Hard foam ?

[Michael Fogarty]

Looking for a supplier of the hard foam type material that is used for hip-belt stiffeners, and used on some backpack back panels. This material is gray in color and can be sewn through, and is flexible. Looking for 3/16" and 1/4" thicknesses.

[Brendan Swihart]

Timely question; I've received about a dozen or so samples from various online foam sellers in the last couple weeks (basically from anywhere I could find that didn't make you buy a crazy amount).

By far the winner is the 12lb EVA from https://www.northshoreinc.com/store/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=26. They only have 1/8" thickness, but laminated to another piece of softer foam should make an excellent hipbelt. It's very hard and structurally stable (I can't make it shift between my thumbs mimicking a hipbelt to pack connection-the only foam I've found capable of that). I just ordered some and am pretty excited about it.

[MFR]

Keep us updated on how it works out. I've been looking for a nice, stiff foam for a dual-density foam hipbelt, and I'm glad to see that you found something promising.

Thanks.

[Michael Fogarty]

Seems like 12lb density would be about right. I believe 2lb density is very soft, like the blue closed cell pads. I just need to find the 12lb density in 1/4" thick x 12-14" widths x 24" lengths

[Brendan Swihart]

One thing I learned is that density doesn't necessarily equal stiffness or hardness. 2 lb density can vary in stiffness quite a bit. IDF or ILD is the stiffness/hardness measurement. That said, the 12 lb stuff is much stiffer than anything in the 2-6lb density that I have samples of. I also got a piece of the 16lb that they have (only available in 3/32) and it wasn't as stiff as the 1/8" 12lb. If you really want 1/4" I'd just get two of the 1/8" and glue them together. You can get any size you want from North Shore in 12" increments.

[Sam Farrington]

Thank you very much. Was looking for a very dense foam for sole plates and tongue liners to shim my boots. This should work well, and they even provide the option of stick-on and non. Ordered some already.

[Daryl and Daryl]

These adhesive backed foam sheets are cheap and stiff and the ones I got were about 1/8" thick. You could create thicker and longer ones by laminating/overlapping them.

here

[Michael Fogarty]

Thanks for all the advice, still not what I'm looking for, I had asked ULA what they use for their hip-belts, and back panels or their supplier source, but they where not willing to divulge their supplier, understandably. They did make a switch from the harder gray foam, to a softer, lightweight foam.

[Alex Wallace]

Ah, the joys of a successful search. I’ll look into the stuff Brenden references above from North Shore Inc., but in the meantime does anyone know what HMG uses for their hipbelts? I find the fit and feel of their hipbelts pretty much perfect and a lot has to do with the stiffness. I’d like to to be able to make my own to play with the shape (e.g. cant, length) a bit. Any insight is appreciated.

[Nick Smolinske]

This isn’t quite what you’re asking for, but I’ve used 1/2″ FY20 (from Outdoor Wilderness Fabrics) for my last few hipbelts.  It’s medium density and in a 1/2″ thickness it adds the right amount of structure for me, and a good amount of “sink” for the hip bones.  I sew a line lengthwise across the hipbelt through all layers and the foam to compress it and add a bit of stiffness as well, although even my industrial walking foot machines struggle a bit with that one.

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