In this work we propose a novel procedure for direct computation of buckling loads for extreme mechanical or thermomechanical conditions. The procedure efficiency is built upon the von Karmann strain measure providing the special format of the tangent stiffness matrix, leading to a general linear eigenvalue problem for critical load multiplier estimates. The proposal is illustrated on a number of validation examples, along with more complex examples of interest for practical applications. The comparison is also made against a more complex computational procedure based upon the finite strain elasticity, as well as against a more refined model using the frame elements. All these results confirm a very satisfying performance of the proposed methodology.