Tying the Hennessey Hammock Knot

[attroll]

Hennessey Knot
courtesy of Shane Steinkamp

Knot detail Detail of lashing to webbing straps using four figure-8 wraps around main supporting rope and behind webbing strap loops plus 2 half hitches. This is very similar to the figure-8 used when tying a rope to a cleat.

The 'tree hugger' or nylon webbing strap goes around the tree. The rope goes through both loops...

Pull tight - between 15 and 20 pounds will do...

Pass the free end of the rope around the top of the rope that goes back to the hammock...

Pass the free end of the rope behind the webbing strap... (In other words, between the tree hugger and the tree...)

Pull...

Over the top of the rope...

Pull...

Behind the webbing...

Over the top of the rope...

Pull...

Behind the webbing...

Pull, and tie a half hitch...

Pull...

Second half hitch...

DONE!

This isn't finished with a traditional half hitch. I call it a twisted hitch. In reality, you can leave the hitches out and not have any trouble. I don't often tie them anymore.

[Cuffs]

I got a quick "show and tell" of this, before I had my hammock. This is exactly what I needed! Clear and concise with great pictures!

Thanks Troll!

[funbun]

Awe, I thought you ment the sheet's bend on the hammock bed. i thought you had found a way to attach the supports to the hammock the way Hennessy does.

[bkrownd]

The weird thing about this way of tying up the hammock is that I've never seen anyone use the strap like they have here. Usually one end of the strap is passed through the loop on the other end, and then all the tying is done to just the single loop.

Was this knotting chosen primarily to be fast & easy?

[stoikurt]

The method in the pictures is the same method recommended by Hennessy (except the twisted half hitch). I've not seen anyone put one strap thru the loop of the other and tie to just one loop. Though that method is used with rings and buckles but usually with a carabiner in the loop and clipping it around the strap.

[warbonnetguy]

The weird thing about this way of tying up the hammock is that I've never seen anyone use the strap like they have here. Usually one end of the strap is passed through the loop on the other end, and then all the tying is done to just the single loop.

Was this knotting chosen primarily to be fast & easy?

that is an excellent point, the reason i thread one loop through the other, is that with the above tree strap setup the straps have sometimes slid down the tree. the other way, the webbing squeezes the tree and cannot slide down.

for tying the rope to the single loop instead, i like to use a single sheetbend finished with a bight. this takes a fraction of the time it takes to tie the above knot. it is actually about the simplest knot there is. since it is finished with a bight, it is an exploding knot, meaning you can completly untie it with a tug on the free end.

depending on what kind of webbing you use, i have had a few inches of slack slip through the knot when weighted. never been dropped by it though. this slipping can be eliminated by using what i call a "single w/2 bights", basically you insert a second bight of slack into the first and then cinch the first one down tight. i think this is slightly faster than just using a double sheetbend finished with a bight. i've never had either variation slip even with excessive bouncing, and the single with a bight (the one that can slip, also by far the fastest), seems not to slip with softer thinner webbing, like the 1" owf polyester camo.

either way, some variation of the sheetbend is probably the best knot to tie to tree straps. it's a secure knot that can be tied very quickly (blindingly fast if the single w/bight is used), and can be untied instantly if finished with a bight.

google search sheetbend to see a pic.

[JoeHiker]

Really dumb question: What is the point of the half-hitch(es)? What purpose do they serve? I never tie them.

[neo]

Hennessey Knot

Knot detail Detail of lashing to webbing straps using four figure-8 wraps around main supporting rope and behind webbing strap loops plus 2 half hitches. This is very similar to the figure-8 used when tying a rope to a cleat.

The 'tree hugger' or nylon webbing strap goes around the tree. The rope goes through both loops...

Pull tight - between 15 and 20 pounds will do...

Pass the free end of the rope around the top of the rope that goes back to the hammock...

Pass the free end of the rope behind the webbing strap... (In other words, between the tree hugger and the tree...)

Pull...

Over the top of the rope...

Pull...

Behind the webbing...

Over the top of the rope...

Pull...

Behind the webbing...

Pull, and tie a half hitch...

Pull...

Second half hitch...

DONE!

This isn't finished with a traditional half hitch. I call it a twisted hitch. In reality, you can leave the hitches out and not have any trouble. I don't often tie them anymore.

thats really good pics of the multiple figure 8,i used that knot for over 5 years on all my hammocks till i went to the ring bucle system neo

[kohburn]

thats really good pics of the multiple figure 8,i used that knot for over 5 years on all my hammocks till i went to the ring bucle system neo

I like to use double "exploding" knots (pull one string to release)

how difficult is it to release the ring buckle when there is tension on it?

[MacEntyre]

The HH knot is essentially a tow-boat hitch, quite a versatile knot. Thanks for the post!