Why no webbing ?

pitdog

pitdog

Joined
Apr 13, 2007
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When it comes to cordage I see lots of people carry Para-cord, jute etc but never webbing.

I'd have thought some webbing would be great in a kit, very strong, rolls up small so why unpopular ?:confused:

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By pitdog2010 at 2010-12-15
 
pitdog said:
When it comes to cordage I see lots of people carry Para-cord, jute etc but never webbing.

I'd have thought some webbing would be great in a kit, very strong, rolls up small so why unpopular ?:confused:
Click to expand...

I always pack about 30-40 feet of 1/2" tubular webbing. I've tied rappeling harnesses with it, used it as a tow-strap and it could be used to navigate short stretches of rough terrain. I will admit, 550-cord gets more use, but the webbing does come in handy for bigger projects.

I have a few sections "stashed" away in kits...it's just above the 550 cord (I'm using zip ties to secure it, but have sinced used Ranger bands):

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ROCK6
 
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It might have something to do with space... paracord takes up less space than a similar length of webbing... besides, it is called cordage not webbage! :p
 
Ron Hood is one of the only survival instructors I've seen who recommended carrying some of the tubular webbing. Seems like a good idea to me, but I just never got around to picking any up. Combined with a heavy gauged needle and waxed nylon thread, you could really make a million different things with it in the field too. Thanks for getting me thinking Pit, I am gonna pick some up now for sure :thumbup:
 
you could always just use all the excess webbing on your mil-surp MOLLE or Maxpedition gear, by cutting it off if you were in a SHTF scenario...

I buy webbing to mod gear myself ...
 
Interesting. I never thought about webbing before. So, anybody got pictures of it in action. Can see that working with hammocks real nice. Also seems like there would be very many buckles/clips/hardware to go with it. I'd like to learn more and follow this thread a bit!
 
one reason i could see is that non- tubular webbing will stretch like crazy under weight. a lot more than 550 cord IME.
 
I carry something similiar (mule tape). It is used to pull cabling into conduits by electrical and communications companies. Lots of strength, lightweight, and wraps up into a fairly small package. Depends on what you plan to do with it.
 
tubular webbing: 7500lbs breaking strength (when brand new)

paracord: 550 lbs breaking strength (when brand new)

sure paracord packs smaller, but i can see an advantage to high quality webbing strength wise.

I sometimes set up highly tensioned hi wires (for balance walking) using tubular webbing, biners, and anchor straps between two stout trees. I use a 4 ton come-a-long to tensing the webbing.
 
That webbing sounds like a good idea to toss in a repair kit at the very least. Subscribing to this one for sure. Any good sources to pick some up?

-Nadz
 
GoNadz said:
That webbing sounds like a good idea to toss in a repair kit at the very least. Subscribing to this one for sure. Any good sources to pick some up?

-Nadz
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any rescue store (online or local) or mountaineering store. I would lean towards the rescue stores, they tend to carry certified webbing which will have Breaking Strength load ratings & Safe Working Load (SWL) printed on a tag, as well as Manufacturer, date of manufactures, batch number etc , whereas most mountaineer stores carry generic webbing, no idea where it may originate from.
 
I have no need for webbing with a 7500 lb breaking strength. I dont rappel or build hammocks so regular paracord handles all my needs pretty well. It would constitue unneccesary weight.

But i could see a need for it a BOB or car survival kit.
 
Similar to PropThePolecat, it's just too much.

I like webbing in various forms. In the way back when I used to use a lot of old car seat belt to make gear; drop leg sheaths, sew a simple ladder on some thing to take krabs 2 decades before someone claimed that as MOLLE, that kind of thing. That gave way to having the two bits of 24”*1” of pure nylon off hospital boxes and making stuff. Through various stages right up 'till now where I can have whatever I want. I think I went through a very webbing-happy phase and it dragged on.

