what do i have? amsteel or amsteel blue?

**KerMegan** · 05-05-2010, 19:31

circumference of 14 mm/pi leads to diameter approx 4.5 mm ( or 11/64 )-so not terribly large, though bigger than 7/64ths by ~55% ...hope that helps.
KM(who is wondering how 1/2 inch lines got into the conversation..)

**Boris Losdindawoods** · 05-05-2010, 19:35

SmokeBait's link are correct, but he's gotten the types mixed up. Amsteel is the one that is only listed 1/4" or larger. The Amsteel-Blue goes down to 7/64". That would suggest that it's probably Amsteel-Blue.

Even if you really did get some mystery Amsteel 1/8" that doesn't appear on their web site, the Amsteel runs between 80% and 90% of the strength of Amsteel-Blue. That means 1/8" Amsteel should have a min strength of at least 1,840 pounds if they make it. If you make a whoopie sling out of that stuff and hang it from another piece of the same rope (like a nacrabiner), then it'll derate by 50% to a breaking weight of 900 pounds.

Now, if you crank your suspension so tight that you end up hanging at 10 degrees, your suspension stress will be at 3x your load so your breaking weight would be 300 pounds in the hammock. Either TeeDee or Neo or somebody (can't remember who) did a bunch of testing and essentially showed that it's impossible to hang at an angle of less than 15 degrees. Whoever it was cranked a suspension down to ridiculous tension and when the hammock was loaded it still sagged to about 15 degrees. Using 15 degrees would put your hammock break weight at 450 pounds. If you stick to the recommended 30 degree hang angle, you're back to a breaking weight of 900 pounds in the hammock.

So, if you weigh more than 300 pounds and you're going to hang your suspension way too tight and you really did get some rope that the manufacturer claims to not make, then you've definitely got a problem.

Other than that, go make some whoopie slings. They're way too much fun to keep putting it off.

Boris