Hitchcraft for hammock tensioning

**hitchman** · 06-21-2007, 15:34

Originally Posted by attroll

I got mine from Cabelo's in the mail yesterday. After seeing them I am kind of skeptical of using them now. I am not to thrilled about the pinching points that pinches the rope to keep it from slipping.

To clarify, atroll is taling about the zig-zag gizmo not the Hitchcraft tie.

**bmike** · 10-15-2007, 15:31

New to the forums and I'm intrigued by this device.
Any more long term testing going on?

Who's using this? Seems simple enough.

-bmike

**Kiwidad** · 10-15-2007, 16:11

We are still using them for my kids as they are they are a lot lighter than myself. I've gone to the large Fig 9's as they pack flat. To date the kids find it easy to use the hitchcraft - I'm talking about the small ones. Just got back from 4 days hike with no problems at all with the HC's, also no probs with damage to the lines we are using, about 4 or 5 mm.

**warbonnetguy** · 10-15-2007, 19:02

Originally Posted by Kiwidad

Hitchman, I use a Speer type setup with 3/16 ropes. Today I put an electronic strain guage on one of my ropes and got max 85kg (approx 187lb). I feel comfy with that so she'll do me.

good job kiwidad, i was wondering if someone would actually check all that math with a real world experiment. never heard of an electric strain tester before, sounds pretty cool, and expensive.

did the max force include getting in and bouncing around?did you bounce around at all? how much do you weigh? does the 187 seem to be about right with what hitchman predicted for the weight and sag angle and resulting force on the suspension rope? sounds like maybe those guys did figure out the right equation to use. that is alot less than the amount of force i was always was told was on each rope.

**Kiwidad** · 10-15-2007, 19:19

The setup was Speer with no ridgeline. When I bounced it didn't add that much extra. The strain guage was one I borrowed from work and very accurate. I put it in line with the hitchcraft. Probably the only thing I am careful about is when I pack the hammock away into a bag that the HC doesn't stab into the pack as the ends are pointed. As for calculations vs actual, I only tested for my setup. I can't vouch for other setups as I don't have access to other setups.

**warbonnetguy** · 10-15-2007, 19:38

i only meant compared to the figures those math guys came up with earlier in the thread. i couldn't tell, b/c you didn't mention your actual weight or the sag angle you were hanging from.

basically it said the amount of force on each rope is equal to the weight of the user when the suspension rope angle is 30 degrees,

so i guess i'm just curious if you were hanging more than, less than, or about 30 deg? and how much you weigh.

**Rapt** · 10-16-2007, 08:11

I wish I could borrow strain guages from work. I'd be sooooo thrilled.

**ZDP-189** · 10-23-2007, 10:36

I love that video.

The device reminds me of my current system:

http://l2i.org/hammock_tensioning%20block.jpg
But yours looks to work better for only 5g heavier.

I may just buy a pair! Do you ship to Hong Kong?

**Kiwidad** · 10-23-2007, 18:05

Originally Posted by warbonnetguy

i only meant compared to the figures those math guys came up with earlier in the thread. i couldn't tell, b/c you didn't mention your actual weight or the sag angle you were hanging from.

basically it said the amount of force on each rope is equal to the weight of the user when the suspension rope angle is 30 degrees,

so i guess i'm just curious if you were hanging more than, less than, or about 30 deg? and how much you weigh.

I weigh about 80kg and got a reading of 85kg. Angle about 30-40deg. Unfortunately I can't try it again as one of the guys at work have busted the gauge, a pity as it is an expensive piece of equipment.