm, and a bit wider for tree preservation than 1". Also 1mm should be a bit easier on my wife's sewing machine (a subtle but important factor...)

  8. #8
    Senior Member GT's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tinstaafl View Post
    Thanks everyone.

    I'd already realised polyester was the way to go, from reading these forums. Just 'um-ing' & 'ah-ing' over width/thickness stuff. I decided to split the difference & go with 1.5" W x 1 mm thick @ 2000lb. A bit stronger than 1"x1mm, a bit thinner & more easily folded (or more likely, stuffed) than 1"x 2mm, and a bit wider for tree preservation than 1". Also 1mm should be a bit easier on my wife's sewing machine (a subtle but important factor...)
    Strapworks has a really nice 1.5 polyester webbing and it's probably just what you are looking for. I use it to make my utility belts. It's slightly over 1mm thick so your wife shouldn't have any problem sewing thru it. Just go to strapworks.com and click on the polyester webbing. Just a warning though, you may get a bit of sticker shock.
    Last edited by GT; 10-14-2013 at 08:36.

  9. #9
    Senior Member Mrprez's Avatar
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    I've got 2 sets of HH straps for sale in the FS section. Make me an offer...

  10. #10
    Senior Member dejoha's Avatar
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    Another interesting twist to the strap discussion is what I learned from the LNT center a few weeks ago when discussing their blog post about hammocks. They recommend 2-inch webbing straps _or wider_. When I spoke with their education director he said this came out of discussions with the different land agents they work with. This was the first reference I've ever had that ultra-wide straps were being recommended. Here on the forum, it seems we're going the other way -- looking for thinner strapping as a means to save weight and use smaller hardware devices.

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