I'm still inclined to use nylon webbing rather than leather straps for all the obvious reasons. You save a lot of weight and don't suffer ill effects that damp has on leather if you have baldrics, slings, optic straps, sheath extenders and whatever made from it. To that extent I'm still all for it and would be miffed if I couldn't have it. On the other hand one can get too trigger happy with it. One of the first big Silnylon bashas I sewed up I was determined would be the best that could be. I used a lot of webbing on that and it doubled the weight. Stupid me. I'd gone overzealous and used it in places where a bit of super light hairy string would have done let alone a bit of paracord. I still use it on bashas but much less of it.

Other than that I think if anything it is something for the boot of your car. Make a winch to drag an obstacle or something. Plus that places it where it is likely most useful – in a built up area. I don't have any aspirations of crawling through rubble to drag a child out from under a collapsed mall. And if I did have any inclinations of frolicking amidst some urban disaster scenario I'd show up replete in a bunch of caving gear, respirator and Nomex hood. For a regular carry in the woods on my person, even for quite a few days out on the trot, the returns would are too small to make webbing worthy of serious consideration. That said, some people take dirty great ropes and a full size ax to stay out in the woods for a single night. If you get your adventure that way then webbing may well pay dividends over the rope, but that is way too much living in your head and not in the world for me.
 
Always carry at least 50' of 1" tubular webbing - Very useful for any number of things:
  • Hand line
  • Tag line
  • Shelter building
  • Anchors
  • Tying off
  • Improvised harness
  • Patient packaging
  • Hasty rappel
Here's a pic of Dunner on rappel using tubing (including an improvised harness), after which he ascended using prusiks:

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Using tubing as a safety line to asses the situation during the recovery of a fall victim:

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The stuff sack holding the 50' can be seen under my right arm, with a smaller stuff sack containing my hasty rappel kit hanging off it.

Mind you in ropes rescue (recovery) systems we only use 12.5 mm static kernmantle rope for life-safety applications. But even in this operation we used lots of webbing for many puposes, including tying ourselves (and the victim) off in the verticle environment.

Also carry 50' of 550 cord which allows for the pulling of the tubing down after a rappel (among other things).

Seriously useful stuff in SAR, but perhaps over-kill in other settings - its just that I'm so used to having it about that I can't imagine being without it :o ...

Just my $.02

8
 
I have a big roll, but I don't normally use it in my kit. I attempt to sew things at home like straps for the sleeping bag, compression sacks etc.
 
My canoe tie down straps always go with me. I've used them for countless things and reach for them 1st...usually. (Before the paracord or whatever)

I could use shorter ones on my Jeep, but I bought two of the 20ft NRS straps years ago. Very useful, simple and fast. Love 'em.
 
Joezilla said:
I have a big roll, but I don't normally use it in my kit. I attempt to sew things at home like straps for the sleeping bag, compression sacks etc.
Click to expand...

That's mainly what I was thinking. I keep it around and make things with it but seldom keep any quantity in my kit. There is some 1/2" webbing in my pack now,,,but only because I found it tied to a tree while on a hike and brought it out with me.
 
River-8 said:
Always carry at least 50' of 1" tubular webbing - Very useful for any number of things:
  • Hand line
  • Tag line
  • Shelter building
  • Anchors
  • Tying off
  • Improvised harness
  • Patient packaging
  • Hasty rappel


Seriously useful stuff in SAR, but perhaps over-kill in other settings - its just that I'm so used to having it about that I can't imagine being without it :o ...

Just my $.02

8
Click to expand...

My buddy carries 1.5" webbing for the reasons listed. He even knows how to make a stretcher with it or a human "backpack" or hanging chair...the list goes on. I go back and forth on it but don't carry it for weight and space issues. I've also never used it when out but maybe I can have him teach me that chair. He and his girlfriend were caught in the rain so he strung up a tarp and made a swinging chair underneath they both sat on to wait out the rain.
 
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