I you use an aluminum descending ring and run your amsteel in 4 to 5 wraps around the ring you can then take and run your bitter end around the tree or your attachment point of your straps(toggle or camp 9 binner is my favorite light weight hardware) and then tie off back at your ring, you can slide the ring up and down the amsteel to adjust your length. I learned this method when I first started hanging before I became comfortable with whoopie slings. I have even hung for several months with para cord and although a little stretchy it never failed to keep my 200 lb. ass off the ground.

Check out the videos at Hennessy Hammocks. It might give you another alternative: http://hennessyhammock.com/media/C37/#content

I would use the lashing method where you go around the tree, back around the line leading to the hammock and then back around the tree in the opposite direction. It can be finished off with a slippery hitch, half-hitches, etc. This lashing is used more often with hammock tarps and is similar to the figure-8 lashing that Hennessy uses. It would work fine with sticks to protect the bark. I would worry more about protecting the Amsteel with rough conifer bark. Socks or a bandanna might do it.

If you want a ridgeline, it doesn't need a lot of fancy work. I rigged one using Zing-It with a bowline in one end and a taut line hitch on the other. There isn't that much stress on a ridgeline: you should be able to rock it a bit when you are in the hammock. Check out the Warbonnet video at http://warbonnetoutdoors.com/setup.php around the 5 minute mark. The ridgeline will hold up a bug net and/or storage pockets and give you a "stop" so you know when your setup is right.

Do get some whoopies and toggles when you have time. It is the SUL way to get a suspension together and is so easy to use. I do prefer carabiners to toggles and use the Camp Nano 23's. Your hammock will be more comfortable if you can adjust it easily and get the sag right.

1" tree straps aren't very heavy. 8' ones from Arrowhead are just 1.9oz each. The 6' ones supplied with my BIAS Weight Weenie hammock are 1.4oz each.

I wouldn't go out with less that 6' straps. I went to a camp out last week that was basically car camping, but I took my hammock and brought the short tree straps supplied by Hennessy (43" long). I just made it around one tree and was a full foot short on the other. I had extra Zing-It line and lashed it back and forth through the end loops of the Hennessy strap and then clipped my biner across the rows of Zing-It. That held for two nights with no problems.

Just Jeff has some great photos and info on alternative hammock suspensions: http://www.tothewoods.net/HammockCampingSuspension.html

Have fun!

Reason being....(IMO at this point)

- Easy to tie
- Uses the least amount of amsteel in the knot
- Maximizes the girth of the tree or span in between trees to suspend my hammock.
- Relatively easy to adjust hammock suspension & sag
-Easy to untie


I will lash the shortest bit possible of amsteel through the gathered end and then through a bowline and the resultant end coming out of the hammock will have a large bowline (to accommodate long toggles) or an adjustable grip hitch (I don't care if the adj. grip hitch cinches up on itself, it's just going to grip the marlin better)

Then I will take my long length of amsteel and lass that around the tree threading one end through a bowline.

The remaining long length of amsteel will be used to tie the marlin spike hitch wherever need be to hang the hammock. I can easily retie it to adjust hammock sag.)

There was some worry about the size of the marlin knot to hold the length coming from the hammock. Well here is my solution:

Regular Marlin spike hitch:
regular

Marlin spike hitch with the loose end wrapped around the knot twice:
beefed

Fattened Marlin spike hitch knot under load:
loaded

Edited by bster13 on 08/01/2012 07:02:59 MDT.

http://www.geargrams.com/list?id=8944

It's not perfect (I don't know the weight of my suspension yet or slightly longer guy lines for the tarp, but I beefed up the weight of the GT Nano hammock )

That's a great looking list!

If you have limited site selections I definitely concur about longer straps. My "deluxe" hammock setup has one 6' and one 8' straps, but my light setup uses two 4' straps which assumes I can just keep hiking until I find a suitable spot.

For reference, my 10' DIY hammock with whoopie slings, 4' straps, and toggles made from arrow sections weighs about 9oz even, and it's pretty hard to beat for ease of use.

