I made a video today of how my personal hammock suspension is put together for you ultralight hikers out there. Be advised I don't follow the "normal" safety recommendations.
I made a video today of how my personal hammock suspension is put together for you ultralight hikers out there. Be advised I don't follow the "normal" safety recommendations.
I like this, I also have taken certain "liberties" with splicing with no bad results. Bottom line, what works, works.
Great vid rock im not dead
What is the cutting board that you are using? Where did you get that? My apologies if that information is in a different message, but I haven't had time to read all of the amazing stuff that is listed in this forum.
Regards,
GeezerScouter
Very nicely done. Thanks
But, you know of course you're gonna die!
It's a craft mat. I don't know where my wife got it, but it sure is handy.
You can pick them up at Michael's or Hobby lobby. I have a cutting mat I think I picked up from Michael's in Athens.
Sgt, that knot you tied as your 'tensioning knot' looks much like a taut line hitch without the loop.
See, I knew it had a name.
Not sure I'm ready to try out your methods quite yet Sgt, but I appreciate the look at how you do things and your thoughts as to why. :cool:
Great vid SGT Rock, explains your suspension extremely well thanks for posting it.
I've never tried UCR's before but I have some spare dynaglide so I may give this a go, although I will be using my 1" straps as I don't have any mule tape to mess with yet!
What size knitting needles are you using to splice the dynaglide?
1" works. For a long time that was what I used, I normally went slightly under 5' length. If you do 1" then you can use standard Dutch Clips, the Ti ones are like 7 grams each. The UCR won't change for 1" straps unless you just want to make them longer or use more bury and/or taper.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cranky Bear
#2 knitting needle for opening it up.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lupus
BTW, here is my source for mule tape: http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-100-ft-han...item2a26447fa3
Thank you. Now I just need a cheap source of Dynaglide.Quote:
Originally Posted by SGT Rock
Maybe one of the cottage guys like Arrowhead or Dutch carries smaller hanks, but this is where I get it: http://www.wesspur.com/throw-line/zi...hrow-line.html
http://www.outdoortrailgear.com/featured/rope/
Dynaglide, 25' for $5.50
Let me check and see what Wade Casto has in his warehouse, though I don't know if he handles anything this small.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lupus
GeezerScouter
Hi Sgt Rock,
Great video. It walked me right through my first set of UCRs. Full set weight with Mule Tape: 1.7 oz. More than a 6 oz savings over my 4-wrap 1" polyester. :D
A couple ideas came to me during the process:
I used 22 ga floral wire to pull ends through the cord. It is slippery and stiff enough to push through the center of the cords. And it can be a lot longer than a paperclip. :) This made it easy for me to pull the wire. I used a piece about 18 in long, doubled over. I bought over a hundred feet of the wire at Hobby Lobby for about 3 bucks.
For one of the UCRs, I used orange Dynaglide for the hook tail and green DG for the 5' head. It might be more obvious to me which piece I should pull on to do adjustments this way. Also, it might make pictures of the UCR easier to understand.
Very fine video. The disclaimer was a nice touch! I am waiting on my first hank of dynaglide as we speak. I look forward to trying this stuff out.
Great video
As posted by another member a short time back, Bishop Co. has the best Dynaglide pricing I've found.
"You're gonna die" I loved the video!
I tried the UCR route and found the fiddle factor with the tensioning knot wasn't worth the weight savings for me (although it was fun to make such a lightweight suspension).
I don't do brummels either. I prefer back stitching because it makes a cleaner looking bury and mostly because It allows me to cinch up an eye around the object in the eye.
On my stopper bury, once the inner line is pulled through the outer line, I cut off the taper perpendicular to the line before milking it back inside. That gives it an even harder "stop."
I learned how to make continuous loops smaller from someone on HF (sadly I've forgotten who). They only bury one side to full length. The second side is only about an inch long and merely "tucked" into the other side of the loop. Then all is back stitched. A full bury on the one side provides all the holding power to keep the integrity of the loop.
