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  1. #1
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    Alternatives to Whoopie Slings AND Adjustable Webbing Suspesion??

    Hey All,

    So, I am one of the many who have continued to have WS's jam up on me. Day after day after day of setup and take down are just too ruff on these WS's. I am now on my third part for the year. Looking at spending even longer periods of time on-trail next year and the WS's have got to go.

    That said, the AWS is not exactly the lighest setup. Yeah it's only another 2-oz or so, but hey, it is what it is.

    So my question is rather simple...

    What are alternative and viable lightweight options for hammock suspensions? Anything? Nothing?

  2. #2
    Senior Member Bradley's Avatar
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    I hate to sound like a broken record:

    but

    I sure like my Clark ropes and rings . . .

    Quick and easy, never fail.
    Bradley SaintJohn
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    "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show you great and mighty things . . ." Jeremiah 33:3
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  3. #3
    Senior Member GrizzlyAdams's Avatar
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    There's a sweet spot in the space between only knots and fancy splices, occupied by cord plus an aluminum SMC ring. Showed this in my "Suspension Cord" video, part 2 I think. Working end of suspension line wraps around the ring 3 or 4 times. Few enough so that if there isn't tension you can move it along the cord easily. Enough so that when the cord is under tension, the ring doesn't move, therefore becoming an anchor point. Cord to MS hitch and around back to ring.

    In the video I probably talked about a round turn with two half hitches to finish it off. These days I'm more likely to put a slippery half hitch around the ring,
    followed by another that tucks inside of the bight of the first one. Has been holding fine for me, and the whole arrangement comes undone with a good yank.

    One SMC ring weighs 0.4 oz.

    Fairly foolproof.
    Grizz
    (alias ProfessorHammock on youtube)

  4. #4
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    Hey Grizz,

    You just got an OMG out of me with that "sliding ring suspension"

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGRAnzEoXZI#t=01m49s

    Any chance we could get a video of that which is close-up and a lot slower?? There is a cut-out in the video at one step that made it kinda hard to follow.


    ps: while my question is specifically in regards to hammocks, here is one of the sweetest ways I've found to hang a tarp. I came across this video last year and marked it as a favorite.
    Last edited by Redwood Guy; 11-18-2010 at 00:37.

  5. #5
    Senior Member JerryW's Avatar
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    My first thought would be to try a larger diameter whoopie sling.

    Maybe try 3/16" or even 1/4". Even though the extra weight capacity is over-kill, I'm sure the day-to-day durability would increase quite a bit. And the increased weight of the rope itself would be marginal.


    Jerry
    The "Search" function is your friend!

  6. #6
    Senior Member G.L.P.'s Avatar
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    I tested a set of WS for 45 days outside in all kinds of weather with at least 35 nights on them....and there still going strong
    but i didn't adjust them much...Hmmmmm maybe this calls for another test
    It puts the Underquilt on it's hammock ... It does this whenever it gets cold

  7. #7
    Senior Member SmokeBait's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Redwood Guy View Post
    Hey All,

    So, I am one of the many who have continued to have WS's jam up on me. Day after day after day of setup and take down are just too ruff on these WS's. I am now on my third part for the year. Looking at spending even longer periods of time on-trail next year and the WS's have got to go.

    That said, the AWS is not exactly the lighest setup. Yeah it's only another 2-oz or so, but hey, it is what it is.

    So my question is rather simple...

    What are alternative and viable lightweight options for hammock suspensions? Anything? Nothing?
    Hi Redwood Guy,

    The whoopie slings should not be jamming up on you. I can't even imagine why they are unless something is wrong inside the constrictor. If they were purchased from me, I will be more than happy to evaluate them if you'd like to send them to me. Please send me a PM if interested. Thanks!

  8. #8
    Senior Member muttly's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GrizzlyAdams View Post
    Working end of suspension line wraps around the ring 3 or 4 times. Few enough so that if there isn't tension you can move it along the cord easily. Enough so that when the cord is under tension, the ring doesn't move, therefore becoming an anchor point. Cord to MS hitch and around back to ring.

    I have used a variation of this technique for years on many applications, even before my discovery of hammocks. My Granddaddy (no reference to age, Griz) taught me this when I was a pup. Still use it on my tarp ridgeline at times. Grandady would use an S-Hook when he could not use a ring. Even used washers on his trout lines.
    Ken T.

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  9. #9
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    Hey Guys, I think it has to do with the situations in which I live, plus the constant usage twice a day for days on end while on long hikes. Yesterday I went out with another guys hammock and his tree straps were an average size that I see others using, but they were about 10 feet too short. The smallest diameter Redwood tree I could find yesterday required my 12-foot tree huggers + an extender. While the treehugers have no effect on the WS's, its just a case in point of how things differ here. We had 42 hours of rain, two days break, and than rain again for about 68 hours. It's just abusive on gear here.


    Quote Originally Posted by greenlespaul View Post
    I tested a set of WS for 45 days outside in all kinds of weather with at least 35 nights on them....and there still going strong but i didn't adjust them much...Hmmmmm maybe this calls for another test
    Yeah, I have to do a lot of adjustment with mine. Trying to find two trees that are bigger around than a truck, at just the right distance, with no 'smaller' trees in between them is hard. Often times I have to either stretch out my WS's as far as they can go, or, have them sucked in as short as they will go. I think only once have I gotten two Redwood trees that were "perfect distance" for WS's all year. It is the times when I have to suck them in all the way that really causes damage to these WS's.

    Quote Originally Posted by SmokeBait View Post
    Hi Redwood Guy,

    The whoopie slings should not be jamming up on you. I can't even imagine why they are unless something is wrong inside the constrictor. If they were purchased from me, I will be more than happy to evaluate them if you'd like to send them to me. Please send me a PM if interested. Thanks!
    My first pair were from you, my second from AHE and my third were made by GrizzlyAdams and attached to my bridge I got from him. They totally locked up on me second trip ago. Had to improvise big-time to stay off the ground for one night.

    I was able to get yours and the ones from AHE unstuck, but the damage had already been done to them.


    I suppose some of you are probably thinking "he must not know how to use them"... and that is what I would be thinking too if I was reading this... but really, I do know how to use these things. Its just the situations of which I am having to put them in.


    Anyway, I will look into seeing if I can get that ring system to work.

  10. #10
    Senior Member Rat's Avatar
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    More description on why they are locking up will be nice. If, for example, you are required to hang at an elevated angle on the suspension you will be putting more stress on the whoopies. This may have the effect to cause them to slip until they 'burn in' and grab; once cooled off they would be very hard to unjam. All I can think of there is some slipping before they grab and it's not a friction lock like it should be but more of the two pieces 'wleding' together. i had the same thing happen while trying to find the prefect bury length on my UCR suspension; but only when they slipped considerably before 'grabbing'.

    I bet a longer bury will stop this, but then you will need an alternative method for hooking up to close trees as this may make your OAHL (overall hammock length) too long for the close trees. In fact, using UCRs and longer bury's may even lighten the load over longer whoopies as the 12' UCR will be 12', not 24' like a whoopie.

    I would try a longer bury with what you have, and if that works then investigate methods for lightening the load.

    Also, on the adjustable ring suspension, you can do the same thing with a round shank carabiner. I used this set up on my adjustable ridgeline.
    "I aim to misbehave." - Capt. Mal Reynolds
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