‘Indestructible Belt’ Stronger Than Steel Can Carry ‘10 Grizzly Bears’ At Once
By Mikelle Leow, 20 Oct 2023
Images via Vollebak
Vollebak, a British clothing innovator, is reputed for experimenting beyond go-to materials like cotton and nylon. The company has designed unassuming T-shirts from mummy-wrapping textiles and wooden waste. It’s also crafted a fleece jacket meant to withstand temperatures in Saturn and its largest moon, Titan.
The latest invention to buckle resilience and style together is its ‘Indestructible Belt’. True to its name, this isn’t your average accessory. The strap is constructed from Dyneema, a fiber that’s a staggering 15 times stronger than steel, pound for pound. So robust is this material that, according to the company, you’d have to hang a weight equivalent to 10 grizzly bears—or, for those who prefer automotive comparisons, a Hummer—to snap it.
Image via Vollebak
Its COBRA buckle itself is crafted from high-strength, corrosion-resistant aluminum, and is touted as the planet’s sturdiest and safest. Designed with an innovative patented locking mechanism, it stands its ground, refusing to release under tension—even if you were to attempt pushing its clips inward. Furthermore, when the strap and buckle are paired in a “loop configuration,” they can withstand a force of up to 18 kilonewtons, or roughly 1.8 tonnes.
Images via Vollebak
For a glimpse into the buckle’s resilience, the designers cite Felix Baumgartner’s jaw-dropping supersonic freefall from space. The same buckle design secured the pressure suit that protected him during his atmospheric descent, clocking speeds of a whopping 1,357 kilometers per hour. Talk about field-tested.
Additionally, the buckle includes a cut-out at its back to keep it unencumbered by dirt, ice, or snow. Release clips are shaped ergonomically, making them a breeze to use, even in high-speed situations. And for that touch of elegance, each belt boasts 12 rows of robust bonded thread, a metal tip crafted by Riri—an iconic Italian manufacturer renowned for its top-notch metal components—and is presented in a custom metal case adorned with a 3D-printed latch.
Images via Vollebak
The Indestructible Belt, priced at US$395, is available in two sizes. The S/M version fits up to a 34-inch waist, while the L/XL option is perfect for waists measuring up to 40 inches.
Image via Vollebak
[via Vollebak]
This article was crafted with assistance from an AI engine, and has been manually reviewed & edited.