I'm starting to think there is a trend in suspension where people say something to the effect of "tried X, went back to Y because it was simpler/easier" because I've found myself saying the same thing. Maybe it is what you get use to or something. I did the whole strap only thing with my wife's hammock and found it a PITA and stuck to lines and straps with 'biners for a while despite many people saying they thought all straps were easier. In my push a couple of years back I went through WSs to UCRs and use them exclusively for a couple of years, but converted my kids hammocks to WSs because I had some extras. I hate setting up their hammocks because I now find WSs annoying and think that UCRs are about the essence of simplicity and ease despite other experience hikers like yourself finding the fiddle factor with the knot too much (do you leave the knot tied? You should) while I find the knot liberatingly the easiest way to do it.
HYOH - hang your own hang
DYOD - die your own death
Sorry sarge. Couldn't resist. :)
Always appreciate your gram shedding creativity.
Here is a horoscope for you: Yer gonna die.
I think I heard that in a song somewhere LOL.
Can you post some pictures of how you attach this to your hammock? Thanks for the help sarge.
I'll try and make some pictures Friday.
Would this modification be suitable for those vets who were...hehehe..chaptered under Chapter 18?? :)
I've never used a taper. I've got no idea what it is. I've never had an issue with any of my whoopie slings. Am I gonna die? One day, no idea when.
I like the look of the mule tape. I'll have to try that when I get some and another set of Dutch whoopie hooks. I've hated sliding my 1" webbing through itself after multiple wraps. I think using the hooks will make that easier for such a small weight penalty.
Probably not. But maybe.Quote:
Originally Posted by jerzybears
I did find it difficult to untie the larks head around the marlin spike when the strap was Mule tape. I had resisted going full bore and using Dutch hooks for the Mule tape, so I had to undo the knot to take the strap off the tree.Quote:
Originally Posted by SGT Rock
From what I now understand, you just leave the UCR attached to the Marlin spike for most hanging situations and all you have to do is loop the tree with the Mule tape and a Dutch hook. That makes sense. All I have to do is write away for another pair of Dutch hooks.
I planned to do a video today, but I was jammed up with contractor and building inspector issues for my porch project. So hopefully these will do.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lupus
Normally I just run the short section of dynagide I demonstrated making through the channels on the ends of my hammock and then tighten them down good. Here is a picture of the foot end of my hammock:
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery...0011_thumb.jpg
If you have the ends of your hammock already whipped, then you can use that same piece in a larks head around the end of your hammock:
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery...0012_thumb.jpg
Ok, thanks. I understand now. I appreciate the photo's. I thought that was the case, but I wasn't sure.Quote:
Originally Posted by SGT Rock
I am looking to put together the parts to run this project, but I wanted to confirm something.
There is no adjustment at the hammock end of the mule tape. Is that correct? The adjustments for the suspension are all done via the UCR coming from the hammock. So there is no cinch buckle or anything like that. Is that right?
Also, there is a whoopie hook at the tree end of the mule tape, replacing the dutch hook.. And then there is a whoopie hook at the other end of the mule tape which is attaching to your UCR. So a total of 4 whoopie hooks for a complete hammock suspension. Is that right?
Thanks!
Correct. Although you may find you need to do an extra wrap or two around the tree to take up some slack.Quote:
Originally Posted by funkho
Also rightQuote:
The adjustments for the suspension are all done via the UCR coming from the hammock. So there is no cinch buckle or anything like that. Is that right?
Not exactly. You are right that there is a whoopie hook at the tree end of the mule tape ro replace a dutch clip (http://www.outdoortrailgear.com/featured/dutch-clips/). This is what you use to hook back onto the mule tape instead of running the mule tape back through itself.Quote:
Also, there is a whoopie hook at the tree end of the mule tape, replacing the dutch hook. And then there is a whoopie hook at the other end of the mule tape which is attaching to your UCR.
