turtlelady's Bamboo Stand

[Jazilla]

A longer ridge pole would solve the chaffing of the tarp from the tripod poles problem

[jlb2012]

A longer ridge pole would solve the chaffing of the tarp from the tripod poles problem

but I think that then you might need taller tripod to keep the hammock at a reasonable height

[shumway]

So hang the tarp over the ridge pole instead? I thought of that, may give it a try. The only prob I see there is I might need higher tripods to get the hammock to hang right if I lengthen the pole.

[Throkda]

Yeah, you'll end up needing taller tripods if you do that -- I originally wasn't sure about the 5'6 length of the tripod poles that other people were using, so I had mine cut to 7' to have a little leeway. I was originally thinking in terms of the tripods being about 15 feet apart (like how far apart I need the trees to be to hang my HH normally). I spaced them about like that, and hung with the tree straps on the ridgepole and the toggle right next to it to attach the whoopies.

This would put the whoopies attaching about 5'6 above the ground, I think. As I mentioned, I ended up hanging about 4-6" off the ground.

I'm planning to try drilling some holes and using only one of those 10'6 ridgepoles with the whoopies meeting in the middle, like shumway described -- I'll see if I end up hanging higher then.

[shumway]

I didn't measure the height, but I sit just slightly lower than a standard chair when I enter/exit. I may just try a longer ridge pole for fun and see how much lower I go. maybe if I add 2-3' or so that will be enough for the tarp without dropping the hammock too far. My tarp has an 11' ridge so just enough that it clears the tripods should do the trick.

This setup was cheap enough I don't mind buying new legs if I need them. I wouldn't want to go any longer than 6'6" on the legs though because that's the length of my truck bed.

[Throkda]

I think treeslayer's method with his stand was simply to have a couple of those extendable tent poles set up next to his tripods -- they ended up being taller, and he tied the tarp to them and then guyed them down.

[Jazilla]

but I think that then you might need taller tripod to keep the hammock at a reasonable height

I use two poles equaling a little over 12'. I don't hang my hammock close to my tripods. Which I think may have been the factor for me landing on my rear last week. I need a stronger splice piece.

[shumway]

One of the keys with this style of stand is to have your suspension attached as close to the center of the tripods as possible. The pole isn't meant to bear weight, it's there to keep the tripods from tipping inward when you get in the hammock. I'm contemplating a method where the hammock suspension connects directly to the loops that hang off the tripods so the ridge pole really doesn't hold any weight at all. I'm mulling it over before I try anything.

[Shadowmoss]

I'm contemplating a method where the hammock suspension connects directly to the loops that hang off the tripods so the ridge pole really doesn't hold any weight at all.

Ummm, if you only have the ridge pole slid into loops on the tripods, not attached directly, and you hang from those loops, the ridge pole is not doing anything at that point and the tripods will collaps inwards. That's why you attach to the ridgepole itself, not the tripods. (I'm speaking from theory and a lot of time spent talking to Turtle Lady about all this).

You also want a short space between the ridge pole and the gathered end of the hammock so that it hangs close to the pole to keep from needing to have the pole be 7' above the ground, or to need it to be 15' long. Slightly longer than the hammock body itself is all it should need to be. The longer it is, and the more length of suspension between the body of the hammock and the pole attachment, the taller your tripods need to be, unnessarily.

[shumway]

Absolutely. If I hung direct from the loops, I'd attach the ridge pole differently so it would still stop the tripods from tipping in. The loops could run through a hole in the ridge pole, or there could be a bolt sticking out to stop the loops from sliding.

Really though, I can't think of a strong benefit to a change like this. I'm only interested in a change if it does one of the following. 1. To make it easier to use 2. to make setup/takedown faster 3. to make the device safer. 4. to make the hammock hang better (more comfort). 5. to improve durablility/longevity of components. I haven't even convinced myself that this idea would meet any of those needs, so I may just shelve it entirely. My hook/whoopie sling method worked really well so I'll probably stick with that. But I'll take some material for prussik loops just in case I run into a problem.