Thanks for incredible source of info

[lazarus]

Dear Hangers, I've been using an HH for a couple of years now, and, while I knew of your forum, I've never paid it much attention... mostly just been keeping track of WhiteBlaze. When, with the all-too-common gear obsession, I decided to put together another hammock set-up "for my daughter" (we took turns sleeping on the ground and in the HH on our last trip together) I thought I'd check out this forum again. Wow. I can't believe how much you've helped! So... the new set up is going to be: standard silnylon HH tarp with a Ticket to the Moon double hammock (never heard of it before coming to this forum -- and would probably have bought a single byer), and probably just a head mosquito net and permithrin spray on the hammock, and probably just the stock HH tree huggers -- which I think are light and i've gotten used to. I tend to camp near shelters if its raining so I don't mind the small tarp size, and I like that it is so light. Anyway,I found the tarp here -- used -- at a great price. I don't really know if I have to add rope/remove rings on the hammock, and what the lightest setup for that will be... and I wonder about adding a 100 pound test kite string ridge line to make setup standard and to have a place to leave the stuff I've gotten used to putting over my HH ridge line... I can't wait to try something other than the HH (which I do really like, by the way)-- and will do so just south of Harpers Ferry on a section hike the beginning of June... and then again, later this summer in Vermont, with my daughter! but, clearly, it is all fun, and you all help. Thanks!

[Narwhalin]

If it is a structural ridge line you are after, I think you will need something stronger than the 100lb. test you are talking about. Jeff reccommends 200-300 lbs breaking strength:

First, choose your cord. Anything with a breaking strength of about 200-300 lbs should work, but just like hammock supports it should probably be low-stretch. I've had 550 cord stretch so much that it wasn't useful. I've also used BPL Air Core 2, which is very thin and light so I thought it would be perfect...but it was so thin that it was damaging the hammock supports. Right now my favorite is BPL Air Core Plus...it's really too expensive for this use, but I had some already cut to the right length so I put it on there. Webbing can also work.

from--http://www.tothewoods.net/HomemadeHammock4.html

[lazarus]

well, the info just keeps on coming!!! I was thinking non-structural ridge line, and wondered if it could work as a visual clue to when i'd set the sag right... you're dealing with an HH user accustomed to the no-brainer pull the ridge line tight setup -- i haven't a clue how to hang a non-ridge line hammock. After going to just jeff's page, I can see the ridge line thing is more complicated than i thought... if i don't use a structural ridge line will my HH stock tarp provide coverage for a Ticket to the Moon hammock? Does the ridge line help snug everything up for better weather protection? Which do you prefer for comfort?

[Narwhalin]

I don't know anything about non-structural ridgelines, perhaps someone with experience there will chime in.

The purpose for structural ridgelines is to make the hammock feel the same each time you set it up. It doesn't have to do with weather protection. The ridgeline keeps the ends of the hammock at a set length. I really like to be able to set up my hammock in any situation, and know it will be hanging just like I like it.

Also, I just designed a tarp for myself, and it was nice to know that my ridgeline was, so I could make the tarp's ridgeline long enough to provide adequate coverage.