Treeless JRB BMBH hang!

**Joz** · 07-11-2009, 15:49

Yes! Finally made it! A couple of skiing poles and some regular paracord with high performance tent stakes (don't ask what happened to the cheap ones...) and there I was, hanging without trees!

A couple of things;

I had to tighten the suspension quite a lot. At first I tried making a loop with the webbing, but I sank into the ground immediately. Then I shortened the loop as much as I could while still keeping the snake skins on. Same results. I finally looped the webbing back on itself through the ring and used the triglides as stoppers. Third time's a charm, and this time I just barely touched ground.

If I can figure out how to fasten the loop a bit higher on the pole, and maybe tighten the whole setup a bit more, I will clear the ground with a good couple of inches no problem.

Now the tarp. I have the JRB 10'x11', and lo and behold, it's just long enough to be strung up between the poles without cord. But since I didn't want to tighten the tarp so much as to risk ripping it with the BMBH, I staked it straight down with a lot of slack. Got in the hammock just fine, but with the slack and the poles leaning inwards with my weight, I got the tarp in my face. Not a lot of ventilation. So I'll probably try a ridgeline through a couple of loop screws on top of the poles, and staking the ridgeline down at either end. That way there's tension on the line even when the poles move.

Questions? Comments?

More pics and video to follow, but I just moved, and my usb cable is in a box somewhere. I just had to get this post out of my system.

**Roadtorque** · 07-11-2009, 16:38

Wow, thats cool. Good work, I look forward to the video

**BaloO** · 07-11-2009, 18:10

great Joz... desert trip next?

**Miguel** · 07-11-2009, 18:54

Exactly what type of tent stakes did you use. It appears there are three lines staked out from the ski pole.

Question for anyone: Is there a significant strength advantage gained by having longer stake outs as opposed to shorter ones? Or is there no effect at all? Seems longer would be better. If so what would be a good length?

**Joz** · 07-11-2009, 22:27

Round aluminum ones, about 8 inches long, for rocky tough ground. Don't think I needed them yesterday on the lawn, but I do where I am going in a few weeks.

It's four lines from each pole, actually. Better safe than sorry. Pedro hung with three lines, I think. But I tried pulling and heaving and generally treated the pole and lines with less respect than they deserved, and they were steady as a rock. It just won't budge.

**miisterwright** · 07-16-2009, 22:01

Are you hanging with a single ski pole on each end? Did you reinforce them somehow?

**Joz** · 07-17-2009, 00:07

Nope, straight from the sporting goods shop, as is.

Solid as a rock. I tried hiking poles, but they were too flexible. The regular slalom poles are much better.

I'm gonna look like a cheapskate on the trail, like I can't afford to buy proper hiking poles. Until I start setting up camp...I can't wait to see the looks on their faces.