Webbing vs. Whoopie Sling

[dejoha]

I lurked on the forum for some time until I read (and watched the movies) about whoopie slings. I completely changed my hammock system after that. I cut the weight of my current hammock system (including suspension) in half, from 16 oz to 8 oz. It wasn't just the weight of the line that helped -- I was able to eliminate other "heavy" offenders like the carabiners.

Out of curiosity why has the whoopie sling become so popular over the concept of a Utility Constrictor rope (UCR). From what I've found on the two setups it seems the UCR allows you to carry 1/2 as much line for the same same amount of adjustability. Am I missing something and are there some cons to the UCR that the whoopie sling does not have?

The UCR method provides constriction on only one side of the rope, so there can be some slippage. Many people who use UCRs also tie a safety knot at the end. The sling method seems to provide a simpler, "no hassle" setup.

[BillyBob58]

You folks who are using one set on multiple hammocks: how much extra are you leaving on the hammock end for the Larkshead before you start your bury? IOW, the directions for the "bury" say to make your mark a few inches from the hammock. This would be with the line already attached by a larkshead. If making a sling while not attached to any hammock, I'm thinking start ( marking the "out" point) about 10-12" from the end of the rope to leave enough rope for tying a larks head. Does that sound like enough, or too much?

OK, I just took a guess and went ahead and made the out point about 12" from the hammock end of the rope. Now I am a Whoopie hanger, one of the cool kids.

But, for the moment any way, I am hanging my BMBH with webbing backup. I will have to use it a while anyway before I get the nerve to cut the webbing of of the BMBH. In the mean time, I am paranoid about both the WS and the Larkshead tied around the outer ring of the hammock. No sign of any slippage whatsoever yet, but............ I have never tied a Larkshead for weight support purposes before, so a little testing is in order to increase confidence. I threw a couple of half hitches into the left over tail on the LH. No harm in that, I suppose?

The toughest part by far was cutting the Amsteel! More like tearing than clean cuts.

Anyway, it's finally time for Whoopie!

[BillyBob58]

I lurked on the forum for some time until I read (and watched the movies) about whoopie slings. I completely changed my hammock system after that. I cut the weight of my current hammock system (including suspension) in half, from 16 oz to 8 oz. It wasn't just the weight of the line that helped -- I was able to eliminate other "heavy" offenders like the carabiners.




The UCR method provides constriction on only one side of the rope, so there can be some slippage. Many people who use UCRs also tie a safety knot at the end. The sling method seems to provide a simpler, "no hassle" setup.

I need to measure how much weight I will save by cutting the webbing on my BMBH and some others. Probably at least several oz per hammock, I'm guessing.

Hey Dehoja, do you happen to live any where near my ex home place on Roberta Drive in north west Flagstaff? It was on the left side of the road heading to the Grand Canyon just a bit past that museum ( also on the left), at about Shultz Pass Rd. I miss that place! ( That's all about that, sorry for the hijack)

[stormcrow]

The toughest part by far was cutting the Amsteel! More like tearing than clean cuts.

Anyway, it's finally time for Whoopie!

Welcome to the world of Whoopie! That is just fun to say, I dont care who you are!

I just cut my amsteel with scissors and it usually goes fairly easy. It is tough but I am glad that it is!

SC

[TeeDee]

i can see that among the weight conscious, but there's still alot of folks who don't see a point in shaving 3-4 oz off their suspension, and that's about the only real advantage a whoopie has over a ringbuckle as far as i can tell.

Here I really have to disagree.

I've used both the ring buckle and the Whoopie Sling suspensions.

Both extensively.

The Whoopie Sling with the Marlin Spike Hitch is even easier to setup and adjust than the ring buckles. The ring buckles require more care and diligence in their use than the Whoopie Sling (remember that slipped half hitch ? Forget it and you will eventually know why it is recommended Also, loosening the rings to adjust the suspension is a LOT harder than adjusting the Whoopie Sling - been there, done that too many times with cold, wet fingers and busted fingernails. I loved the rings compared to the Hennessy lashing or the clam buckles, but .... ). A close second, IMO, to the Whoopie Sling is the UCR method - I put it second simply because it requires a little more diligence than the Whoopie Sling, not much, but a little. But that may simply be my bias.

You will also find that the Whoopie Sling or UCR are a LOT less bulk than the ring buckles - webbing is bulky.

