Hammock tie-outs: What's their purpose?

[mcbpdx]

This may be a rookie question, but what are hammock tie-outs for? I own 3 hammocks and none of them have loops/rings/whatever for tieing out. I see them in a lot of photos and as options on the vendor sites. Help a rookie out?

[OCDave]

I think you are referring to photos of hammocks with integrated bugnets. Integrated bugnets tend to droop, or sag. The tie-outs simply pull the bugnet taught and away from your face.

[SilvrSurfr]

Yep - primarily used on hammocks with integrated bugnets. When I used to use hammocks with integrated bugnets, I stopped using the tie-outs because they felt like a sure-fire way to launch a stake into my backside.

[kitsapcowboy]

DISCLAIMER: I LOVE TIE-OUTS

Greetings. I'm a big fan of having at least two tie-outs on the side of just about any gathered-end hammock. First off, I will say with respect to those who dislike them or find them unnecessary (or just don't get them at all), tie-outs are absolutely NOT necessary equipment; that said, neither are tie-outs without any practical utility, as some naysayers purport. in the spirit of HYOH, I prefer to think of them as convenient and handy optional features for those whose hanging style meshes with them.

Here are some reasons I like tie-outs and have them on all my hammocks, both cottage vendor-made and DIY...

1) They hold the hammock out and open. I feel like this helps promote and maintain a good, consistent, hassle-free diagonal lay in my hammock. If I ever have to (or choose to) use a pad, the tie-outs help the pad stay "wrangled" by flattening out the oblique sleeping area in the hammock body instead of allowing all of the material to flop back in line with the long axis of the hammock, taking he pad with it.

2) When using an underquilt --especially a short one -- my tie-outs help me it nicely sorted. For example, when I dig my AHE KAQ Jarbidge River fractional UQ under my SLD Trail Lair hammock, following my left-hand lay, I routinely loop two corners of my quilt through my tie-outs at my left knee and right shoulder; this keeps the Jarbidge spot-on perfect entering and exiting, all night long, no matter what I do to it.

3) Tie-outs hold the hammock down. On overly gusty days it keeps the hammock body from catching wind and taking flight so that it (and anything in it) stays in place. It also helps to maintain a shape that keeps quilts, pillows, peak bags, and other gear well ensconced, especially on netless hammocks.

4) On hammocks with integrated nets and topcovers, tie-outs keep the material spread and taut to give you space inside.

5) I typically use a guy line with a shock cord tensioner on the side tie-outs. This allows for motion of the hammock body without undue stress on it, and it can arrest unwanted sway for those who don't like that. One can easily achieve all of these benefits of the tie-outs without creating so much tension on the line that you have to worry about pulling the stake out of the ground.

6) Tied-out hammocks have a squared-away look, which I find aesthetically appealing. Nobody likes a droopy tarp; why tolerate a floppy hammock?

I have built several DIY netless hammocks to date, all with four side tie-outs that match the same pattern as those on my SLD. I'm currently tinkering with a design for a bug net/overcover with a magnetic seal along the edge, but which derives its primary anchor from attachments at the tie-outs and gathered ends. So I'll be sticking with tie-outs for now. If I ever decide to stop using them, I can always do so with little penalty.

There are a lot of tie-out haters here on HF for reasons I cannot quite fathom. Many will denounce them on hammocks without nets; som will denounce them, period. If you don't have them, don't want them, or don't like them, that's cool with me. I only ask that you allow the converse to be true...

[mcbpdx]

Thanks for the insight! I never really gave them much thought until I started perusing Dream Hammock's site and started listing lusting after the Sparrow. What a sexy beast!

I can see how they would really help with an integrated net/cover and keeping it open.

Hopefully someone will organize a local group hang and someone will show up with a hammock with tie-outs I can try out (maybe I'll get extra lucky and someone will bring a DH!).


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