Warning re: WS "beads"

[BillyBob58]

Back when I made my 1st Whoopie Slings, whenever that was, on my ist attempt to use them at a camp ground I ran into a problem. 1st time I went to pull them out of the pack, they became "shortened" as far as possible, leaving no loop to put on the webbing knot at all, and leaving them useless.

So I quickly posted a thread warning about that. That sure was a lot of work getting them pulled back out, took a long time!

From then on I either just started routinely lengthening the tree end loop to the max and also tying an overhand knot which made it impossible to close it up too much, then just undo the knot at set up. Or, I would wrap a bread or garbage bag wire/zip tie around one side of the WS at the junction, making it nearly impossible to get into trouble. Many folks here quicly came up with more permanent solutions, like burying some extra cord at the junction making it too fat to be sucked in, or beads. etc.

Sooooo, anyhow, my WL came with WS and nice little black beads ( right word? ) already installed. So the other day I am packing up in the woods, and I notice one of the loops is dangerously small, about to disappear, and their is NO BEAD! It has gone missing. I look at the other bead, and it is cracked and not long for this world. So, I am back to knots. Which is fine, takes a split second and is fool proof.

I am betting that the beads somehow became damaged when I hang from my stand, and don't use the actual WS tech ( hammock stand is normally too short, like trees too close together, leaving not enough room for WS), and instead just do a HH style lashing around my stands upright. The beads probably got caught between Amsteel and metal stand or something, and cracked.

But I thought a shout out/warning would be the thing to do. So here it is: keep an eye on those beads! Be careful out there!

[Buffalo Skipper]

I had that happen to me once. I use a small s-biner in each end to prevent the loop from pulling through itself.

[DivaB]

Embrace the beads!!

[MrClean417]

You can also tie a small piece of cord through the loop as well, just a 3 inch piece of zingit double knotted on one side and you're good to go at minimal weight. If you somehow pull hard enough to suck that into your loop, well, I guess it's possible. Better use two loops.

[Catavarie]

Dutch! We need titanium beads STAT!

I guess we could just use the whoopie hooks though.

[2Tall]

I clipped the wring off of some mitten hooks this time. I was beadless at the time.

[2Tall]

Dutch! We need titanium beads STAT!

I guess we could just use the whoopie hooks though.

Oh yeah! Ill take a set

[Hiknhanger]

I am new to Whoopies, but on the first set I made I used Grizz's whipping knot. On the second set I made, I really idiot proofed it and ran the adjustable loop through a sewn loop in the hanging end of my tree straps. The sling loop will never suck through into the bury and I'll never leave the straps wrapped around a tree.

[lmoseley7]

Chalk this up to another instance of using something for a purpose other than what was intended by the manufacturer. Beads can be really brittle in my experience. If your daughter's bracelet looses a bead, no big deal. Not so with the whoopie slings, so TYC (take your chances). I currently use a continuous loop of mason line that forms a circle about the size of my ring finger (size 12) and in the past I tied a loop of cotton twine and tied a prussic loop onto the adjustable loop of the WS. The thought process was that the cotton twine would double as a drip line and in an extreme pinch, possible fire starting tender.

[fishbait]

In fly tying we use Tungsten Beads to add weight to the fly. These might work as a bead replacement.
The good - they won't break.
The bad - They'll add a little weight