POLL: What type of suspension do you tie to trees with?

**nogods** · 09-30-2007, 18:00

Last October my town was hit by what we now call the "October surprise" - a whole lot of snow fell in 4 hours and brought down a whole lot of trees that still had a whole lot of foliage. Before they could re-hang the electrical wires, professional arborists and tree cutters swept through the neighborhood and cut away all the hanging branches and dead trees.

Having nothing else to do, and no place to go (the street was blocked by dead trees), we spent most of two days watching the tree cutters swing from tree to tree using ropes and pulleys and other equipment. This spring, professional arborists were hired by the town to determine which trees had to be brought down because of the damage. Thankfully, very few of the trees that were left on my street needed to be taken down. So I'm guessing the ropes and pulleys and people swinging from the trees caused no damage.

**nickelanddime** · 11-02-2007, 09:21

so yeah, I know this is an old thread but I figured I might as well throw in my two cents...

I use joanne fabric 1" polypro webbing with a loop tied in one end then use the other end to tie it off to the tree with a quick release knot(like the loops when you tie your shoe), through the loop in the webbing I run the suspension cord from the hammock and tie that off with another quick release knot... no 'biners, no rings, no fancy sewn in loops; all up in under a minute(I do the tarp the same)
The webbing has about 80-90 nights on it now and other then some dirt it's no worse for the wear. As far as load goes I weigh 185 if you were worried about load on the cheap light straps

**bmike** · 11-02-2007, 10:29

stock huggers, with rings larksheaded in.
biner through the other loop for hooking on and off.
stock HH susp line to the rings, a single figure 8 wrap round the rings and a slip knot.

much nicer than the manufacturer's system.

**Cannibal** · 11-02-2007, 10:43

Why do people use the tree huggers? I'm not being a wiseass (this time); I honestly don't understand the value of them over webbing straps. I never used them since I was on the Hammock Engineer's Accelerated Hammock Hanging Program when I started hanging. I started with straight webbing lashed to the tree and then did my thesis on Ring Buckle/Cinch Buckle suspensions.

Anybody?

**bmike** · 11-02-2007, 10:57

Originally Posted by Cannibal

Why do people use the tree huggers? I'm not being a wiseass (this time); I honestly don't understand the value of them over webbing straps. I never used them since I was on the Hammock Engineer's Accelerated Hammock Hanging Program when I started hanging. I started with straight webbing lashed to the tree and then did my thesis on Ring Buckle/Cinch Buckle suspensions.

Anybody?

they came with my HH.
they are paid for.
they work.
i don't have to change anything.

how are they different than straps? they do the same thing, and i carry less bulk as i use the stock line to the rings on the huggers, vs. changing things out and adding 20'-30' of strappage to my kit.

**Cannibal** · 11-02-2007, 11:08

I don't know how they're different, never used them. That's kind of what I was asking. Don't you have to tie a knot, or lashing, if using the huggers? I guess the only concern would be another "piece" of gear to misplace. I've got a set that came with my Warbonnet, just haven't tried them.

**bmike** · 11-02-2007, 11:32

Originally Posted by Cannibal

I don't know how they're different, never used them. That's kind of what I was asking. Don't you have to tie a knot, or lashing, if using the huggers? I guess the only concern would be another "piece" of gear to misplace. I've got a set that came with my Warbonnet, just haven't tried them.

they are straps with loops in the ends.
depending on the tree size you can rig a basket or a choke around the tree, or multiple wrap if you have the long ones. (or a small tree, or a tight hang)

the loops are for tying the HH knot, but i sent rings through one loop and a biner through the other.

**bmike** · 11-02-2007, 11:39

Originally Posted by Cannibal

I don't know how they're different, never used them. That's kind of what I was asking. Don't you have to tie a knot, or lashing, if using the huggers? I guess the only concern would be another "piece" of gear to misplace. I've got a set that came with my Warbonnet, just haven't tried them.

**Cannibal** · 11-02-2007, 11:42

Ahhh. That helps a lot; thanks!

**nogods** · 11-02-2007, 11:57

Originally Posted by bmike

they are straps with loops in the ends.
depending on the tree size you can rig a basket or a choke around the tree, or multiple wrap if you have the long ones. (or a small tree, or a tight hang)

the loops are for tying the HH knot, but i sent rings through one loop and a biner through the other.

Why the biner? why not just run the end of the strap through the loop?