Waist belt for pulk

[Happyfeet]

Hi,
I am in the process of getting all the necessary items to build a pulk. (Thanks to all who have posted their designs here) The one item I'm not sure of is the waist belt. I was planning on finding an external frame pack's waist belt, but I'm concerned about the plastic buckles on them. I have a spare tire around me and when I tighten waist straps snuggly and bend over, the plastic buckles tend to pop open. This isn't too bad with a pack, but I'm afraid if that happens with the sled and I'm on a hill, I might have to go chasing the sled down hill. While most would find this humerous to watch, including myself, I'd rather not have to do it. Of those of you who have used this type of belt, have you had any problems? My old external frame pack was the vintage prior to all the plastic and had a pass through metal buckle. I think I would feel more secure with this type of buckle. Does anyone know if that kind of belt is still made? Thanks for any input you may have.

 

[bobandgeri]

Take a look at Geri's sled in this photo

Not real clear - but we use a fanny pack that has a shoulder harness as well - similar to the current version of the EMS Freedom Fanny Pack It allows you top balance the load between your waist and your shoulders. The ends of our poles have a round eye hook - we take strap from the belt - loosen it and push though the eye hook - securing it with a caribeener. Works great.

 

[Rick]

happy feet, try the Camp Trails eureka outlet at 1888-6eureka (or is it 1888-eureka6). They sell external frame hip belt seconds pretty cheaply - Perfect for a pulk. I have found that the newer generation nylon fastex style buckles are impossible to open up just by bending over.

You actually have to squeeze them in at an angle to get them to open and even if one side opens, the extruded channel down the center of the male end aligns with a groovein the female end and allows it to stay locked in place until both sides are pressed open simultaneously.

 

[Pete_Hickey]

Since I'm pulling the thing, I'm not wearing my pack, so I take the belt off my pack and use that.... Yes, the belts are a pain to take off.. take a picture of how all the straps were, BEFORE you undo them. If you fear losing it, you could always tie a cord to the belt, then around your... something.. To prevent to from traveling should it ever come loose.

 

[Frodo]

I have used one of Campmor's hip padded waist belts for the past 5 years (and have gotten over 200 miles of use with my pulk). I wore out the first one by taking my sled on an experiment to pull it over (5) 4k's in the Pemi in 2003, but what failed was not the plastic clasps. What failed was where I fastened the steel conduit harness to the hip belt, and on this trip, it failed 4 times

After that trip, I bought another one, and it has worked well in tough conditions (I bolt it directly to one of the loop holes instead of cutting a hole thru the belt and attaching it there).

I wouldn't worry much about the plastic clasps. I would worry more about how you fasten it to your harness system on your pulk. I have skied down steep hills with my pulk and have had some major wipe outs (where I have wound up in a twisted mass of wreckage), yet the plastic waist clasps have NEVER come undone...

BTW, I wouldn't use pvc as part of your harness system. It might work ok under low stress conditions (a low grade road), but pvc doesn't do well with pulks on a trail or in extreme cold environments...

 

[weatherman]

Mine uses gray 1" PVC conduit over rope, with the rope itself threaded through the holes on the sled and tied to mini-carabiners which clip to grommets on an external frame pack's waist belt. The clip on the belt has taken some bigtime strain from falls, etc and has never failed... I think if you do have an old belt with grommets to which to clip the sled, with a worn-out clip, you could get a replacement waist clip with the newer "fangs" as Rick mentioned. Since the rope takes the stress mostly, the PVC is really just there for stiffness, and though I have only used it for 20 miles or so, I've fallen on it, had it drag me into ditches loaded with 60 lbs, bashed it on the car in -10 F, etc and it has shown no signs of cracking or anything. But, it'll be a while before I hit 200 miles.
I've also seen some with an elastic waistband but it tends to slip and is kind of thin, so I don't think I'd like that.

One more opinion to work from.

-Weatherman

 

[sli74]

Arm,

Please post the picture of your PVC sled after the last Baxter trip. Use conduit and not PVC because once the PVC begins its breakdown, watchout.

sli74

 

[Pete_Hickey]

I picked up a pair of old XC-ski poles, and use them... Stiff, relatively lightweight, resists cold... I run a rope through them, and attach to the belt with a carabiner. The only catch is that you need to get the longest poles you can.

 

[Rick]

I picked up a pair of old XC-ski poles, and use them... Stiff, relatively lightweight, resists cold... I run a rope through them, and attach to the belt with a carabiner. The only catch is that you need to get the longest poles you can.

Now that is an idea I really like - But which - Bamboo, Fiberglass or Aluminum????

 

[SherpaKroto]

I got this idea while in BSP last year, as I was getting sled envy over a passing sled - and it worked great for my next BSP winter trip: go to Home Depot/Lowe's and ask for a "lineman's belt". They will stare blankly at you , but they can be found in the small tools section for ~$20. I then used (2) fender washers and a ring and pin attachement drilled right through the belt (careful with the position on this!!! you want it just right!!!). I also extended the arms so they were about 6 inches to either side of my hips, spalyed out a bit. This helps tremendously to control the sled on steep downhills (or when following Shizzy down a hill, and he decides to stop...)

You can see a fairly good view of the set up in this picture (view it full size)

As for PVC, I finally learned my lesson after my sled self destructed on a trip to the Sewards. (BTW, mine was also rope through PVC) Towing it back 4.5 miles with both its arms broken and it slamming repeatedly on my heels was all I needed to finally listen to the wise sages who had up to then failed to convince me (GO, Frodo, Spencer, Turnbill...). Believe me, they will break. It will be at the worst possible spot and will ruin a good trip. Going up won;t be so bad, but going down is terrible!

