A night of modding my HH Exped SZ

[sir_n0thing]

So last night I got a wild hair and decided to tinker with my new hammock. First off I removed the stock suspension and put on short Amsteel loops to which I could attach whatever new suspension I decided upon. For quick and easy testing last night I simply clipped on a couple of Camp Nano 'biners.
Next I made my first ever pair of woopie slings. About 11" buries. For simplicity I put a bowline on the end instead of a deadeye loop. I'm not 100% confident in my DIY skills just yet. Total adjust-ability range of each woopie is about 16"-60". Add on the length of the biners, and it puts a fair cramp on my minimum distance between trees, but I think I can live with it for now.



While I was playing around I also converted the stuff sack to a Bishops Bag style by removing a little thread in the corner seam to create a hole in the bottom, then locking the thread off so it won't unravel any further.

Next up, I hand-stitched (machine is currently broken) 4 loops to the sides of my Ptarmigan UQ. Two loops match up to the HH a-sym tie-outs, and two loops near the center point of each edge of the UQ. I added some shock cord to the loops at the a-sym points, and I can simply run the tie-outs through the shock cord loops. This should keep the UQ secure and positioned properly under the diagonal lay. The center point loops would allow me to run some shock cord over the ridgeline from one loop to the other, which would help keep the UQ snugged up under me. That is one issue with the super thick winter UQ, it can sag in the middle at times.



Last, I was goofing around and made some closed loops out of Amsteel. Why? I don't know. I just had some left over pieces of Amsteel and started playing. I also plan to make some of those new fangled "Nacra-biners" I heard about...



Bonus pic: my resident Manager Of All Things Cord/String/Rope... Taz the cat. When you're trying to untangle 50' of Amsteel or Zing It, there's nothing like having a crazed beast pouncing into the mess to really get your blood pumping.

[JerryW]

So last night I got a wild hair and decided to tinker with my new hammock.

Tinkering is fun!

Next I made my first ever pair of woopie slings. About 11" buries. For simplicity I put a bowline on the end instead of a deadeye loop. I'm not 100% confident in my DIY skills just yet. Total adjust-ability range of each woopie is about 16"-60". Add on the length of the biners, and it puts a fair cramp on my minimum distance between trees, but I think I can live with it for now.

After you make your fixed eye check out Ken's video about putting the Whoopie Sling directly on the Hennessy, eliminating the stock cord altogether. You could safely shorten your buries to 6 or 7" too(mine are 5"). That would help out your minimum distance issues.


Carry on with the tinkering!


Jerry

[Jim S]

Just a thought,
my bishop bag is an old marmot stuff sack and I have it rigged so it isn't at the bottom of the hammock, instead when the hammock is set up, its on the ridge line inside under my tarp (over me) and I use it to put spare clothing items into when I'm in the hammock. A short piece of cord goes out the bottom hole and around into the top when the hammock is stuffed.

If your whoopie is a loop 6 feet long, it takes 12 + feet of material, if instead you use a short piece as the constrictor , as in cut a foot and a half off the 12 feet and tie it on the hammock end. and run the other 10 feet into the constrictor in a straight line, you get an 11 foot "constrictor line" instead of a 6 foot one with the same amount of rope and it would have a range of about 11 feet to a foot and a half. You can always tie a ring to the far end. (the arithmatic ay off a bit)

[sir_n0thing]

After you make your fixed eye check out Ken's video about putting the Whoopie Sling directly on the Hennessy, eliminating the stock cord altogether. You could safely shorten your buries to 6 or 7" too(mine are 5"). That would help out your minimum distance issues.

Yep, Ken's video helped inspire this.

I went with longer buries, as I have a woopie with a 7" bury and had trouble with it slipping. Maybe I did something wrong with it...

I was contemplating stuff... I like the idea of having my woopies attach near the hammock, but not be permanently attached. As long as the attachment point is close to the hammock and under the tarp, any rain water running down the line should be diverted at the attachment point. This of course is assuming the use of the biners. Originally I was going to put a SMC ring there as the attachment point, using a nacrabiner type thing between the woopie and the ring. I decided the biner is more convenient for now...

I'm not as thrilled with having two attachment points per side, vs my last hammock's SMC ring/strapworks setup, but it's not terrible. It's definitely lighter! So currently I have the tree hugger threaded through it's end loop >>> marlin spike hitch >>> woopies >>> biner >>> hammock.


I have a feeling this whole setup will change again. It's too much fun playing with different ideas!

[JerryW]

I have a feeling this whole setup will change again.

And again, and again, and again...

[sir_n0thing]

And again, and again, and again...

Exactly.

I gotta order some stuff though. I sent off four SMC rings and two 15' strapworks straps with my Clark when I sold it. I'm also down to about 15' of Amsteel left to play with!

[canoeski]

Exactly.

I gotta order some stuff though. ... I'm also down to about 15' of Amsteel left to play with!

I'm going to order some up as soon as I can this week. (I gotta try this out.) Would you like me to order some extra and save you on shipping?

~bill, Tinkermax and Futzer Extraordinaire

[Shug]

Nice sir .... I added a ring to my whoopies as I had water get past the exit line. Could just tie the extra up on the line but the ring feels right.
Wish i didn't have to but who knows with new technology....
Shug

[Miraculix]

ok, I know, might be a beginners question, but I want to learn:
What is the use of that 'Bishops Bag' at the hammock?

[gargoyle]

ok, I know, might be a beginners question, but I want to learn:
What is the use of that 'Bishops Bag' at the hammock?

Bishop's Bag, named for a once famous member, is any suitable sized bag/stuff sack, with the hammock suspension cord exiting the bottom thru a small hole. This way you don't loose the bag. A bishop bag can be used for your tarp, or hammock, or both, if wanted.

At set-up time you simply hook the exposed suspension to tree, walk to the other tree, hammock deploys as you walk, and attach to other tree. The bag stays trapped on the suspension line.

Some use a double ended bag as well. Openings on top and bottom.