Curv®
Weighing in at under 900g, the Synth waist harness is designed to offer you the support characteristics of a hard-back harness, while maintaining the freedom and torsional flex of a traditional waist harness.
It achieves this thanks to the use of Curv, which offers high stiffness and tensile strength while being extremely durable and impact resistant. Not only does this material provide ideal stiffness and durability, but it can also be up to 50% lighter than traditional fiber composite materials.
Join us as we take a look at what makes this material special…
We caught up with Industrial Designer, Craig Tompkins to take a look behind the design…
So, what is Curv?
First introduced in 2007, Curv® is a self-reinforced thermoplastic composite that provides superior impact resistance and stiffness when compared to conventional plastics.
This matrix pattern is what makes this material ideal for use in a harness shell, as it is self-reinforced. It achieves high stiffness and tensile strength, while being extremely durable and impact resistant.
Not only does this material provide ideal stiffness and durability, but it can also be up to 50% lighter than traditional fiber composite materials.This innovative material provides just the right amount of stiffness needed for a semi-hardshell harness.
The best part? Curv® is made from post-consumer recycled plastic and is also recyclable.
IMPACT STRENGTH
CURV has unique high impact strength does not crack
or fatigue and is extremely durable.
LIGHTWEIGHT
CURV has high stiffness and low density enabling significant
weight savings when replacing traditional plastics and composites.
RECYCLABLE
CURV is pure thermoplastic, does not contain g
lass fiber and is easy to recycle.
What is CURV® made of?
Curv® is made from highly molecularly oriented thermoplastic fibers that are woven and bonded into a matrix of the same polymer.
Standard CURV is 100% thermoplastic polymer and does not contain any inorganic fibers such as glass or carbon.
How does the 3D molded design of the Synth complement the material?
Due to the unique performance characteristics of the Curv® material, the design can really be optimized to suit the desired flex pattern and stiffness level.
Traditional composite materials have very little flex, which usually results in a very rigid structure. By using Curv® and adding certain features into the design, the stiffness can be tuned. This results in a shell with specific high and low stiffness zones, further enhancing comfort and freedom of movement.
Besides the Curv material being recycled, which is great, are there any additional highlights to the construction or production process itself?
The production techniques used in the manufacture of the Curv® harness shell are much like that of traditional fiber composite shells, however, with less wastage and physical labor. By removing the need for complex composite fiber constructions and accurate resin to fiber ratios, the Curv® material can be molded from a stock sheet.
The overall construction of the harness is particularly well suited to the use of the Curv® material, as it is known to be used across various industries requiring a stiff, durable, and impact-resistant shell.
Curv® compliments the materiality and construction methods used in the production of a harness and provides a cost-effective solution to the user seeking a semi-hardshell harness without compromising on performance.
Learn More
The Synth Waist Harness
