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  1. #1
    New Member tsquared's Avatar
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    Sticks and Lightning

    Alright what are the chances of a stick hitting you, or your tree getting struck by lightning, less or better than tent camping?

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    I'd say exactly the same. Unless you are talking about tenting in an open space, then it would be hard to say.

  3. #3
    Senior Member Knotty's Avatar
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    It's probably easier to chose a tent location that has less above it then a hammock spot. Hammocks need trees.

    Also a tree is the most likely thing for lightning to hit, so IMHO the tent wins.

    None the less, I'll still hang.
    Knotty
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  4. #4
    Senior Member Roadtorque's Avatar
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    I usually set a tent up under the shade of a tree. So for me its probably equal. Still, the chance are very small

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    Chances are pretty good that if you're in a tent and lightning hits a nearby tree, you're still going to be a hurtin' turkey.

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    Senior Member RTR's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Knotty View Post
    It's probably easier to chose a tent location that has less above it then a hammock spot. Hammocks need trees.

    Also a tree is the most likely thing for lightning to hit, so IMHO the tent wins.

    None the less, I'll still hang.
    +1...Figure I'll run the risk to be comfy. I do look when I am hanging in a grove to make sure I am not on the tree that's the tallest if I can help it. Although living in Utah we do not see much lighting around where I live so really can't say I worry to much.

  7. #7
    Senior Member miisterwright's Avatar
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    I remember reading thread on here about how lightning follows the path of least resistance to the ground. It put me at ease about lightning strikes. To sum up the electricity isn't going to make a 90 deg. turn an run across the lines to your hammock. It makes sense.

    But I would advise everyone to ALWAYS LOOK UP before you hang to make sure there aren't dead branches. I once hung one side to a dead tree unknowingly. (It was right up against a living tree, so when I looked up and saw green, I didn't see that one tree was dead.) Anyway a chunk of dead tree fell of the top and struck my friend who was in the hammock. God protected him, but it could have been a very bad situation. It cut our trip short and cost me a hammock. But it could have been serious injury.

    You should look up to check for dead branches with a tent as well. Neither shelter does very well against falling objects. I don't think a hammock is at all more dangerous when it comes to lightning, if that is the motivation for the thread. Be careful regardless of your shelter of choice.
    ~Bryan
    Last edited by miisterwright; 05-14-2009 at 17:55.

  8. #8
    Senior Member RTR's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by adkpiper View Post
    Chances are pretty good that if you're in a tent and lightning hits a nearby tree, you're still going to be a hurtin' turkey.
    15" from the strike point is what I remember reading some place. And that is only the distance that keeps you alive...but as adkpiper said your still gonna be a little smokey. And I aint talkin bout the sausages. That was also with dry ground. Which is in itself an odd statment, because, with Lightning there is usually rain ...No?

    And yes I know about sheet lightning kinda just makin a funny.

  9. #9
    Senior Member Knotty's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mbwtt View Post
    I remember reading thread on here about how lightning follows the path of least resistance to the ground. It put me at ease about lightning strikes. To sum up the electricity isn't going to make a 90 deg. turn an run across the lines to your hammock. It makes sense.
    Problem is lightning doesn't like to play by the rules. As a sailboat owner I've studied the subject at great length. Scared is being in the middle of the bay in a lightning storm with your 35' aluminum mast being the tallest thing around. My friends boat got hit and the path of damage defied logic.

    While the bulk of the strike will follow the easiest path, there will often be many additional routes taken as well. If the tree you're tied to gets hit, all bets are off.
    Knotty
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  10. #10
    Senior Member miisterwright's Avatar
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    I guess you're right, Knotty. I wouldn't want to find out first hand one way or the other

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