Vollebak Indestructible Belt

Vollebak are a brand that aren’t afraid to think outside of the box when it comes to the design and creation of their apparel and accessories and their latest release, the Indestructible Belt, is undoubtedly one of their most technically impressive constructs to date. This bonkers but brilliant release from Vollebak has a strap that can hold 4 tonnes or, if you prefer, 10 grizzly bears. The buckle has survived a supersonic freefall. Long story short, it is the strongest belt on the planet.

The Vollebak Indestructible Belt will set you back £295 which, needless to say, is a lot for a belt but when you factor in the sorts of materials used and the indestructible nature of the product, it begins to make more sense as this one really will last a lifetime – and then some. The Indestructible Belt from Vollebak is made with Dyneema, the strongest fibre known to man. It is 15 times stronger than steel, pound for pound. This means that the strap of this belt can support more than 4 tonnes of weight before it breaks.

Vollebak combined Dyneema webbing with the strongest and safest buckle on the planet, the COBRA® buckle. The buckle is engineered with a patented locking mechanism that makes it impossible to release under tension. It can withstand up to 1.8 tonnes of force before breaking. This is the same buckle that Felix Baumgartner wore on the pressure suit that kept him alive during his supersonic freefall from space. Each belt is put together with 12 rows of incredibly strong bonded thread and an engraved metal tip made by Riri, and each Indestructible Belt from Vollebak comes in a custom anodised metal case with a 3D printed latch.

The buckle on the Indestructible Belt is made from high-strength, corrosion-resistant aluminium and is designed to withstand extreme weight without breaking. It has a patented locking mechanism that prevents it from releasing under tension, even if you try to push the clips inward. When the buckle is in “loop configuration” (with the strap attached), it can withstand 18 kilonewtons of force before breaking, which is equivalent to around 1.8 tonnes. Impressive stuff indeed.

COBRA® buckles are a result of a long history of metalworking and mountaineering in the Tyrolean Alps. AustriAlpin was founded in 1996 with the goal of developing and producing unbreakable components for mountaineers and ice climbers. Today, their products are the gold standard in safety hardware for high-consequence industries around the world, where failure can be fatal. Every COBRA® buckle is still manufactured in the picturesque Alpine town of Fulpmes.

Leo Davie