How long should the spectra lines be?

[Goliath]

First of all; hello! I'm new here on this forum, but I'm active on several other outdoor fora (like BCUK, if someone knows it). Anyway, I'm also new to hammock camping. Unfortunatly wildcamping isn't allowed her in Holland so it's better to camp with a tent anyway.

Well, I'm charmed by the simplicity of hammocks, and the whole 'back to nature' thing is great too.

I've got a basic hammock today (only hammock, no tarp etc) without strings n stuff like that. I've used Ed Speer's book and Just Jeffs hammock guide (both are great by the way) to make it, but I've got a couple of questions.

- How long should the spectra cord be? On Just Jeff's site, he says he uses 9', but is that inch or foot? I'ts pretty long if it's foot (almost 3metres) and pretty short if it's in inches... I've bought some climbing rope from mammut, which is rated at 5kn, and I think it doesn't have much stretch (well, this has to work since this is pretty much the only available here)
- I've bought 19mm schlinge webbing, also from Mammut, which is rated at 15kn, any idea if this is ok? I couldn't find anything else, and when I buy stuff like this on the web, the shipping costs are higher than the product itself :/

Well, thanks for your time!

[stoikurt]

Welcome to the site. I think the Spectra cord is very short (probably less than 12 inches). It typically is used to go from the hammock end to a set of descending rings. Then a longer length of webbing (9-12 foot) goes from the rings to the tree.

[Goliath]

Thanks

I just realised that I forgot something pretty important.

I'd like a setup like this:

since I'm hiking with carabiners anyway. So the treehuggers connect to the carabiner, and the cord too...

[angrysparrow]

- How long should the spectra cord be? On Just Jeff's site, he says he uses 9', but is that inch or foot? I'ts pretty long if it's foot (almost 3metres) and pretty short if it's in inches...

Abbreviation ' = foot
Abbreviation " = inches

The length that you need to use depends entirely on how you go about using it. You mention having bought both spectra and webbing; does that mean you're doing a ring/buckle setup? If so, then about 9 inches worth of specta is about right to tie the end of the hammock to the rings. But, there are other methods to use. You just need to pick the method that suits you best.

Just Jeff's ring/buckle page is here. His crazy creek buckle page is here. His tree huggers/biner page is here.

When you decide your method, be sure to let us know how it works out for you. Good luck

[stoikurt]

In that case, 9 foot of spectra is probably appropriate.

[headchange4u]

I would probably go with 10-12' just to be on the safe side.

[stoikurt]

I would probably go with 10-12' just to be on the safe side.

But remember, he only needs to go to the biner on the tree huggers and not around the tree. But a few extra feet of spectra will weigh almost nothing.

[Doctari]

My spectra cord is 30' long (thirty feet), it is my ridge line and tie off to the trees rope. If need be, I can easily hang tween trees 20+ feet apart since my tree hugger type things are 6' long each.

[Goliath]

Thanks for the replies!

I need to buy some more cord, that's obvious

My treehuggers are about 140cm by the way (about 55 inch) I think I'll go for 10feet.

Cheers!

[peanuts]

welcome goliath to the hanging crowd. off topic - how is the weather in the netherlands at the moment. one of my fav in europe.