Anyone tried to hang the hammock in Niteize Figure 9 Rope Tightener?

**JTW** · 09-02-2008, 22:37

I have used Clamcleat's CL234 cleat (www.clamcleat.com) for three years now to rig both my wife's, my son's, and my HH. Of the three of us I am the heaviest at 205 lbs. When used with 6 mm climbing utility line (replacing the original smaller diameter high strength line) the cleat secures the rope quite adequately in both dry and wet weather. What I like most about these cleats is the quick setup, the easy adjustment, and the rapid teardown. The latter was most important once in a severe windstorm and started me on the search for a better way to secure the hammock than the clumsy knot HH recommends. The teeth of the Niteize cleats are very aggressive and I worry about wear on the rope with continued use.

Genco Marine (www.gencomarine.com) has the CL234 for $7.95. Yeah, its a bit much for an injection molded polycarbonate part but since it's a one time buy and considering its good performance I don't consider it to be too expensive.

**koaloha05** · 09-11-2008, 12:18

JTW or anyone else. Have you tried the ClamCleat Jr (CL203) model. Designed for 3-6mm rope and 17 grams for the plastic, 35gm for the metal. The ClamCleat web site notes 1-6mm line, but then has the 3-6mm for recommended rope diameter.

Using tarp guy line micro-tensioners (?Mini LineLoc) that are almost weightless for the tarp ridgeline tie outs. Too small a cleat opening to accommodate a hammock suspension line. Plus I wouldn't trust it even if the line would fit. On my windsurfing mast base they use a cleat similar in size to a CL203. I need to pull over #100 to downhaul even with a 3:1 to 4:1 mechanical advantage. Wondering if the CL203 would hold up a #600 load?

Was considering using the Figure9 small for the tarp. But after figuring in wt., cost, probably need to tune up the teeth to reduce rope wear, having spare micro-tensioners and so far it's holding no point in changing the setup.

**Rain Man** · 10-03-2008, 10:45

Hope I'm not stepping on anyone's toes, but as I read this thread it seems no one is taking into account some of the critical factors that professionals use to calculate load limits and safety factors.

Saying that a line or cleat is rated at x lbs does not mean that is the figure you can rely on. Same for hiker's weight. A 1,000 lb line or cleat is not necessarily safe for a 200 lb hiker, for instance.

1. A knot or cleat can weaken a line by up to half. So, your 1,000 line just became safe for 500 lbs.

2. Stated weight limits (especially for lines) are for weights hung directly vertical. Hammocks are hung almost horizontal. The trigonometry and physics of hanging a weight from a horizontally stretched line can be vastly different from a line hanging straight down. Take off half again for argument's sake, and your 1,000 lb line (that went to 500 lbs with a knot/cleat) is now 250lbs. That may still seem safe to a 200 lb hiker, right? Keep reading.

3. Stated weight limits are based on static weights. No hiker crawling into a hammock is a static weight. He/she is dynamic. Dynamic weights can equal several times their "real" weight as they bounce and "fall." Thus, that 200 lb hiker suddenly became the equivalent of 400 or 600 lbs.

Now, how safe is that 600 lb bouncing hiker in that hammock held up by a line that is EFFECTIVELY good for 250 lbs? NOT. (pun for knot?!)

I've heard of more than one hammocker breaking his/her line, plus another that pulled down a rafter in a shelter. A little middle-school trig can explain how that happens. The (stated) numbers lie.

P.S. You can find much better explanations and analysis on some caving, mountain rescue, equipment rigging, and sailing sites, not to mention on SGT. Rock's site.

Rain Man

**JaxHiker** · 10-03-2008, 14:16

I don't like math. It makes my head hurt.

***HangMan*** · 10-18-2008, 23:54

Another Mathalete. I'm jealous of your talent...but my head hurts..lol

**warbonnetguy** · 10-19-2008, 01:39

rain man makes some good points.

here's osme really useful numbers i got from right here on hf.

for a suspension angle of 30 degrees, the amount of force on each rope is equal to your bodyweight.

for a 20 degree angle force is aprox 146% of bodyweight on each rope

i've heard 15 degrees as the minimum angle you can reasonably achieve for a loaded hammock, that would put 193% your weight on each rope.

bouncing indeed does add some weight, but thin nylon stretches ALOT and acts as a shock absorber. only light bouncing should ever occur unless you're jumping into the hammock.