Newbie trying to keep it SUL...lil' help?

**Bster13** · 07-31-2012, 17:42

I'll look at the claytor method tonight, thanks!

I guess I don't need adjustable on the fly, but if my newbie self doesn't get the sag right the first time, I don't want to untie knots for 10min to try again. So a knot that ~doesn't~ move once it is set, but is easy to undo if need be. The Marlin spike hitch is interesting, so is the "slippery trucker" if I can find documentation as well as the claytor.

Here is my gear list (I want to say the GT Nano is ~5 oz w/ no caribiners or suspension attached, but I don't know what my suspension will weigh so I left it a few ounces higher. I also cut off the pouch/stuff sack for the hammock):

http://www.geargrams.com/list?id=8944

I'm sure I need to reweigh a few things, but it's as close as it is going to get as I'm leaving Friday.

**Bster13** · 07-31-2012, 19:15

Hrmm, looking at the claytor method, you have rope running to and from the tree, instead of one length of rope. I think that would would require carrying more rope than other methods.

**Fish<><** · 07-31-2012, 19:40

What you need to do is look up Shug on YouTube. He is a guy who is kind of the spokesman for the forums for youtubers. He has a 10 part video series on how to hang hammocks. Take a look, it helped about a third or more of the people on this site get hangin' including myself. Good luck on "pushing the limits". Id say if you are going sul, look at sgt rocks posts on here too, hes our innovative "gram weenie". I take night time comfort over daytime myself so I don't totally understand your reasoning, but HYOH and welcome to the forums from Guam.

**Bster13** · 07-31-2012, 19:48

"I take night time comfort over daytime myself" <- for me I want to cover as many miles as possible to see as many sites as possible. Spending time in camp is secondary. Part of camp is getting a good night's rest and I can't say I've always gotten awesome sleep at night (which of course helps hike as many miles as possible the next day) so part of this exercise is trying to get a better night's sleep ~and~ staying SUL to cover those miles. HYOH def.

**FLRider** · 07-31-2012, 22:43

D'oh! Silly me, I plumb forgot about GrizzlyAdams' introduction to suspension systems videos. Sorry; there's quite a bit of information there worth picking up.

Hope it helps!

**MAD777** · 08-01-2012, 07:32

I came here from BPL also. My hammock, with fully enclosed bugnet, weighs just under a pound (1.5 oz ripstop, 11' long). My top & bottom quilts plus pillow & small CCF pad weigh 1.5 pounds (above freezing). Add a cuben tarp for under a half pound (cut stakes from trail sticks).

Complete shelter and sleep system = 3 pounds.
No corners cut; living in luxury!

**Bster13** · 08-01-2012, 07:58

Reason being....(IMO at this point)

- Easy to tie
- Uses the least amount of amsteel in the knot
- Maximizes the girth of the tree or span in between trees to suspend my hammock.
- Relatively easy to adjust hammock suspension & sag
-Easy to untie

I will lash the shortest bit possible of amsteel through the gathered end and then through a bowline and the resultant end coming out of the hammock will have a large bowline (to accommodate long toggles) or an adjustable grip hitch (I don't care if the adj. grip hitch cinches up on itself, it's just going to grip the marlin better)

Then I will take my long length of amsteel and lass that around the tree threading one end through a bowline.

The remaining long length of amsteel will be used to tie the marlin spike hitch wherever need be to hang the hammock. I can easily retie it to adjust hammock sag.)

There was some worry about the size of the marlin knot to hold the length coming from the hammock. Well here is my solution:

Regular Marlin spike hitch:

Marlin spike hitch with the loose end wrapped around the knot twice:

Fattened Marlin spike hitch knot under load:

**Bster13** · 08-02-2012, 15:29

....Are there other benefits to having my tarp tie off around the trees on its own as opposed to tying it off to the tree strapping? The latter would use less guy wire and thus less weight.

I realize providing the tarp with enough guy line to tie off around the tree by itself give you the ability to allow more ventilation with a high pitch or pitch it low to hunker down during a storm, but am I missing anything else?