The UCR (the long end, the part I call the head) attaches to the end of the mule tape via a larks head. At the other end of the UCR (the short end, the part I call the tail) is the other whoopie hook. On the hammock you larks head that short piece I made with two loops so that you have a loop to connect to the UCR woopie hook.
Yes that is right.Quote:
So a total of 4 whoopie hooks for a complete hammock suspension. Is that right?
Thanks!
Nice laboratory, Sgt Rock! The video helped me to understand how you are using the Mule Tape. Looks good.
It is sweet. I just spend my first night out in it last night. It got down to 24F which is a good temperature for sleeping. FWIW that rig last night you saw in the video:
Ghost Hammock with modified foot box - 5.76 ounces
2 UCR & mule tape lines with dutchware - 1.97 ounces
Cuben Fiber tarp and lines and dutchware - 5.44 ounces
4 arrow stakes - 0.66 ounces
Phoenix 0F underquilt with dutchware - 20.88 ounces
Burrow 20F top quilt - 21.04 ounces
JRB Down-to-earth converter pad - 4.49 ounces
Butt pad/UL pack frame - 1.94 ounces
Total winter rig = 62.18 ounces or 3.89 pounds.
I just received some Mule Tape today and I'm waiting for two more whoopie hooks to come in. I've already got some dynaglide whoopies made so this is going to be great.
Three questions, SGT Rock:
1. Is the loop hosting the hook that replaces the Dutch clip a continuous loop of dynaglide or is it something else knotted?
2. How do you get your tarp to be so light weight (dimensions, ridgeline, guylines...)?
3. Do you still use your pole mod for your tarp and is it working well?
Continuous loop of dynaglide. I show doing it in the video. Then larks head that loop to one of the end loops on the mule tape.Quote:
Originally Posted by FireInMyBones
I did a video about building a cuben tarp, one of my most popular videos which shows how I make my tie outs on the tarp. The tarp made in the video is larger than my tarp. My tarp is 7' x 9'. Before you go make a 9' long tarp though, know that my hammock ridge is 7' long, so my tarp exceeds the ends of my hammock by a foot on each end which is the minimum I recommend. The materials:Quote:
2. How do you get your tarp to be so light weight (dimensions, ridgeline, guylines...)?
Cuben is the 0.51 ounce cuben fiber from zpacks: http://www.zpacks.com/materials.shtml
The lines are made from 1.25mm zline from zpacks: http://www.zpacks.com/accessories/spectra_cord.shtml
I use black for the ridge lines and yellow for the side pull outs so I know what I am grabbing when setting up. For the ridge lines I use 12.5' of line at both end of the ridge (I quit using continuous ridgelines) and at the end of each one I have a ti dutch hook.
For the side tie outs I have 8 lines that are 6.25' long each. I put a permanent loop at the end of each one so I can stick a stake through it then tighten at the tarp with a prusik that attaches each line.
To prusik the lines to the tarp pull outs I am using 200lb test fishing line.
Pull outs are made using 3/16" flat cord from zpacks: http://www.zpacks.com/accessories/spectra_cord.shtml
I slightly changed my system. The center is still the same piece of shark-bite tube. I now have the ti dutch hooks on the center pull outs of the tarp so I can hook them onto pre-positioned loops on my hiking poles made from 200lb test fishing line. I got tired of the clinking ti hooks on my poles so I put them on the tarp now. I still carry the pole mod and use it when appropriate. I prefer porch mode whenever I can get away with it, and use my pole mod when I see a storm coming and will not use porch mode, or in winter when I want the tarp down to help hold in some heat. Then I also close the ends of the tarp off with the "flaps".Quote:
3. Do you still use your pole mod for your tarp and is it working well?
Gotcha. I watched the video a while ago and had completely forgot if you'd shown that. I suppose I could have re-watched it.Quote:
Originally Posted by SGT Rock
My tarp is 10'x8'. I use a zing-it CRL w/ a Dutch fly and hook. I used to use the two separate pieces, but for now found I like the CRL. Guylines are 1.2 tech line from DIY Gear Supply and side pull outs are 3/32" shockcord. I use DIY snake skins that weigh ~11g each. Total 7.95oz I wouldn't mind getting that a little lower. I'll PM you some other questions I have about your tarp set up.Quote:
My tarp is 7' x 9'.
