First hang, ffirst fall

[WonderMonkey]

I received my WB Traveler 1.7 DL last week and could not hang in it until this weekend when we were at an out of town baseball tourney. After Friday's games I was outside my room (ground floor, pool side) with some other parents I knew. We were re-hydrating with some cold beverages and I spotted two trees that would do well as attach points. SUPER!

Back in time...... While packing I thought I'd grab a few carabiners for quick hooking the straps to the trees. I didn't get my good ones but rather a few cheap ones that I had grabbed while at a check-out counter at some store.

Back to present day, almost. I hook up the hammock using the carabiners instead of a Dutch Clip (that I have on the way). I step back all proud of my accomplishment then I ease into the hammock. I sit down in it then when I take the first foot off the ground it happened. The carabiner gave way.

Small aside: This was outside my room and the ground that was under my hammock was really concrete.

While floating gently to the ground I was wondering if my friends would call an ambulance for me. I hit the ground (probably 18 inches or so) and as I was laying there all I could hear was my friends (now "former friends") laughing at me. The rest of the night the wife of my friend would get tickled at the site of me just being in mid air and then hitting the concrete.

[WonderMonkey]

Also.... those are socks in the background, not old underwear. Like my wife thought.

[Bubba]

Bummer. When you get the Dutch clips put them on and put a little stitch to keep the loop closed so the clips are alway there. Did finally hang after your fall?

[WonderMonkey]

Bummer. When you get the Dutch clips put them on and put a little stitch to keep the loop closed so the clips are alway there. Did finally hang after your fall?

I did, briefly. My first REAL hang was the next day at the ball field. Out beyond the outfield fence we a tree line. Between games all day Saturday and Sunday I would go enjoy some cool shade.

[mtbikernate]

on my first hang, one of my tree straps ripped out. It was nowhere near a knot or sewn spot...it was in the middle of the segment between my marlinspike hitch and where the webbing passed through the end loop. The threads just pulled out. the other tree strap was fine, even after I got a replacement for the broken one. but now I don't trust that entire batch of webbing (all 50ft of it).

[kthompson]

If you're gonna use carabiners. Make sure they are rated for climbing. Glad you didn't get hurt.

[wabi]

If you're gonna use carabiners. Make sure they are rated for climbing. Glad you didn't get hurt.

x2 - those carabiners look like they are "gear carabiners" designed for hanging accessories - NOT people.

[KerMegan]

hope you were hanging low at the time of failure-
x3 on the climbing carabiner- do not trust your body (or anybody's body) to any 'biner that does not have a rating stamped into the metal.
KM (who loves her shiny gold nano biners, yes she does!)

[WonderMonkey]

If you're gonna use carabiners. Make sure they are rated for climbing. Glad you didn't get hurt.

Good advice! I knew the ones I had grabbed were cheap ones and would have never relied on them "for real".

[WonderMonkey]

x2 - those carabiners look like they are "gear carabiners" designed for hanging accessories - NOT people.

They were in a fish bowl thing at the check out counter. I use them to clip water and other things to my kayak.