Noob Question

**Kahuna** · 10-21-2013, 09:15

OK... ...6 months into hanging and now ready to move on to Whoopie Slings. Got 'em in the mail and I just wanted to know what the bead in the main bend is for? Is it for reference or do I push it into the buried portion.

Apologies for being such a novice

**meckelangelo** · 10-21-2013, 09:16

It keeps the loop from being pulled into itself. If you adjust a whoopie sling too far, you can pull the loop into itself, and then the whoopie sling is effectively ruined. The bead is like a "stop", and keeps the loop from being pulled in.

**hk2001** · 10-21-2013, 10:01

What Meck said

Some people also splice in a 1/4" buried piece of amsteel in to serve the same purpose. I picked up a full suspension set out of the PIF section with that feature, and thought it was the darndest thing. When I splice for other people, I use the beads.. saves a lot of frustration on everyone's part.

**Kahuna** · 10-21-2013, 16:59

Thanks folks!

Nice to know there is a fail safe that will save tears down the line

**lmoseley7** · 10-21-2013, 17:15

I've had the beads break on the whoopies that I made. WS.com might use better beads that what the wife had laying around. As a result though, I now splicea very small continuous loop of mason line to use as my stop. It ends up about the size of a quarter and also gives a place to hang lightweight gear off the suspension, although care should be take so it doesn't loosen the bury.

**JaxHiker** · 10-21-2013, 19:50

I realized I need to fix one of my slings. It got pulled into itself this weekend and I had to spend a few minutes pulling it back out.

**hk2001** · 10-21-2013, 22:03

Originally Posted by lmoseley7

I've had the beads break on the whoopies that I made. WS.com might use better beads that what the wife had laying around. As a result though, I now splicea very small continuous loop of mason line to use as my stop. It ends up about the size of a quarter and also gives a place to hang lightweight gear off the suspension, although care should be take so it doesn't loosen the bury.

I bought a bag of pony beads from walmart... they work great.

Then I realized they make glow in the dark ones... they work better

I realized I need to fix one of my slings. It got pulled into itself this weekend and I had to spend a few minutes pulling it back out.

I've seen people accidentally pull them through and backsplice them an inch or 2.. at that point, I'd just replace them

**Loki** · 10-22-2013, 08:45

Originally Posted by lmoseley7

I've had the beads break on the whoopies that I made. WS.com might use better beads that what the wife had laying around. As a result though, I now splicea very small continuous loop of mason line to use as my stop. It ends up about the size of a quarter and also gives a place to hang lightweight gear off the suspension, although care should be take so it doesn't loosen the bury.

good idee!

**Mountnman** · 10-22-2013, 09:03

I dont know about anyone else but I had a bead bust and part of it hit me just below the eye and cut it when I laid down in my hammock. Thankful it didnt hit my eyeball. Since then I have just made my own and not put them on and have had no issues. I did pull one inside itself but seems to me it took about a minute of working it and it came out. Just my 2cents

**gmcttr** · 10-22-2013, 09:51

Originally Posted by Mountnman

...but I had a bead bust and part of it hit me just below the eye and cut it...
...I did pull one inside itself but seems to me it took about a minute of working it and it came out....

Ouch!

Spend a minute on this mod and never have to dig one out again or have a bead break.