I do like porch mode the best, but I have been thinking of switching to a pole mod like yours instead of using side pull outs.Quote:
I slightly changed my system... I still carry the pole mod and use it when appropriate. I prefer porch mode whenever I can get away with it, and use my pole mod when I see a storm coming and will not use porch mode...
No problem, or ask them on the board, someone else may be wondering the same thing. Sometimes I am not sure what needs explaining for folks...Quote:
Originally Posted by FireInMyBones
10'x8' is a good tarp size. If I had a bunch of cash I would probably make a slightly larger winter cuben hammock about that size. I kept trying the CRL thinking it was a great idea, but in practice I found I preferred separate lines for each end already all connected to the tarp. Gredemeer showed me a cool way to connect lines this spring, so I switched to that. Here is an illustration: http://theultimatehang.com/2012/06/p...-prusik-knots/
It is as adjustable for me as a CRL, except without the extra bit of line between the prusiks. More usable line length for the length of line since there isn't extra in the center being used.
I don't use shock cord with CF, I found it unnecessary since CF doesn't change when it is set up line sil-nylon. But the same prusik connectors for the side tie outs work great since I can adjust them at the tarp end from under the tarp if I need to. I found elastic to be heaver per inch than line, so I eliminate it whenever possible.
For my tarp storage I decided ventilation was a good idea, so I have been using a 5.9 gram bag made from left over nanoseeum net. I sometimes bring it and sometimes don't because I just stick the tarp in an outside mesh pocket on my pack.
I tried back stitching like SGT Rock suggests. I used normal weight Wally World poly thread and found that the thread had broken in multiple places after hanging in it overnight - I used black thread, so it was easy to see. I used a pair of tweezers to remove the broken threads and then back stitched with heavy weight Gutterman poly. I decided to use black to see if this also broke. Nope... This was what I needed.
The display in our Jo-Ann's does not have outdoor upholstery thread like SGT Rock suggests, but they did have "heavy weight" in spools with 100 meters of thread.
Before backstitching the bury, I hang the hammock (using care not to pull the bury out) and weight it. That "shifts" the bury into it's final position, then I backstitch. If you backstitch while the bury is relaxed, before loading it, there will be some shifting that could break the threads.
This reminds me of times long ago when I would load a truck for moving. I would drive half a block down the road and slam the breaks. Then I wouldn't have to worry about that load shifting for the remainder of the trip! :D
Great idea.Quote:
Originally Posted by MAD777
Also bury stitching is not pulled tight like stitching cloth. It needs some slack to move with the rope.
A note on the craft mat. If you go to Hobby Lobby, the ones in the drafting area (near paint and pens) are 3x less expensive than the ones in the sewing/quilting area.
I ended up using the Mule Tap suspension system with my Endura (white dynaglide) whoopie slings this weekend. I loved them. Easy to set up. My lightest straps ever. No tree damage. Another great idea for us ultra lighters.
I love this idea. If I was going to do this without actually putting the UCR on the hammock, about how many pounds do you think it should be loaded with? I'd like to just hang a weight on the system to get the bury to settle. Then backstitch the bury.Quote:
Originally Posted by MAD777
Thoughts?
I made a few of these out of Zing It for my tarp. I can appreciate the convenience but after attaching them to the tarp I could only snug the line so far so I would pull the inner line against the outer line. By doing this I noticed stress and stretching of the outer lines braiding. How do you get a taught line without causing what is obviously weakening of the line. Any input would be appreciated. Thank You