Lightning

[Wtmurray]

From a basic physics perspective electricity takes the path of least resistance. The reason lightning strikes the tallest object (usually) is that almost any object is a better conductor than air and the path of least resistance usually means getting out of the air and into an object as quickly as possible. This is the same reason lightning rods work, the metal rod and metal cords / wires are lower resistance than your house, so it hits the rod and travels down the cord. The reason lightning often jumps to people standing up near trees and houses is that a bag of electrolyte rich water is a better conductor than wood / concrete etc.

So all that in mind, the way to not be roasted by lightning is to not be part of a path of least resistance. Don’t stand or set up near the tallest tree in your area.

Don’t stand vertically touching a tree so that the tree+you path to the ground is lower resistance than other nearby trees. This means if your hammock isn’t up yet don’t try to put it up.

If you are already in your hammock than stay there. In a hammock you are lying parallel to the ground with no parts significantly closer to the ground than other parts. This means that lightning passing through your body would not be getting closer to the ground. Your body would be adding resistance but not helping it cover distance to the ground. Consequently, lying flat and parallel to the ground, it is very unlikely your body is part of a path of least resistance.


// I am not a professional lightning expert so use at your own risk. No legal or safety warranty is claimed or implied.

[goobie]

Personally, I'm way more afraid of the boogeyman!!


Last storm I was out in I just laid back on shot video on my phone to share with those poor souls that were stuck in the house!

[SGT Rock]

I think if there is any danger from lighting to a hanger it is probably more from cambria getting super heated and blowing out bark and /or causing limbs to drop. Tents in the woods near trees would have the same issue

[genixia]

I'm going to order me one of those new fangled lightweight copper faraday hammocks from Dutch. Rumors are that the magnesium ultralight version didn't hold up well in testing...

[Tyoney]

Anyone ever stuck in it and what would YOU do?

Shug's advice sounds gr8.
Cross something while it's happening. .

[Riggster]

I found this in one of the linked threads.

Seems to back up the advice mentioned in "The Ultimate Hang" concerning lightening storms.

http://www.aztrail.org/lightning_safety.pdf

[joefbtg28]

Here is what I do. Lightning is the #1 natural killer in CO.

Start Counting: the time between lightning and thunder. about 1 mile (away from you) per second difference. Is it coming or going? If it is under a mile, it is time to hunker down and hope for the best!
Elevation: Are you in an open meadow? Are you the tallest thing around? If so get down in a creek bottom asap, depending on the distance away from you.

That's pretty much it.

[turbominivan]

According to the National Weather Service:

If you are caught outside with no safe shelter anywhere nearby the following actions may reduce your risk:

• Immediately get off elevated areas such as hills, mountain ridges or peaks
• Never lie flat on the ground
• Never shelter under an isolated tree
• Never use a cliff or rocky overhang for shelter
• Immediately get out and away from ponds, lakes and other bodies of water
• Stay away from objects that conduct electricity (barbed wire fences, power lines, windmills, etc.)

http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/tips.shtml

[old creek]

I don't go looking for it but just because of my job I get stuck out in it every now and again. one of the biggest feelings of satisfaction I ever had though was the first time I took a small tarp on a scout instead of just a poncho, it came a frightful thunder storm, I mean bad, tree dropping bad. I strung the tarp out, laid out a trash bag to sit on, broke out the grub and put water on the old V-8 can stove for tea and had a grand time of it. it was quite satisfying to feel safe ( I wasn't all that safe in reality I know ) and to be dry and warm in such a violent storm.

creek

[T- Minus]

electricity is strange unpredictable beast that we have tamed for use but still is magical, and sometimes has a mind of its own. Case in point if a neighbors bad water heater can make the house across the street have blown fuses and then removed and taken to a rental home and the same thing happens across the street there also. I say there is still some kind of voodoo in electricity that can't be reasoned. So expect the unexpected. I have a good friend and his home was struck by lighting and it shot out of the power sockets and bounced like a ball burning the carpet and bouncing off walls and bounced of a glass window cracking it and back into another power socket and welded all the electrical wiring in the house and blew up all the tvs. while people were in the rooms. Nobody was hurt but to think lighting is predictable is about as safe a practice as bare bumming a LAX toilet seat. But on the flip side of the coin out of all the trees very few ever get struck and the ones that do have a better chance of being struck again just like people.