When I first started hammocking I did find a fixed ridgeline to be useful, but with practice I can usually get a good hang the first try now.

Have fun!

-David

Do you have any insulation for under you in the hammock? If not, then you will get very cold if temps are low at all.

Yeah my weights will flux as I figure out the exact length cordage I need. I'll bring some extra 1mm guy line for pitching on a slope as well.

For insulation I have a 3/8th in foam pad in my list. i am not sure what it is made of, it's light density, but I am confident it will take me down to 40F as people on Hammock Forums use other 1/4in foam down to 40F it seems.

I see now. I missed one first glance. Looks good!

Good looking list, imo. Glad you found an acceptable suspension method. My camera did not want to cooperate last night and I wound up with about 4 dozen useless blurry pictures. Bah.

Dustin,
Would you be willing to post a pic of that descending ring rig? I tried a couple variations using rings but yours sounds new to me.

Bryce - nice job putting it together. I think you'll be pretty comfortable and can't wait to hear feedback from the trip.

I also have a GT Nano 7 hammock but I've dropped it (with whoopie slings, a 6' and 8' foot strap) into my Daypack for fun. I've moved on to a BIAS Weight Weenie...Check it out when you get back.

Safe trip and happy hanging!

Please get yourself a set of Whoopie slings, tree straps, and toggles (under $20 from Arrowhead Equipment)
http://arrowheadequipment.webs.com/apps/webstore/products/show/2575039#
and end this ridiculousness.

....I'd be heavier.

The only way I'll get tree straps is if the hassle of putting sticks in between the trees and Amsteel does not work to protect the tree or is too much of a PIA.

I didn't get to SUL by end this "ridiculous." ;)

SUL is ridiculousness, as someone knowledgeable like Andrew Skurka will tell you.

How much does a Whoopie sling weigh? 1 ounce?
Whoopie slings are extremely light, extremely easy to use, and very adjustable.

The tree straps in the system weigh a lot more. That is where weight could be reduced. Find some lightweight webbing.

...slightly irritating. Conversely everyone else on the thread has been great with suggestions and ideas on how to go lighter with a hammock with the pros-and cons (much appreciated!).

I've been SUL for awhile now and had no trouble on the trail for me personally and the types of trips I like to take.

In the end this is the SUL sub-forum, please (try to) push your opinions on what is ridiculous somewhere else. Thx!

....Are there other benefits to having my tarp tie off around the trees on its own as opposed to tying it off to the tree strapping? The latter would use less guy wire and thus less weight.

I realize providing the tarp with enough guy line to tie off around the tree by itself give you the ability to allow more ventilation with a high pitch or pitch it low to hunker down during a storm, but am I missing anything else?

the tree straps are not "tight" on the tree, so you will not have as taught a tarp line as you may desire.

this is where Dutch's various clips come in handy.

The straps would be tight under load (when I a in the hammock) but not tight when I am walking around camp. Is this what you are saying? If so... thus your tarp would be flopping around a bit, correct?

more or less yes. you could go with a ridgeline whoopie that you can easily adjust in the hammock so that with your body weight it is taught.

Bryce,

I've tried tying my tarp off to the tree hugger strap but as mentioned it was really hard to adjust. I'd be afraid of one of two things happening:

- That when you're in the hammock the tarp becomes a limp rag hanging in your face

- Or if you're clever enough to find a way that it doesn't loosen when you lay in your hammock you might cause unnecessary stress on your cuben tarp and tear it

For the tarp you can use really light line to go around the tree. That will give you, as you mentioned, the easy ability to hang your tarp high in good weather or to slide it well below where your hammock goes around the tree in lousy weather.

Have a great trip and we look forward to a trip report!

yeah, I called a hammock buddy, and he advised against it as well. The farther the span in between the trees, the higher up the trees straps have to go to get the 30deg sag in the hammock. If you pitch your tarp off those straps it could end up being hella high....which is fine for ventilation, but if a stor, comes, ut oh! Thx.