One good tip, re: conduit. Home Depot and Lowe's have no problem with you pre-bending the conduit before you leave the store... You bend it, it's yours, so bend carefully!

 

[coldfeet]

SherpaK...I can't view your picture...i'm trying to make a cheap pulk for a scout trip next week...can you retry your picture again....thx CF

 

[uphillklimber]

I used a carpenter's tool belt for ours. It is a two layer belt for around $20. I was able to attach the conduit traces by bolting them directly to the outer layer of the belt. I heated a hole thru the belt with a solder iron and inserted the bolt thru immediately. It formed a mating hole before the nylon cooled off and stays pretty secure. I was able to find elevator bolts, which are similar to carriage bolts, but the heads are not "bumped" up. Instead they are completely flat. Then a fender washer, the conduit trace, another fender washer and a nylon lock nut. Hate to have it fall apart 4 miles in. Don't relish the thought of looking for a nut and washer in the fluffy stuff. Then there is the inner layer of the belt, nice and wide. No rubbing from the bolt heads, secure attachment to me, so there is little to no sloshing back and forth.

 

[fior1212]

Ski Pulk Belt

This website might help you.

http://www.skipulk.com/

Mike

 

[pedxing]

I used a North Face Lumbar pack with rings on the side. The lumbar pack has the added advantage of being a convenient place to store things - like water bottles - that could benefit from a little body heat.

I've got no complaints on the North Face, but can't vouch for it above any other lumbar pack - I just picked the lowest priced item that looked like it could do the job and its worked fine in the few times I've used it.

 

[Ed B]

Plastic Buckle insight

Hi Happyfeet-
I haven't posted to this site in a while but I drank too much caffein this evening and cant get to sleep tonight-

I certainly agree with many of the above comments about good plastic waist buckles not being a problem with coming undone. One thing I thought I would ad to the discussion is that the type of plastic used in your buckle does make a difference. Most buckles are made of nlyon. While they work well - Nylon has the characterisitc of absorbing a bit of water in a wet environment. In a freeze /thaw situation it makes the buckle more prone to breakage. Most manuafacturers of buckles for snow environment recommend the use of Acetal plastics. While they look like nylon buckles - they will not absorb water and are thus more resistant to breakage at freezing temperatures.

As for the pole attachment.....
The free PDF download at my web site www.skipulk.com goes into details about using webbing loops, eyebolts and caribiners to make a snug fitting juncture of pole to hip belt. (This is the type of system that Bob & Geri use.) I have heard of you folks who bolt your poles to your hip belts and I would love to inlcude a picture of that set up in the PDF instruction booklet at my site if any of you want to send me a closeup picture of that setup. ( I always credit any contributions in the booklet to the sender.)

For those who are building their first sleds and plan to use them in Mountaineering situations. I want to strongly encourage the addition of fins or skegs to control your sled in icey descents.(and for sidehill) Some swear by full length fins but I believe that if you have a very good pole setup you can get by with short fins on the rear because your poles control the front of the sled. I have gotten into making the fins easily field removeable- so you dont have to have that exta friction in situations where the fins are unecessary.

I hope you are having a better winter in the NE than we are having in the tropics of MN.

Take care- (Pulky Ed- author of Buidling your Own Ski Pulk at www.skipulk.com)

 

[uphillklimber]

Wow, Ed B. I like the design of your hip belt. Use existing belts and parts without reinventing the wheel. Simplicity in itself. I love the attachement method to the sled also.

I am a pretty good carpenter, and fairly innovative as carpenters go, but what you have is obviously the result of much experience. Kudos!

 

[pks4000]

Sled harness rigging

Sled belt: I use a spare that came with my kelty Flight 60 pack. Its about 1 1/2 inch simple web with a couple of sewn in loops in the back.
In my sled the belt is detachable via 2 medium sized double ended brass "flag clips" which clip to a rope that goes thru my belt webbing. They then clip to
the rope coming ou of my sled trace.
This gives me a "summit" belt whereby I can detach the belt and strap on
a few water parkas 3 or 4 and carry a camera/drink/food/headband/hat right on the belt. Usefull if your with people and feel confident about safety and can leave your pack on the sled while you cross the ridge or do the steeper summit terrain

 

[KayakDan]

Sk,thanks for the heads up on getting a belt at HD. I have been using a waist belt from Campmor,with large caribiners looped around the belt,and a second caribiner as a link to the arms. With a full overnite load on the sled,the belt is definitely stressed. I'm thinking of using a climbing harness with caribiner links. Anybody have experience with this?
I used PVC and a rope hinge and I have towed into Zealand on skis at -10o without a problem.
Also installed a collapsible "pusher bar" so Mrs KD can help on the uphill if needed.

 

[Jay H]

[old thread alert!]

Aha, I have gotten my Paris sled and going to buy conduit and a bender tonight but the belt is left on my major harware expedition to build a sled/pulk.

I can check out hipbelts at Campmor but is this the generally understood method for a good tow belt? Has anybody tried a mountaineering harness as KayakDan questions? I have a mtn'ing harness although not padded like a climbing harness would be, it could be used I think with some added paddling from me and would save me the purchase of another item...

Jay

 

[sardog1]

Now that is an idea I really like - But which - Bamboo, Fiberglass or Aluminum????

Aluminum. I found that 155 cm skating poles are the best length for me.