question about tree size

**blackbishop351** · 03-23-2007, 10:57

I use ~ 9' straps and I've never had any problems. Like other threads indicate, if you come upon site that doesn't work, hike another 10 minutes or so and you'll find one that does. But like HE said, I live on the East coast so my experience is limited in that respect.

**FanaticFringer** · 03-23-2007, 15:03

I use about 14 feet per side. 2 feet of spectra and 12 feet of Speer webbing.
I'm using the ring/buckle suspension system. I love this sytem so much I just have to show it to ya if you've not seen it:

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...hlight=buckles

**nigelp** · 03-23-2007, 16:06

I use a fairly short tree hugger but can adjust for larger trees by passing the main hammock rope through one loop before tying on to allow for the 'extra girth'. Seems to protect trees adequately and does away with the need for super long huggers when backpacking.

Nigel

**Ewker** · 03-23-2007, 22:26

all I have on my hammock is strapping so I just hope it is long enough. Guess I will find out

**Peter_pan** · 03-24-2007, 06:19

Stock tree saver straps worked fine for me thru the Smokies in 2003...Full shelters every nite but one... nice...

Pan

**Doctari** · 03-24-2007, 06:42

I can easily hang from one tree 24" diam, and one about 26" (my homemade "tree huggers" are different sizes), & can go up to 20' apart so I'm good.

On the other hand: The smallest I've hung from is 4". The closest the trees have been together is 9.5', which is as close as I can go & still put up my tarp. Which gives me a range tree to tree of 10.5' and a tree size range of 22", shoulldn't be hard to find a campsite within those ranges.

Doctari.

**Hooch** · 03-24-2007, 08:06

Originally Posted by Ewker

ok from what I have read the best size tree to strap a hammock to is one
4-6" diameter. I realize you can use larger trees but is there a limit? I am thinking about the Smokies in particular where some trees are 24"+ diameter how would you go about strapping to them esp if you're not planning on one that big. How much strapping do you have on each end of your hammock? Do you carry extra just in case?

Has anyone on here hammocked in the Smokies before?

Ewker, I use the ENO Slap Strap Pro, each of which is 10' long, giving me a total of 30' to work with if you include the lenght of my hammock. In the event that even that isn't long enough, I would just use an appropriate length of doubled over 550 cord. In the short amount of time that I've been hammocking, I haven't had to resort to that and I hope I never do. There are many different ways to attach a hammcok to a tree, oversize or not, and are limited only by one's ingenuity. I started out with the Slap Strap and they've worked out for me just fine, so if ain't broken, don't fix it!

**Just Jeff** · 03-24-2007, 08:45

Careful with the 550 cord...a few of us have broken it on hammocks. More than once...some of us don't learn so well the first time around...

**Ewker** · 03-26-2007, 09:39

update on tree size. The campsite that we had to stay at did have a few trees that I could hang a hammock from. My biggest problem was the size of the tree. I hang my tarp using bungee cords. Unfortunately the tree was to big around for the bungee. I did have some rope (luckily) with me that I used to hang it with. The next biggest problem was getting the hammock centered between the 2 trees. I must have spent 20 minutes wrapping/unwrapping the straps until I got the hammock close to center. I really didn't need to (since I knew no rain was in the forecast) it was just a case of wanting to. I think what gave me the biggest problem was the size of the tree since it took so much more of the webbing to go around it.

Anyway it worked. We stopped at the next campsite just to check it out. There would have been problems there because of the tree diameters.

Guess I will carry longer bungee cords

**Just Jeff** · 03-26-2007, 09:46

Ewker - it doesn't have to be centered. Just cheat a little bit towards your feet and it'll have the same effect as hanging your feet a little bit higher. How'd you sleep that night? Warm and comfortable?