Whoopie sling construction question

**nogods** · 04-30-2010, 20:17

Am I missing something? Or did I do something wrong?

I read the threads on whoopie slings, watched the videos, and then made one out of 7/64 amsteel using galvanized wire as a snare - real easy.

Except now I'm not that impressed. Being dumb, I assumed I'd have an adjustable suspension line with infinite adjustment (or at least infinite for as long as the rope minus the length of the tail and loop.)

Instead I ended up with a line that adjust only as long as the tail. To get the infinite adjustment like a pair of ring buckles and a strap, I'd need to make the tail out of almost all of the rope.

With my ring buckles and 12-foot straps I can hang my hammock from a variety of different sized trees spaced between 15 and 25 feet apart. To have that same versatility with a whoopie sling it looks like I'd need 12-foot or longer tails.

Not a big deal, they can be easily made that way, but I just wanted to be certain I wasn't doing something wrong in making them.

**BrianWillan** · 04-30-2010, 20:49

The amount of adjustment you get is just about half of the length of the line (remember the line is doubled going to the tree strap) from where the start/end of the bury (depending on perspective) to the physical end of the line away from your fixed eye.

As an example. A 6' of adjustment whoopie sling starts with about 14' of line to account for the various buries on the fixed eye, the main bury for the whoopie and the amount of line used for the fixed eye itself.

Post a picture of your whoopie sling and we can get a better idea if you did something strange in your construction.

Cheers

Brian

**pedro** · 04-30-2010, 20:54

What you should wind up with is a line that can be infinitely adjusted to any size from the length of the eye to the end of the bury all the way to about half the length of the piece that you started out with. So if you started out with a 10' piece of line, the max length that you are going to get is just under 5 feet.

**nogods** · 04-30-2010, 21:05

yeah, that's what I got - adjustable by half the length of the distance from the end of the bury to the end of the tail.

Which seems to me a waste of rope - in other words, I need twice the rope for the distance of the suspension system - at its shortest distance, most of it is hanging free (which is true of straps and ring buckles at their shortest distance) or doubled up as one side of the loop (which is not true of straps and ring buckles.)

I just don't see the benefit over straps and ring buckles.

**pedro** · 04-30-2010, 21:09

Weigh the whoopie sling. Now weigh your buckles and additional strap necessary.

**BrianWillan** · 04-30-2010, 21:13

Originally Posted by pedro

Weigh the whoopie sling. Now weigh your buckles and additional strap necessary.

That is one reason. Also compare the volume/bulk of your rings and strap setup to that of your whoopie slings.

Cheers

Brian

**nogods** · 05-01-2010, 07:31

Originally Posted by pedro

Weigh the whoopie sling. Now weigh your buckles and additional strap necessary.

I don't have a scale handy, but the ring buckle straps consist of two 12-foot straps ans 4 descender rings. To get near the same versatility with a whoppie sling I need two 25-foot sections of rope, two 4-foot or greater tree straps, and two carabiners. And I still won't have the same versatility.

Besides comfort, the greatest advantage of hammocking where I hike is being able to camp where others are not camping, and not being restricted to the trail. I can camp anywhere that is below 3500' and that is at least 150 feet from any trail or water source, rather than being limited to designated campsites. Having the widest possible choice of location is more important than saving a few ounces of weight.

It looks to me like the Whoopie sling system would just restrict my choices. So for me it seems lees attractive than the ring buckle system.

**BrianWillan** · 05-01-2010, 09:49

Originally Posted by nogods

I don't have a scale handy, but the ring buckle straps consist of two 12-foot straps ans 4 descender rings. To get near the same versatility with a whoppie sling I need two 25-foot sections of rope, two 4-foot or greater tree straps, and two carabiners. And I still won't have the same versatility.

Whoopie slings aren't for everyone. Most like them for the two main reasons stated, lighter weight and less bulk. Just for your information, if you made a Utility Constrictor Rope (UCR) instead of a whoopie sling, you would use half the rope.

In your typical hiking and camping areas, how much of your webbing are you really using to hang your hammock? A good rule of thumb that I use for most things is to have a solution that will account for 90% of situations and for the last 10% improvise as needed.

There is also nothing wrong with not using whoopie slings, people got along great before they were introduced.

Cheers

Brian

**Cranky Bear** · 05-01-2010, 08:09

Nogods,
Even if you were to double the length of the whoopie your set-up would still be lighter than the strap suspension, at least half the weight depending on what type of strap you are using? If its seat belt webbing the whoopie suspension will be "MUCH" lighter more than half the weight!
I have 6 or 7 ft straps, 6 ft whoopies, and this all weighs less than half of my old suspension, and I have "ALOT" of room for adjustability, the same as your 12ft straps!
Use the suspension that you wish, all that's needed is hike, hammock, and have fun!

**Bat** · 05-01-2010, 08:24

My reaction as he same as yours when I made m firs se of Whoopies. My webbing suspension is quicker to set up too. However, after swiching over I have realized that he Ike difference in set-up is minimal now. The weight savings and smaller total hammock packed size are really nice. I have big trees here in he PNW. Try h slings for a bit. If you don't like them switch back. They aren't for everyone.