Any thoughts on my suspension? (couple pics for the 56k-ers)

**Nozzelnut** · 08-14-2011, 00:16

Went out for my first hang a couple days ago. After poking around here I made up an adjustable style using prussiks, tublular webbing, and biners. It worked well, didn't slip, and was pretty easy to make small adjustments.

Any ideas? Good/bad?

**Arok** · 08-14-2011, 01:14

I like what you did. How hard was it to take that knot out of the tree huger?

**Nozzelnut** · 08-14-2011, 10:08

That's a good question. I haven't tried yet. Guessing it's going to require some effort but it's not in there for good.

I'll beat it up with a fid if I have to...

**lattie11581** · 08-14-2011, 10:12

That wouldn't be #8 on lows would it? Nice set up. Will the prussics hold in the rain?
Is that a water knot o the huggers?

**nothermark** · 08-14-2011, 10:21

looks good. Given what you have the only thing I would do different is tie permanent loops in the webbing. Slip one end through the other an then clip in. No more knot worries.

**DaleW** · 08-14-2011, 13:11

Strong enough, but heavy and more fiddling to adjust the hang.

It looks like you have the webbing in a larks head around the tree on the far end, so you don't have to get the knot out. You can always take a longer loop around a small tree a few times to take up the extra. I would just eliminate the yellow line and tie the stock Hennessy line to the carabiner with a figure-8 on a bight. The fewer knots and lines, the better.

**Nozzelnut** · 08-14-2011, 16:47

Good call. Yes it's #8 at Lows or Hitchins/Hitchkins pond.

I thought about just going straight from the HH suspension line to the carabiner, but decided having some easier adjustment with the prussiks would be better for now, until I have a better idea of what I need.

For me, the prussiks did hold in the rain. The yellow is new line (6mm) that I roughed up a bit with some emery paper to take the shine off and give it some more grab. (fwiw I'm somewhere around the 280# mark.) I did put some backup stopper knots in just in case, but the prussiks held.

The webbing was my most undecided part. Yup, a follow through water knot joining both ends creating a loop. I thought about sewing the webbing into a loop, but that would decrease my options for the trees.

I was thinking the webbing is going to be the more static part of my system. Adjust the tie as necessary; ie basket hitch, girth hitch, larks head, tensionless... whatever would fit better for a larger or smaller diameter trees.

Thanks for the ides.

The better I get at picking the "right" couple trees I'm sure I'll refine the system.

**lattie11581** · 08-15-2011, 03:18

I took off the stock suspension and made whoopies with amsteel. I use a similar method with tree huggers and a toggle that I cut from a broken aluminum arrow shaft. It holds my 220lbs with ease.

I have a pic somewhere of my daughter in her baby swing hanging from the birches behind your hammock. Small world.

**lattie11581** · 08-17-2011, 18:40

that pic of my baby girl in the tree. a good start to a hammock i gues!

**Nozzelnut** · 08-17-2011, 22:02

The tree on the right side in the that's holding the baby swing is a stump about 4 feet high now. Looks like it has been down for a couple years judging by the decay at the top of the stump.