INTERVIEW: Where the Cobra is at home

A buckle is going around the world. And when you look at the buckle and want to know where the ingenious Cobra Buckles come from, the interested observer will be surprised to find out: they come from home, from Austria. AustriAlpin is located in the Stubai Valley and we asked about the story behind the Cobra Buckles that everyone in the tactical field wants to have.

SPARTANAT: Cobra Buckles are currently the ultimate in tactical belts. How long have they been around?

AustriAlpin: The first Cobra buckle was introduced in 1998.

SPARTANAT: What was the original application?

AustriAlpin: Originally, the buckles were developed for aviation, specifically for the harnesses of paragliders and hang gliders.

SPARTANAT: What is the secret to their functionality?

AustriAlpin: The major patented technological advantage lies in the fact that the buckles cannot be opened if they are being pulled on from one side and/or under tension. This prevents accidental release. There are now a variety of different developments of the original Cobra buckle, one of which is the "Open Under Load" which allows for opening under load, especially used in the military sector and can also serve a life-saving function.

SPARTANAT: For us laymen: What does the fine print on the Cobra Buckles say?

AustriAlpin: An important and interesting piece of information is the strength specification. There is a distinction between the tensile strength, which is 9 kilonewtons, and the tensile strength in the ring, which is a closed system, at 18 kN. Additionally, each buckle has its corresponding serial number. This way, the buckle can always be assigned to the production time and batch.

SPARTANAT: AustriAlpin is not normally in the tactical sector. What do you usually do?

AustriAlpin: The company has been producing PPE products made of metal since 1996. The abbreviation PPE stands for "Personal Protective Equipment", which is used in mountaineering, aviation, and workplace safety. Traditionally, we feel strongly connected to mountaineering. The company's founders started with carabiner, ice axe, and crampon production. Many employees are passionate climbers and mountaineers.

AustriAlpin on the web: http://www.austrialpin.at

Cobra Buckles on AustriAlpin's site: http://www.austrialpin.at/safety.aspx

HERE is the REVIEW of the two Cobra Belts from Stratagem and Platatac