[BlackGoat]

I am one of the webbing votes, mainly because I haven't tried the whoopies yet. However, all the videos/pictures that I have seen show that you have the whoopie integrated into the hammock, unlike the webbing. What do you do with your whoopies when they are wet from the rain and they are attached?

I like the webbing for its modularity where I can easily separate it from the hammock when wet/dirty/sappy etc. With that said, I think rings/tri rings can be a real PITA to work with and like the idea of less weight and bulk and ease of use with the whoopies.

DG

[TeeDee]

I am one of the webbing votes, mainly because I haven't tried the whoopies yet. However, all the videos/pictures that I have seen show that you have the whoopie integrated into the hammock, unlike the webbing. What do you do with your whoopies when they are wet from the rain and they are attached?

I like the webbing for its modularity where I can easily separate it from the hammock when wet/dirty/sappy etc. With that said, I think rings/tri rings can be a real PITA to work with and like the idea of less weight and bulk and ease of use with the whoopies.

DG

The Whoopie/UCR can be attached the same as your webbing - all depends on how you want to do it.

[Cannibal]

OK, no experience with the Whoopie Slings yet; maybe by next week. But, how are they quicker to set if you are still making use of a tree hugger of sorts? From watching the videos, I don't see how the adjustments are any easier and they certainly aren't any quicker than tying a back-up knot. I'll give you the weight and, to a degree, some style points. But, otherwise I don't see the benefit. In fact, I agree with WBG that the odds of leaving the tree huggers just about outweigh any ounces saved.

Again, I haven't tried them yet, just followed the threads and watched a couple of videos so I'll admit 'user ignorance'. I'm just not seeing it.

[animalcontrol]

OK, no experience with the Whoopie Slings yet; maybe by next week. But, how are they quicker to set if you are still making use of a tree hugger of sorts? From watching the videos, I don't see how the adjustments are any easier and they certainly aren't any quicker than tying a back-up knot. I'll give you the weight and, to a degree, some style points. But, otherwise I don't see the benefit. In fact, I agree with WBG that the odds of leaving the tree huggers just about outweigh any ounces saved.

Again, I haven't tried them yet, just followed the threads and watched a couple of videos so I'll admit 'user ignorance'. I'm just not seeing it.

IMO, they adjust easier than backing webbing out of a set of rings (specifically tri rings) while hammock is hung...my only complaint about rings/webbing
quicker, no. slower, no bout the same.
definite style points

[TeeDee]

OK, no experience with the Whoopie Slings yet; maybe by next week. But, how are they quicker to set if you are still making use of a tree hugger of sorts? From watching the videos, I don't see how the adjustments are any easier and they certainly aren't any quicker than tying a back-up knot. I'll give you the weight and, to a degree, some style points. But, otherwise I don't see the benefit. In fact, I agree with WBG that the odds of leaving the tree huggers just about outweigh any ounces saved.

Again, I haven't tried them yet, just followed the threads and watched a couple of videos so I'll admit 'user ignorance'. I'm just not seeing it.

For me the rings were quicker and easier than the 2 previous (HH lashing and cam buckles).

For me the Whoopie Sling is even easier than the rings for two reasons:

1. opening the rings - prying the rings apart after a cold night and the webbing is wet is not an easy task. It is not an easy task even when warm and dry. I learned many tricks to make the job easier, but still not easy. The webbing, in my experience, tends to "set" and form a shape around the rings that makes prying them apart not very easy. You can adjust the webbing to make it shorter without doing this, but I would like to learn the trick you use to make it longer without doing this. Even with the far more flexible seat belt webbing it is not easy.
2. tying the back-up half-hitch - not difficult or time consuming, but just another needed step that is simply not needed with the Whoopies.

You may tend to forget the tree huggers, but I tended to forget the back-up half hitch sometimes and about half the time learned anew why it was needed. I don't forget tree huggers.

If you use a carabiner on one end of the webbing and simply wrap and click then you don't have to take the rings apart on take down. So that is pretty easy. For the Whoopie and the Marlin Spike Hitch, I don't need the carabiner or any hardware at all. Wrap and simply pull a short bight through the loop in the end of the webbing and tie the Marlin Spike Hitch using a twig. A little more than clipping the carabiner, but less weight.

We can discuss this back and forth and forth and back but until you have a lot of experience with both, it just doesn't make any sense to you.

I have extensive experience with both and my desire to eliminate the hassles I encounter led me to the Whoopie Slings. Your experience may value other things or you just don't think there is any hassle with the rings and cause you to value the rings.

As they say HYOH.