OK, I was reading a certain thread regarding a piece of hardware and whether or not it should have been sold in a certain store in the hammock or camping area.

So I typed a response having to do with, not that piece of hard ware, but a side discussion on tree straps. I hit the "submit" button, only to find the thread was closed. Apparently blood pressures had been rising. And some of us are a little long in the tooth to be having our blood pressures raised, so I understand.

But possible tree damage- on public land- is still worthy of discussion it seems to me, though we don't need to further discuss that certain piece of hard ware!

But here is what I posted:

Quote Originally Posted by tomsawyer222 View Post
I have seen straps take plenty of bark off the trees ......................
I have caused some pine bark to come off when using 1" tree straps along with a Whoopie sling set up. Every time I made a height adjustment, which I had to do a few times, when I would get back in the straps would slide down a few inches before they would cinch up tight a grip well enough, removing a little bark each time. This was on big trees, at least a foot in diameter probably more, FWIW.

This is about the only time I have had that happen. And it was weird, because using the JRB stock suspension also with 1" webbing, which did not even "cinch up", and on the same trees, did not slip and cause this damage. I don't know, just sayin'!

This does not make me worry about those trees, though. Should I? I'm thinking what with deer scrapes, wood pecker holes, pine beetles, and in some areas Bear or Mountain Lion ( even Bobcat?) claws, what the heck? Is a little scraped off bark really a problem?

However, it was in a state park and a developed camp ground. If any one knew to look closely ( like a manager/ranger) it could have been seen easily enough. So, that could be a problem, as we all know. Not likely here, where I was camping, but many places.

But what's a fellow to do? I had the 1" tree huggers, two different sets, one was much worse than the other. But what more is there to do other than tree huggers?

Now to be honest, other than what amount of LNT ethic I have in the areas I usually hike causing me to think twice, I don't think it amounts to a hill of beans. I really believe that, if I was to take an axe and cut a tree down, nobody would ever know I had done it. No way is any one ever going to notice a little rope damage, much less hugger damage. I just want to keep it as close to zero for general principles, and because other places are way more sensitive than where I hike. Most of my hiking is in a place where I make up close to 100% of the hiking traffic. Dirt bikes and 4 wheelers on the "trails" maybe, but hikers? Rare as hens teeth.