Webbing for Backplate - Seat Belt Material?

[Fin Finder]

I've been assembling a new backplate, and changing the webbing on a couple of my older ones.

Browsing around the local outdoor/backpacking shop I found they sell a type of webbing that looks identical to automotive seat belt material. Up until now I've always used the typical coarse-woven nylon type webbing on my backplates, but the seat belt material seems to have some advantages; it's softer and more pliable, twists and bends better, and may be slightly thinner.

My question is, can seat belt webbing material be used in a saltwater environment on a scuba backplate, and if so does it have any advantages or disadvantages over standard nylon webbing?

 

[victorzamora]

The biggest issue is it slides more readily through the backplate and tri-glides and simply won't really stay put. The more you dive the "normal" stuff, the more pliable it gets. The other thing is that TOO pliable is generally a bad thing as it can get your webbing all twisted up and make donning/doffing gear a pain. For a hard backplate, I almost prefer really stiff webbing.

 

[cool_hardware52]

I've been assembling a new backplate, and changing the webbing on a couple of my older ones.

Browsing around the local outdoor/backpacking shop I found they sell a type of webbing that looks identical to automotive seat belt material. Up until now I've always used the typical coarse-woven nylon type webbing on my backplates, but the seat belt material seems to have some advantages; it's softer and more pliable, twists and bends better, and may be slightly thinner.

My question is, can seat belt webbing material be used in a saltwater environment on a scuba backplate, and if so does it have any advantages or disadvantages over standard nylon webbing?

The "Seat belt" webbing will tolerate the marine environ, but you won't tolerate it.

As noted by others soft webbing twists and rolls, and the hardware slides when you don't want it to. Soft webbing will also "cup" effectively making it feel like narrower webbing. This decreases the bearing area.

It's not by accident that the harder webbing is used by BP&W manufacturers.

Tobin

 

[grf88]

I have seat belt type webbing for my crotch strap and it works quite well in that application.

 

[tbone1004]

for the crotch strap it's fine, it isn't load bearing and you want it soft to prevent abrasion of the exposure suit or your leg. For the harness webbing you want it quite stiff since it won't bow as mentioned by Tobin above, but also so you can actually get in and out of the harness. If the webbing doesn't hold it's shape you will never be able to get into without help. Third problem is the fact that it won't actually hold any triglides or it's adjustment

 

[cool_hardware52]

I have seat belt type webbing for my crotch strap and it works quite well in that application.

DSS harness kits include "softedged" webbing for the cotch strap, and "weight belt" webbing for the balance of the harness. The softedged webbing is not seat belt webbing. It is softer, but is also quite a bit thicker than seatbelt webbing and nowhere near as "slick" as seat belt webbing. Even so we custom water jet the triglide used to retain the "butt dring" on the crotch strap after finding the industry standard serrated Triglides ineffective in keeping the butt ring in place.

Webbing is tricky. Getting the right "hand" for a given application can require some effort.

Tobin

 

[Fin Finder]

Thanks. All these responses have been very helpful. I'll stick with standard webbing.

 

[tbone1004]

and if you want the "right stuff" Tobin is also in LA, and sells webbing...

 

[rongoodman]

My favorite webbing has always been the stuff sold by Halcyon.