Hangers show me your suspension hardware please ;-)

[Dawn Bustanoby]

I'm as much as a gear-geek as the next guy/gal, but when it comes to lightening my load (crucial for this 100lb lady), I'm always thinking about LESS hardware, not more. I skip the dutch buckles/biners/clips on my tree huggers (just loop the end through the loop on the other end), whoopies directly on the hammock, and no metal hardware of any kind on my hammock suspension. I also don't cary toggles; where there are trees there are sticks. Maybe it doesn't save much weight, but after oohing-and-ahhing over all of the cool bling, I ask myself does my system NEED this piece of hardware, or is it just cool?

[Ian]

Dawn et al,

I think " I skip the dutch buckles/biners/clips on my tree huggers (just loop the end through the loop on the other end), whoopies directly on the hammock, and no metal hardware of any kind on my hammock suspension." just answered my question but I'll ask anyways.

Is there any problem just tying a figure 8 or bowline to one end of the 1" webbing/tree strap instead of buying one that's stitched together and used in conjunction with a caribiner or some other piece of hardware?

Right now, I'm using a stock ENO Double Nest with original caribiners and Atlas Straps, all purchased pre-BPL. My thought was to replace the caribiners with four (two each side) descending rings and just to use a long enough tree strap as a all in one hanging system instead of tying a whoopie sling to it.

Am I on the right track?

[Steven McAllister]

Most people use marlin spike hitches when using loop-less tree straps.
Very simple and reliable when tied correctly. I quit bringing toggles along and just use found objects instead. The toggle doesn't have to be strong when hung correctly and even a soft stick will work.

[Ian]

"Most people use marlin spike hitches when using loop-less tree straps."

Thanks for the input. My thought, although not communicated well, was to tie a Figure 8 or bowline to form the loop, run tag end around tree and then through that loop, and then run the tag end through both of the descending rings which are attached to the hammock.

My limited understanding of the marlin spike hitch is that forms a knot that a whoopie sling can be attached to? I was thinking about skipping the whoopie sling altogether and just using the tree strap for suspension.

[Steven McAllister]

Oh, duh, of course. I know what you mean.

I'd probably go the figure 8 knot because I think it would be the easiest to untie after all the tension that is applied to it.
My instinct is that the figure 8 would not weaken the strap as much as most other knots, but I may be wrong.

[Ian]

"My instinct is that the figure 8 would not weaken the strap as much as most other knots, but I may be wrong."

I'll give it a shot. I rappel using either a figure 8 or bowline but was unsure of how the webbing would work as far as the knot slipping or if the webbing was more susceptible to failure with a knot vs sewing.

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