Attached Webbing vs. Whoopie Slings

[OdieGreen]

I am a big fan of simplicity. That coupled with the fact that I would lose my head if it were not bolted on, I chose to install an 18' piece of 1 1/2" poly webbing to each end of my hammock as a suspension.



There are no buckles, tree huggers, toggles or anything else for that matter to lose. I simply wrap the strap around the tree. It works great but is pretty bulky. Since 6-8' tree huggers would be used with a whoopie sling, I imagine the weight is not significantly greater than that of the whoopie sling suspension.

The whoopie slings are elegant and compact but my fear is that I would lose some componant, then be sleeping on the ground.

What is more important to all of you, simplicity or compactness/weight?

[pizza]

I guess for me I prefer Whoopies. I don't find them overly complex at all. They are very easy to use and the weight savings is nice.

[XTrekker]

As I am starting to backpack farther and farther distances, weight is becoming more of an issue. Whereas I used to be ok with the weight of straps and buckles, now it is something I am trying to eliminate the extra weight. Originally I made a set of whoopies and then came across UCRs and then discovered UL 2.2mm dynaglide UCRs. Granted there is more components to mess with than your system, I am willing to pay more attention to keeping track of everything for the trade off of shaving 5-8 ounces of weight off my suspension. A simple light weight stuff sack or rubber band can help reduce the chance of loosing things. If I were someone who doesnt trek very far then the type of suspension would be that important. But being someone who wants to explore farther and farther, I need to make necessary changes to lighten things up for a more comfortable trek.

[Thom]

I think the benefits of whoopie slings far outweigh the negatives.
Since the tree straps aren't attached to the hammock with a whoopie slings suspension, you do run the risk of forgetting them on the tree.

[FLRider]

I had been using a webbing/ring suspension. However, as I had been using the webbing to attach my all-in-one blackbishop bag to my DIY Molly Mac Pack-inspired pack, I found that 15' of webbing was a pain to keep from dragging all over the place.

So, I switched to whoopies. 8' of webbing is much easier to keep coiled and stowed (I hang in spots with big longleaf pines some times), and it's literally impossible for me to walk away from my campsite with my hammock but not my straps.

The whoopies are more finicky than the straps were, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It makes me think more about site selection than I used to.

Hope it helps!

[SilvrSurfr]

We pack to our fears, so the saying goes. I think whoopies/straps are simpler, more compact, more adjustable and weigh 3x less than your simple strap suspension.

Every choice has a consequence. You want your suspension permanently attached to the hammock so you don't lose it? Then you also have to accept that you'll be packing a perfectly dry hammock up with a wet suspension if it rained the night before.

No hardware with your poly webbing? Adjusting your hammock is going to be a lot more trouble than whoopies or even cinch buckles/rings.

As for weight, your strap suspension, even without hardware, probably weighs 10 to 12 ounces. Six ft. Whoopie slings with Whoopie hooks, 4 ft tree huggers, and two continuous loops (to connect to hammock) will only be 3.7 oz.

I use 6 ft. whoopies with Whoopie hooks and 4 ft. tree huggers. I used to carry 8 ft. tree huggers but found that most trees I hung from were not that big (something to do with how we clear-cut the entire East coast in the last century). I do carry a couple of Amsteel continuous loops which I can use to extend the tree huggers if necessary.

I personally don't see how I could lose a component of the whoopie sling. The fixed loop is larksheaded to the tree hugger. The whoopie hook is spliced into the adjustable loop. I know other people somehow leave their tree straps on trees, but if I can't remember to take them off the tree and pack them, I probably shouldn't be hiking out in the woods alone anyway.

[Mountain Gout]

To be fair.. 6ft. whoopie- 4ft. strap is ten ft. Cutting the straps to ten would drop weight considerably no? I didn't think there was a huge weight difference..
But I have been wrong before..

[aka.jobbe]

A've orderet my amsteel just to day and are planing to make my woopies before my hammock get in the mailbox.

I chose woopies couse of the weight and the size.

[Thom]

A've orderet my amsteel just to day and are planing to make my woopies before my hammock get in the mailbox.

I chose woopies couse of the weight and the size.

You can't go wrong with a pair of whoopie slings.

[silentorpheus]

As always, it comes down to what works for you, and what your priorities are.

Personally, I have my Warbonnet Blackbird set up with strap suspension. I find it's easy and simplistic, and I'm willing to pay the weight penalty. Could I save a few ounces by switching it to whoopies? Sure - but I'm willing to live with it for the ease of use it affords me. And that's not to say whoopies aren't easy as well - but I'm lazy and don't feel like modding it ... and you know what they say about "if it ain't broke" ...

As far as what you're using:

I'd suggest you consider getting cinch buckles and something like dutch clips, to mirror the stock suspension on a WBBB. The dutch clips stay attached to your straps, and the straps stay attached to the cinch buckles - which are attached to your hammock ends. So there's no chance of leaving anything behind, as it doesn't have to come apart into smaller components. This gives you ease of attaching to the tree (you don't have to wrap or knot or whatever you've done in that picture), and you get adjustability at the hammock ends. If you cut your straps down by 3 feet on each side (to 15' straps instead of 18' straps), you'll likely lose the equal of the weight penalty you gain by adding the gizmos, so it'll be a wash. And you should still have plenty of length to work with.

The way you have it now, if you consider the outside chance that you might need 6' of strap to go around the tree (and that's pretty darn big - not sure what the trees look like where you are), then as it stands you still have 24' plus the length of the hammock to stretch between the trees (18' minus 6', times two, plus length of hammock), and quite honestly, if you ever find yourself trying to hang your rig between trees that are close to 30 feet apart, there's little chance you could get the straps high enough on the trees to compensate, and your hammock would be on the ground anyway.

Just some thoughts, from someone who understands all the benefits that whoopie slings can afford, but chooses not to use them anyway.

(though I do have whoopies on my DIY hammock ...)