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Letter Re: Sources for Fasteners for D.I.Y. Web Gear Fabrication
Good Morning, Jim!
I am a long-time regular reader here with a question. On your blog you've been
recently posting about various web gear, etc. I have long desired to build some
of my
own gear using nylon straps and high strength plastic buckles, tensioners,
and adjustment components typically found on outdoor gear. The problem has
been finding a source/supplier for these components. Do you have any recommendations?
Thank You, - John Geerman
JWR Replies: In my experience, piece parts for Fastex buckles
and similar parts are ridiculously expensive
if bought new in small quantities in a "brick and mortar" retail store.
Lower prices can be found in bulk online (for example, at eBay), REI (Fastex
quick release buckles
and
"tri-glides") and Reef
Scuba (for
nylon webbing material). But
I've found
that
it is often best to simply
find "trashed" military
surplus backpacks and well-used older generation Load Bearing Vests (LBVs),
and cannibalize them for their hardware. Check around at your local surplus
stores
to see what
they have.
The Swiss Army surplus waterproof Alpine backpack extensions, for example,
have a profusion of
redundant hardware--including the hardware and straps such as the extraneous
tie-down straps like those designed to hold down a Swiss "Darth
Vader" helmet when stowed on the back of the pack. If you
take
half
of
these
off,
you
still
have
a quite useful
waterproof
bag,
plus
a big pile of male and female Fastex type connectors, short length of
straps, and
tensioners.
