Water Tracking Along Integral Ridge/suspension Line

[ozziepom]

I'm toying with the idea of converting to an integral ridge/suspension line, but I can't see any way of avoiding water from tracking along the line and eventually dripping into the hammock during a sustained downpour.

I currently use a single SMC between each end of the hammock and the suspension lines, with separate drip cords tied around each side of the rings. Whichever way the water runs, it can't avoid the drip cords, and of course it can't travel through the SMC rings.

How do those of you using integral ridge/suspension lines avoid this potential problem?

[ozziepom]

Anybody at all have any advice about this?

[Frawg]

Anybody at all have any advice about this?

Hi, ozziepom! If I correctly understand your description (a pic would help a lot) it sounds like you would be adequately protected. That configuration sounds better than mine and I've had no problems through several heavy downpours. Of course, I'm using very small lines (7/64" AmSteel Blue) rather than straps; I don't know which you are using. There was some discussion of anti-drip measures scattered through the lengthy threads on whoopie slings and 'universal constrictor rope' (UCR) suspensions. Have you tested a mockup of your setup in any sort of rain?

[TeeDee]

I have used 2 variations of the integrated ridge line and suspension, my SLS and my MSLS.

The former was water control built-in with the Marlin Spike toggles used to hang the hammock from the SLS.

The Later uses Whoopie Slings which have built-in drip strings. The use of the Whoopie Slings has been covered in at least 2 other threads and so I'll defer you to those.

End result, neither have any problem with water and separate drip strings can always be added.

[ozziepom]

Frawg:
I'm using 4mm lines rather than straps, and you're quite right, my current system does work well even in heavy rain. I didn't really want to go through the hassle of changing my suspension system to some form of 'SLS' only to test it and find that it lets the water in.

TeeDee:
I've read some of your previous posts about 'SLSs' (what's an MSLS?), and it's great that you're reporting that they appear waterproof in practice, but I can't get my head around the fact that, in theory at least, there is still a pathway for the water to track along the line and then either down into the hammock, or along the integral ridgeline and then drip into the hammock. Even the marlinspike toggle method would leave contact between the SLS line and the line that the hammock is hanging from wouldn't it?

[Frawg]

I'll leap in and answer, but TeeDee will give you a more detailed one.

Every hanging system - including your current one - has unbroken physical contact from the tree to the ridgeline. But gravity is your friend, and water will find the easiest path to ground - TeeDee'ss marlinspike, my toggles, the UCR and whoopie sling loose ends or your drip strings. They all redirect the flow. Have faith, brother!

[ozziepom]

Thanks Frawg, you are of course 100% correct, (unless someone out there levitates their hammock using some kind of magnetic forcefield?)

What I was trying to convey is that many people's set ups, including my own current one, have some form of rigid, non-permeable, hardware between the hammock and the suspension system, be it rings, crabs, (biners), or whatever. Put some drip cords on this hardware and the water is not going to get past.

However, with an SLS system, there is a path, (2 paths), for the water to track along. Even with TeeDee's hammock hanging from a line from the marlinspike toggles, there is still a path for the water to track down into the hammock, because the permeable SLS cord anchoring the toggle will be in contact with the permeable cord leading from the toggle to the hammock, and so the water could, theoretically, soak through. Also, there is an unbroken path through the SLS cord along the integral ridge line for water to soak through and drip into the hammock.

I guess what I was looking for is some reassurance, or even an explanation as to why, in practice, the water doesn't actually track along these paths.

Another thing which maybe causing my apparent paranoia is that I have no experience with dyneema, so I don't know how it behaves with water in real life situations, as opposed to in theory (my suspension system so far has been based around nylon-based line. Another reason to want to change my suspension!)

[Frawg]

Thanks Frawg, you are of course 100% correct, (unless someone out there levitates their hammock using some kind of magnetic forcefield?)

Check out angrysparrow's avatar!

What I was trying to convey is that many people's set ups, including my own current one, have some form of rigid, non-permeable, hardware between the hammock and the suspension system, be it rings, crabs, (biners), or whatever. Put some drip cords on this hardware and the water is not going to get past.

I do understand, and that was my original concern as well.

However, with an SLS system, there is a path, (2 paths), for the water to track along. Even with TeeDee's hammock hanging from a line from the marlinspike toggles, there is still a path for the water to track down into the hammock, because the permeable SLS cord anchoring the toggle will be in contact with the permeable cord leading from the toggle to the hammock, and so the water could, theoretically, soak through. Also, there is an unbroken path through the SLS cord along the integral ridge line for water to soak through and drip into the hammock.

I would respectfully suggest that the theory is incomplete. I can vouch from experience with both marlinspikes and toggles that water doesn't continue down and soak through to the hammock, or at least hasn't in my experience. Not sure I can articulate the reasons why without close observation and significant head scratching, though.

I guess what I was looking for is some reassurance, or even an explanation as to why, in practice, the water doesn't actually track along these paths.

Well, TeeDee and I are two witnesses and there are others in the threads we mentioned, if that helps. The physics of fluid flow are a bit outside my zone of expertise.

Another thing which maybe causing my apparent paranoia is that I have no experience with dyneema, so I don't know how it behaves with water in real life situations, as opposed to in theory (my suspension system so far has been based around nylon-based line. Another reason to want to change my suspension!)

Gotcha! My experience with lines, as opposed to straps, has been solely with dyneema, AmSteel Blue 7/64" in particular. Don't know what else to tell ya.

For grins, try this experiment with your current setup: use friction hitches (rolling hitch, e.g. ) to fasten a short line bypassing the ring. Make it so that line hangs down with the bottom of its catenary lower than either end. Then see if any water gets past it during the next rain. I predict that water will drip from the catenary's bottom, and not climb uphill to the hammock. I'd be more concerned about ambient humidity than the little that might theoretically flow from capillary action.

Cheers!

[ozziepom]

I'm hearing what you say. Perhaps I should just trust the experiences of yourself and others, rather than trying to work out the 'whys and wherefores' of the process.

As for your suggested experiment, I think I'll give that one a miss - I would expect the same result as you've suggested. It wasn't really capillary action that I was concerned about. I was thinking rather that certainly 1, if not both, of the paths that I mentioned in earlier posts were downhill all the way.

I suppose I should just give the SLS a go, but make sure that I do it at home, rather than out in the bush.

Cheers for your responses.

[oldgringo]

I have used dyneema fishing line for years. It is hydrophobic, and in fact, floats.