Making 4 Hammocks for 4 Kids - Budget Suspension Question

[zukiguy]

Yeah, I don't see you making half inch adjustments retying a MSH. I'd bet I can put you in a hammock with some way to very smoothly raise/lower one end and you won't be able to tell the difference in 2". Just moving around in a gathered end throughout the night will move you around more than that. Imagine getting up to answer the call of nature....do you think you get back into the exact same spot +/- an inch?

The MSH setup is the hammock equivalent of having two separate lines on your tarp ridgeline. After very little experience and/or trial and error you get pretty good at judging how to center up the hammock between two supports.

For me I normally eyeball then tie one end, then tie up the other. I'll stand back and take a look to see which end might need to move up/down a bit. I'll retie the one end and that's normally it. That's one reason I like having my tarp on a CRL. That makes it just a bit easier to center the tarp over the hammock rather than the other way around.

[tightwad]

I outfitted 6 in my family.
UCRs and 6' diy straps connected with marlin spike hitch. It's about as cheap as it gets.

This is what we are doing with our scout troop. It would have been marginally cheaper to go 1" strap to the CL but much harder to adjust to get the right height/angle etc. I also needed Ridgelines and did UCR for that as well, from Zing-it (bought a roll, cheaper than in 25' hanks).

[Chigger]

Like everything else you can have fast, cheap, and good (pick 2).

Option 3: Long 1" strap and cinch buckles or elephant trunks. Works great, very adjustable, relatively inexpensive.

Option 4: Long 1" strap and just a toggle. Tie a Marlin Spike Hitch and loop the continuous loop on the end of the hammock over the knot...Done. This is what I put on one of my low-frills tablecloth hammocks. It's the closest suspension I've found. Nice thing too....you can start this way and if/when the budget allows, add on rings or other hardware to make the setup easier/quicker to adjust.

Good Luck

That would be my thoughts also. Home Depot, Harbor Freight, etc. straps (remove hooks), cinch buckles ($5.00 set) or toggles (free) and you are hanging.

[Chigger]

So it sounds like I need to really think about learning the Marlin Spike Hitch and how it works in terms of micro adjustments. Always seemed to me that the easy of adjustment was "harder" with that. What I mean is if you wanted to adjust it a half inch it would be harder than pulling on a whoopie sling. But that is entirely user error I'm sure!

AND the clinch buckle sounds like a great route. Do these hold pretty well? I'm guessing it would hold as well as the descender ring route. I would tie a backup knot with it for a little extra protection.

Any direction I go, I'm using Amsteel in some way. I think it's some of the coolest rope.

I stopped by our local army surplus and picked up 25 feet of gray/silver 2 inch polyester seatbelt webbing for $4. I stopped at Lowes and found some "rings" that would hold 800lbs for .99 cents each. A biner that would hold 1200lbs (I think) for $1.43.

More than any thing I want to see how the ring thing works and the Marlin Spike Hitch with a biner.

For the kids hammocks the chinch buckles sounds like the direction I will probably go.

Thank you all. Been VERY helpful!

Cinch buckles will hold......

[Hegone]

Check out the webbing from BIAS. Link located on forum. Webbing is affordable, add continous loops and buy steel rings from Lowes. Two each end like a descender ring. They are less than or close to 1 dollar each. Adjustment is quick and add slippery half hitch. I have even used rope with success with the steel rings. I need to order webbing because I have 5 table cloths i have to finish. Just my two cents and probably not worth much more. Main thing, Have fun and be safe......ie never hang higher than your willing to fall. I do have experience at that......falling that is! Doh! !!

[sunsetkayaker]

+1 The cinch buckles will hold if you have the right webbing. I would buy the webbin and buckles from the same place. Adding a back up knot just makes sleek solution clunky.

[slugbait]

Your goal could also be accomplished by using webbing only- no hardwear needed. 2 lengths of 1" webbing for each hammock (length depends on situation- 12' will cover almost any combo of tree girth and distance apart. Each strap needs a loop sewn or tied on one end. The loop is lark's-headed onto the hammock end and pulled tight. I have never had the webbing pull off using this method. Tie the other end of the webbing to the tree with 2 half hitches. The 2nd half hitch should be slipped (leave a large loop in the webbing before tightening). One yank on the loose end and the knot is easily undone.

[Floridahanger]

I also use the Straps and Carabiner for my wife's Bridge hammock.

An inch adjustment is not necessary so it is not a big deal. Put up strap, eyeball where to put a MSH and use the carabiner as a toggle. Do same to other side. Check the hang and adjust 1 side only if needed. Repeat both sides if I want to be real picky, but this is also fun for me and takes less than 5 minutes of entertainment for me.

Harbor Freight Tools has a set of 4, 400lbs working load, 15' ratchet straps for $7.99. This will make 8 straps (4 sets) at 7' and they are orange so it's hard to leave on trees. Use your Amsteel for UCR's or Whoopies and you are done.

If you have old wind chimes, you can repurpose the chimes for free as your toggles.

[geneaut]

1" poly straps for trees ( 6 feet is good )
1/2" mule tape larksheaded to hammock ( 6 feet is good )
Slippery Beckett hitch knot

[BigE94]

I would suggest being careful with the biners . It sounds like 1200lb ones will be fine. Just make sure that the gate is closed before a load is applied. I have bent a few of the 850lb rated ones and one 1200lb due to the gate not being fully closed. Lesson learned. I am always amazed at the large forces involved with hammocking.