I'm looking for a way to protect my webbing from chlorine.

[oldschoolto]

As a Master Parachute Rigger... I will tell you this.. The MIL-SPEC webbing is so much "OVERKILL" it's funny... We don't even come close to the webbings useful loading... Dive on with your brown webbing....

Jim...

 

[cb5150]

sit tight boys, the scuba industry is going to be turned upside down in about 6 months or so. We are designing a webbing that is stronger than nylon, doesn't stretch, is inert to gasoline, chlorine *any acid or base actually*, jet fuel, and most anything else other than oil. UV is just as good as nylon, and it has better abrasion resistance. Will be coming out as a cordura alternative for wings as well.

I'm not sure which mfg I'm going to take it to first yet, but it will likely be Dive Rite. Be about double the cost of the current nylon products, so won't be for everyone, but it is going to be a game changer for anyone doing training in pools.

No disrespect, but is this really a problem for people who train in pools? I've done hundreds of pool dives and had webbing and gear turn brown, but it seems to be holding up fine all these years later. I can see how commercial divers might need it, but not pool/rec divers.

---------- Post added October 16th, 2014 at 09:00 AM ----------

I have to use my BPW in chlorine very often and although I soak it thoroughly afterwards it still eventually turns brown. I am about to replace the webbing again (my wing is chemical resistant) and I was wondering if anyone knows of something I could treat my webbing with to protect it from chlorine? I'm not looking for a magic solution, just something that could help extend the life of my webbing.

I've seen your webbing. Its fine. Focus on things that are important, like fins.

 

[tbone1004]

it isn't an issue for most people, universities have major problems with the webbing and wings, and some instructors do as well. Again, the webbing is spec'd for 2300lbs for the 2" webbing, 1500lbs for the non mil-spec *most BP/W harnesses are mil-spec fwiw*, they can lose up to 80% of their strength when in these types of conditions. That is still ~450lbs break strength, and there is two straps. You're not going to have an issue unless you start abrading it in which case it will start to go quite quickly and that is when most people have issues.

 

[RJP]

ok, lots of misconception about the brown. I'm a textile engineer, I do this stuff for a living.

Nylon loses about 20% of its tensile strength when it is wet. Doesn't matter what it is wet with, but as soon as it absorbs water it loses considerable strength. It also is highly susceptible to acids and bases, after about 20-30 hours in a typical chlorine pool, it permanently loses about 20% of its strength when it is dry. The browning is the chlorine eating the dye that was used after processing in the nylon and means the chlorine has gotten inside the fibers themselves. By the time this happens, the nylon is less than 50% of its original strength. Now, the webbing used typically is mil-spec webbing that has a tensile strength of ~2300lbs when it is originally woven so there is plenty of room for error and you certainly won't have a piece of webbing fail if you pull on it. Cam bands tend to be the first to go, and sometimes if they used cheap thread, the stitching will go.

Chlorine neutralizer does help, but it has to be soaked in it for a bit and really have the neutralize moved around to get into the webbing, especially where it is sewed onto things.

Once this new webbing comes out, it won't matter what you're diving in, the webbing won't care.

I understand that - at twice the price of current webbing - it will also have benefits for material other than nylon webbing. For instance, it will significantly lighten the load on the leather in your back pocket...

 

[tbone1004]

and since it will last much longer, it will be worthwhile for some divers. Not for all, but that isn't the intent. The original intent was for those doing lots of training in highly chlorinated pools, YMCA, Universities etc where the webbing will truly break down in a year or two of daily use. Also good for those that are out in the sun regularly since the UV stability will be higher. For the average diver it won't make sense, but when the original question is how do I keep it from going brown, as well as being concerned about strength degradation, it will fix both of those problems.

SCUBA webbing isn't actually mil-spec webbing, slightly different, the mil-spec stuff isn't nearly as stuff. Going rates on the scuba webbing are around $0.70-$0.90/ft. The new stuff will be somewhere around $1.20/ft. Typical harness is call it 15ft with crotch strap, I think we can afford an extra $5 for something that will last much more than twice as long as the other stuff. Again, for some people, but we are still talking a difference of under $10, not anything serious.

Initial abrasion testing is giving us 2x the durability of the nylon webbing currently used by Halcyon and DSS. Nothing to scoff at there

 

[descent]

My egg timer has dinged. Tbone, is your magic stuff ready yet?

 

[tbone1004]

I have samples, it is on my rig currently, we are doing age testing right now since the military is interested.... Still in optimization