Suspension system - Cords only

[whw]

I am a TOTAL NEWBIE to hammock camping. In fact, I have never slept overnight in a hammock before! But I do a lot of hiking and camping here in tropical jungles of Malaysia (in tents).

I now want to try hammock camping and have been doing a lot of research (that's part of the fun!) on hammocks, suspension systems etc.

There is one question that I have not been able to find a satisfactory answer i.e. how do you tie a hammock up using cords only? No tree hugger straps (please ignore the possible damage to the trees for this question of mine), no biners, no rings etc. Basically you have 1 cord already attached to each end of the hammock, and you have that cord on each end to tie to the tree. That's all. What knots do you use to tie each ends to the tree?

My initial thoughts, after watching lots of YouTube videos and researching websites is to use a Siberian/Evenk hitch on one tree, and possibly use a knot where you wrap around the tree, then under and above the main cord, then around the tree again, then repeat under and above the main cord etc, until you have 4-5 rounds around the tree (sorry, don't know the name of this know. Just saw it on a Youtube video). But this know would be hard to adjust tension on. So I thought it's perhaps better to use a trucker's hitch?

Anyway, let me know your advise and feedback on how I should tie-in on both ends.
My most important criteria are:
1) The knots must not slip or become loose no matter what
2) Easy to remove the next day even if the cord gets wet and was heavily tensioned

Thanks in advance!

[Joey]

If you wouldn't mind changing "cord" for "strap." The strap and buckle suspension, as sold by Warbonnet and Jacksrbetter, sounds just like what you described. No knot necessary.

Strap is attached (can be removed) to hammock, goes around tree, back through buckles, done. Easy to adjust, fast set up, no knot.

[Pendule]

****, I had typed a nice response eaten by the warp…

So quicker version: I used for years variations of the slipped buntline hitch and halter hitch, secured with a loop in the loop in the loop in the loop.

Super easy to set up, secure, and a pleasure to take down in the morning.

Don't throw anything at me, but I have to admit I like ropes better than whoopies (if it was not for the weight…)

Without tree huggers, you should at least do several wraps/turns around the tree with the rope to spread the forces.

[ScratchyBadger]

I found this video on youtube, the guy uses cord and knots only so may be of some use to you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZu2RV1_uSQ

[titanium_hiker]

I know you said "don't worry about tree damage" but it's a sensitive topic, as hammocks have been banned for perceived damage to trees in the past, so most people say that webbing needs to be on the tree- it's a nice thing to do for other users of hammocks in other places.

The simplest and most ethical way to hang is a single strap of webbing on each end (this is what I use- I've got some whoopies etc to play with, but the straps work)

Here's some links to websites which explain how it works.

http://www.imrisk.com/hammock/speerknot.htm and the improved knot: http://www.imrisk.com/hammock/improvedknot.htm

and how to hook it to your hammock: (knotted end hammock)
http://www.imrisk.com/testhammock/testhammock.htm

TH

[lattie11581]

Or use a continuous structural ridge line attaching the hammock via two marlon spike hitches with toggles. Just mark the line in graduated segments according to your ridge line distance.
Then use the hennessey hammock method to the trees, once around the tree and four or five figure 8s

Or just use '8's on therope from each hammock end.

[whw]

Thanks for the replies and feedback guys! What a great community this is.

Joey - I am actually referring to ropes, and not straps. But straps are really convenient and better for the trees, so I'll have to get some of those for sure.

Pendule - Thanks for writing the long reply (that unfortunately got lost). I did some Googling on the slipped buntline hitch and halter hitch, and tried tying them as well. Both are hitches, similar in function to some extent to the Siberian/Evenk hitch. To clarify, you wrap around the rope a 2-3 times around the tree trunk and then secure using one the hitches? Correct? Any experience with the rope sliding down from your experience?

ScratchyBadger - I have seen this video (a few times in fact). But in the video, the ends of his hammock is a rope with a loop in it. He uses a separate rope to tie into the tree. My scenario is eg. an Expedition Hennesy hammock with ropes at both ends (which you would normally secure to the tree huggers), but in this case you did not bring along any tree huggers. You just have the rope attached to both ends of the hammock to secure to the trees.

titanium_hiker - Thanks for the links. The '4 wrap knot' was the knot I was referring to in my first post. I will be planning to get some straps for sure.

lattie11581 - Thanks for the info. For Malaysia, where it rains heavily most of the time, I will probably have a separate tarpline set-up for the tarp, and the hammock set-up independantly under the tarp. But I did check out the marlon spike hitch with toggle, and it's real interesting indeed!

Suspending a hammock is a real art form!

[Pendule]

Pendule - Thanks for writing the long reply (that unfortunately got lost). I did some Googling on the slipped buntline hitch and halter hitch, and tried tying them as well. Both are hitches, similar in function to some extent to the Siberian/Evenk hitch. To clarify, you wrap around the rope a 2-3 times around the tree trunk and then secure using one the hitches? Correct? Any experience with the rope sliding down from your experience?

Yep, that's it.

Before last year, I didn't even know that "camping hammocks" with tree huggers and tarps existed, and my friends and I used huge brazilian cotton hammocks with climbing ropes for more than a decade. We didn't know any "fancy" knots, just discovered these kind of hitches along the way by trying.

Never had any trouble, and usually the sliding down is not a concern with multiple wraps around the tree and/or securing your rope above a branch or some knot in the trunk.

Have fun in the jungle