Certification Document
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Know Your Straps - Strength Ratings and Signs of When to Retire or Replace Your Straps
We’ve made over 400 sets of straps since 2012. Our webbing manufacturer quotes a 2400 lb breaking strength. I consulted with an expert hand gliding / parachute harness maker to design a stitch pattern to yield 3200 lbs. on our seams. In January 2014, I had destruction tests done by Delbert Hall from D2 Flying Effects and he found the cotton covering started to break around 1200 lbs and the nylon started to fail around 1700 lbs. The nylon stretched about 12 inches before any of the nylon fibers broke. We did not see catastrophic failure. Delbert found the dye did not affect the breaking strength. In 2015, we repeated the test on a set of straps which were heavily used for performing and teaching for over two years. They also failed between 1700 and 1800 lbs. Most recently in August 2016, we tested a set of straps which were used for over 3 years in studio conditions. These straps showed excessive wear with much of the cotton cover worn away and the nylon fibers exposed and flattened. In test conditions, they stretched over three feet before the nylon fibers started to break at 1200 lbs. We did not see catastrophic failure like we have seen with cotton only straps. Note that these destruction numbers reflect a single strap not a set of straps.
You rely on your straps and you don’t have backup. Inspect your straps before each use. We recommend retiring straps after one to three years depending on frequency and intensity of use, the environment in which they were used, and how they were stored. If you see any sign of the cotton tearing as in the photo above, quit using the straps immediately and contact me. The straight seam at the bottom is cosmetic and not structural. The criss-cross seams provide the structual integrity of the seam. If your straps are fraying at the end, trim the loose threads and use a seam sealant like Fray Check to secure the edge.
If your straps have been dyed, dye may come off on your hands. All straps are dyed by hand. We use Procion which is a fiber reactive type dye. It will wash off your hands. You can and should wash your straps. It will extend the life of the straps. If they have been dyed, the color may bleed. Wash your straps in a bucket of warm water with detergent and rinse well. Hang to dry avoiding direct sunlight. You can wash the leather reinforcements on the ends. Dyed cotton fades. It is possible to re-dye your straps the same color to give them a fresh look.
Do not use these straps to do big dynamic drops. If you are doing big dynamic moves, YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW MUCH FORCE YOU GENERATE and use heavy-duty straps rated for 3,000 to 5,000 lbs. which are available from several other fabricators. You can use a Rock Exotica Enforcer load cell to measure the force you personally generate.
Want to know more? Please read, "Strap In! A Conversation with a Straps Fabricator" by Patti Miller
You rely on your straps and you don’t have backup. Inspect your straps before each use. We recommend retiring straps after one to three years depending on frequency and intensity of use, the environment in which they were used, and how they were stored. If you see any sign of the cotton tearing as in the photo above, quit using the straps immediately and contact me. The straight seam at the bottom is cosmetic and not structural. The criss-cross seams provide the structual integrity of the seam. If your straps are fraying at the end, trim the loose threads and use a seam sealant like Fray Check to secure the edge.
If your straps have been dyed, dye may come off on your hands. All straps are dyed by hand. We use Procion which is a fiber reactive type dye. It will wash off your hands. You can and should wash your straps. It will extend the life of the straps. If they have been dyed, the color may bleed. Wash your straps in a bucket of warm water with detergent and rinse well. Hang to dry avoiding direct sunlight. You can wash the leather reinforcements on the ends. Dyed cotton fades. It is possible to re-dye your straps the same color to give them a fresh look.
Do not use these straps to do big dynamic drops. If you are doing big dynamic moves, YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW MUCH FORCE YOU GENERATE and use heavy-duty straps rated for 3,000 to 5,000 lbs. which are available from several other fabricators. You can use a Rock Exotica Enforcer load cell to measure the force you personally generate.
Want to know more? Please read, "Strap In! A Conversation with a Straps Fabricator" by Patti Miller