Abandon Tree Straps?

**Amelander** · 10-12-2011, 23:43

Skip out on lunch at Taco Bell one day. Lose a miniscule amount of weight. Pack the 2oz tree straps. Problem solved.

Oh and dropping 100 bucks on an alky stove? It better do the dishes and rub my feet for that price. Sorry.

**MrClean417** · 10-13-2011, 04:19

Hey now, the kind of stoves he makes are worth the 100 bucks that those with no stove building skills will pay. When you consider the amount of use they get compared to the price, it's a good deal. A reliable, portable, light cooking system will get you through where an un-reliable, un-portable and downright heavy one will leave you starving.

His product is not in question. If it was, there wouldn't be shortages from time to time on them when he sells out.

**MacEntyre** · 10-13-2011, 05:06

Originally Posted by Riverpirate

...portable climbing stands that dig into and tear bark off trees.

If the bark is being torn, you are at risk of falling!

The latest climbing stands use heavy, coated cables with a large bearing surface, and the "jaws" are more "herbivore" than ever, not sharp or pointed at all. The load is spread evenly, and they work very well. It is possible to leave no trace of having been up a tree.

I hope Tinny gets the message, and edits his video.

**Nails** · 10-13-2011, 05:30

Originally Posted by Riverpirate

In all my years of hunting deer from portable stands and even some places where I have used the same tree for years, I have yet to see one damaged enough to die. Even on national forests we are allowed to use portable climbing stands. In the old days before portable climbers we built wooden stands in the trees. Even all those nails never killed a tree.

Not to be a jerk or anything, but...

All those stands and nails never killed a tree that you saw. That's anecdote, not data. For all any of us know, every tree that died in that forest was due to tree stands or nails. The one you used didn't die, sure, but what about that dead tree down the trail? It got overlooked because it was dead and not your regular tree, so there'd be no reason to pay it any attention at all. So you're left with a sample of trees that's garunteed to have survived, with absolutely no basis to conclude anything about any other trees out there. I think that's what statisticians call selection bias.

Sure, trees are pretty darn resilient. But shouldn't the name of the game be to "do no or minimal harm"? Instead of "do more harm than you need to because there's a decent chance the tree will live through it"?

**mbcruzin** · 10-13-2011, 06:12

I think we need to realize that tinny is in an ultra light kick and is looking for any good reason to cut weight. Now I can completely understand his justification of unneeded oz but like many have touched on here the straps are more of a PR thing than anything else. If the Rangers and/or Environuts find out that a small group of hangers are not watching out for the trees (even if its not truly be proven to do damage) by leaving the huggers at home. Then that's the beginning of the end for us.

**dkperdue** · 10-13-2011, 06:31

On my last camping trip, I hung from a couple of pine trees, and the bark had been so wet that even my 1 1/2 " straps left marks. I'd rather at least make the effort to do minimal damge.
DKPerdue

**motorapido** · 10-13-2011, 06:50

Is that enough to hurt the tree?

Discussion anyone......?

[/QUOTE]

I use 1 inch straps, and after 15 nights this summer on the same river island hanging between the same two trees, I can see areas around the trunk where many chunks of the bark have been broken off from the straps. The bark layer beneath is a light chocolate color compared to the darker, older bark. This island is managed by a river trail association, and I log into the logbook each time I camp there. I have been concerned about the damage I am causing to this wonderful old tree (about 4.5 feet diameter trunk) and have been considering bushwacking on the island to find an alternative spot to hang. If I were using just my whoopies, I am sure I would be causing even more bark to break off. Not good.

**gnome** · 10-13-2011, 06:57

I serously doubt if any hammocker ever caused the death of any tree. But perception is really all that matters! SO USE THE **** TREE STRAPS, (I grumble and rant but I use 'em) gnome

**seuss** · 10-13-2011, 09:05

Hanging without a tree strap won't directly kill a tree. But bruising the cambium layer can cause a tree to develop "dead spots" (cankers)

Cankers can deform and weaken a tree, making it more likely to topple in a wind event, or leave the tree vulnerable to fungal infection.

Cankers also reduce the lumber value of a tree.

There may also be some seasonal variation in damage caused by strapless hanging. Cambium may be more vulnerable in the springtime than in the fall. Or maybe not.

Anyway, use a strap.

If trees could scream do you think we would be so cavalier as to cutting them down? Maybe if they screamed all the time for no good reason. - Jack Handey

**Owl** · 10-13-2011, 09:15

What kind of tree did Tinny hang from in his video?

To point out the obvious...there are tons of different species of trees...and they vary greatly in density (hardwoods vs softwoods).

Some could probably withstand a pretty great load across a small area with little or no damage.

Others take far less to sustain some pretty substantial (potentially fatal) damage.

Given there's not always a garauntee you know what tree you're gonna be hanging on at your next stop...

Kinda foolish to skip carrying a couple of straps to prevent damage and maintain some goodwill for your fellow hangers.