Hennessey Ultralight -- hanging cord broke in a Garda Hitch

[GrizzlyAdams]

I do love that instant adjustability with it (Rings/Garda) but in my non-scientific mind I can see ALL the weight/pressure/pascals focused on that tiny bit of cord that is compressed between the rings.
I've never minded the classic HH fig 8 knot and it works fine with the one triangle on the end of the tree hugger but it took only one time with the ring/garda to spoil me--speed and lightweight. If I ditch the ring/garda I've really lost very little extra weight.
So I'm waiting until the experts chime in---just hurry before I leave out Friday.

What if when tieing the Garda you go between the rings twice--spread out the weight factor a bit???

talk to us Griz somehow I'm reminded of that Dire Straits tune "Calling Elvis".

I've tried a couple of variations on what you suggest. Every one makes it harder to adjust.

but I gotta tell ya....the garda hitch looks cool, works OK, but I too am concerned about that tight pinch on the cord. Even on my 3.8mm Spyderline.... I'm pretty sure that the stress on the rope will be less if instead of doing the garda hitch you drop a ring, and tie a slipped buntline.

or a full turn with two half hitches, the last one slippery.

or take the extra ring and wrap it on the line as an anchor for a trucker's hitch, then back and forth and a couple of half hitches...

all of these are a lot faster and more flexible than the HH wrap. Just use the ring(s) as a tie-off assist.

Grizz

[TiredFeet]

....
or a full turn with two half hitches, the last one slippery.

....
Grizz

Or make both half hitches slippery - super fast to undo.

[ConanTheLibrarian]

talk to us Griz somehow I'm reminded of that Dire Straits tune "Calling Elvis".

I've tried a couple of variations on what you suggest. Every one makes it harder to adjust.

but I gotta tell ya....the garda hitch looks cool, works OK, but I too am concerned about that tight pinch on the cord. Even on my 3.8mm Spyderline.... I'm pretty sure that the stress on the rope will be less if instead of doing the garda hitch you drop a ring, and tie a slipped buntline.

or a full turn with two half hitches, the last one slippery.

or take the extra ring and wrap it on the line as an anchor for a trucker's hitch, then back and forth and a couple of half hitches...

all of these are a lot faster and more flexible than the HH wrap. Just use the ring(s) as a tie-off assist.

Grizz

Do you think a slipped buntline is stronger than the garda hitch?

[GrizzlyAdams]

Do you think a slipped buntline is stronger than the garda hitch?

I've seen what the garda hitch does to Vectran and Amsteel (pinches it flat). There are a couple of reports of the sheath on a cord breaking under it.

The bends in a slipped buntline aren't out of the ordinary for a knot. Sure the overall strength of the setup is diminished by a knot---all kinds of variables in that w.r.t how much it is weakened, I just use what I know to be strong cord expecting that after being weakened by knots it's still strong enough.

after my long answer, my short answer is "yes, I think a slipped buntline is stronger than the garda hitch". but I can't quantify that except anecdotally.

Grizz

[ConanTheLibrarian]

I switched my doublenest over two SMC rings at each end, 3.8mm spyderline, and 1" strapworks seat belt huggers with a loop sewn on the end. Rings are prusik'd to the hammock, and I'm using marlinspikes to join the spyderline and tree hugger straps.

We'll be going on a six day trip starting Saturday, so I'll try out both the garda and the buntline and report how it goes.

[koaloha05]

Do you think a slipped buntline is stronger than the garda hitch?

So far, the use of the slipped buntline hitch on the slippery, easy to flatten Amsteel Blue line has been secure and without any problems. For what it's worth according to "The Ashley Book of Knots", the Buntline Hitch "are employed to lift the square sails preparatory to furling. The Buntline Hitch is a very secure knot and not easily lossened by the slatting of the sail." The Garda hitches (the "Alpine Clutch") allows ascension or pulling up items in one direction using couple carabiners. Could be the static load and small diameter bends of the Garda Hitch and ring setup are the cause of weakened/broken line/sheathing. My guess is the Garda Hitch/ring combo is weaker than the Slipped Buntline based on the reported problems.

[Javaman]

As a Garda proponent, The Garda with SMC rings has worked well for me over the past couple of years. I have not noticed any negative effects from the rings compressing the stock HH line. I was seeing some excessive wear on the line in places as I was pulling the suspension tighter and tighter early in my hammocking career. I used to really haul on the suspension as hard as I could, which of course would force the line through ever tightening rings. It also served to deform the line somewhat. After reading some posts here about suspension tightness I slacked off from pulling my hammock as tight as a drum. Now I pull it firmly taught but not tight . This has eliminated any further wear on the line and in fact made my HH more comfortable. I always finish the Garda with a half-hitch for safety.

FWIW, I did chew through the stock suspension line using a Figure9. The teeth cut the line to the point of near failure. I sent it back to HH and they repaired at no charge.

[SlowBro]

Before I got my WBBB, I was using the Garda hitch and SMC rings on the stock HH suspension line without problem. No significant wear.

When I got the WBBB I used the Garda on the amsteel lines it comes with and mashed the fibers flat in a scary way. The line held but the wear factor was very bad.

That's when I got interested in the Whoopie Sling and UCR threads and finally switched.

-SlowBro = happy hanger