Garda Hitch on HH with no modifications

[Mrprez]

What would you do if you were using the SS and needed to clip the UC to the support line? I can't remember how far out it clips on, I'll have to set it up and measure it. I thought if there was a way to add a clip to the rings so the UC could clip to that it would be pretty handy.

[Just Jeff]

This doesn't interfere with JRB-style underquilt suspension.

[bonsaihiker]

Hello...first post here, though I've been lurking for quite a while. I've been hanging now for almost a year, and I really don't want to ever camp again without a hammock! This is an awesome site and I've learned a lot here.

Anyway, I've been wanting to simplify and speed up my setup. I noticed the garda hitch with ring buckle technique, and read completely through the ring buckle thread (whew...) along with several others. I just used this system (biner on one end of the tree hugger, rings on the other end, suspension line in garda hitch to rings) while I slept in the back yard this weekend, and noticed that the garda hitch was pretty hard to release from the buckles. I use a HH Explorer deluxe with some pretty thick support cord which pinched pretty flat between the rings, making loosening even more difficult. I was able to work it apart eventually, but I'm thinking that this significantly reduces the "simple and quick" advantages of this system.

I've been unable to find any solutions to the above problem except Grizz's block-and-tackle idea which would also affect the "simple and quick" goals. I may be setting up too tightly, but if I don't, the ridge line and bug netting sags quite a bit. I tried to pull a bight through like was mentioned with webbing on the ring buckle thread, but the cord tended to twist and kink, making it impossible to pull through the buckles. I haven't tried to simply unclip the biner from the hugger yet--is that a realistic option, or does anyone have any other ideas?

Thanks in advance!

[Mrprez]

Welcome to HF! You could change out that thick rope for another type that would be lighter and easier to use with the rings. Why are you taking the rope off the rings? I leave mine on there all the time. I just undo the biner and pack it all up and off I go.

[MacEntyre]

The only things I have ever lost are tree huggers, when they were not tied to the hammock!

I stuff my hammock separate from the tarp and the huggers. If things are wet, I don't want to put a wet tree hugger in the bag with your dry hammock. So, before I leave a site, I double check to see if I've left one of my huggers.

I use the stock HH suspension line with rings, and I've yet to see the line get flattened. When I suspend the hammock, I haul it up until the ridgeline lifts the bugnet and starts to tighten up. You want it there, not too much tighter.

If you do that, you will be able to pull slack in the hammock to take the load off the rings, and untie the garda hitch.

[Mrprez]

Originally Posted by MacEntyre

The only things I have ever lost are tree huggers, when they were not tied to the hammock!

I stuff my hammock separate from the tarp and the huggers. If things are wet, I don't want to put a wet tree hugger in the bag with your dry hammock. So, before I leave a site, I double check to see if I've left one of my huggers.

I use the stock HH suspension line with rings, and I've yet to see the line get flattened. When I suspend the hammock, I haul it up until the ridgeline lifts the bugnet and starts to tighten up. You want it there, not too much tighter.

If you do that, you will be able to pull slack in the hammock to take the load off the rings, and untie the garda hitch.

That's the only time I take mine off as well, when they are wet or dirty. I can't tell you how many times I started to walk off with the huggers still hanging on a tree. Now, when I started to walk off, I stop and turn around and scan my whole campsite to make sure I didn't leave anything behind.

[bonsaihiker]

Thanks for the replies.

I do plan on leaving the rope in the rings so everything is one piece--that's one of the reasons I liked this system so much. I'd even thought of taking a ziplock or small stuff sack to put wet or dirty straps into, so I wouldn't have to remove them.

My problem was how to loosen the ring buckles, either for take down (still thinking I'd need to do this to be able to unhook the biner, but maybe not), or for adjustment one way or the other (moving the hammock more toward the foot end or head end), for changing direction of wind-driven rain for instance. I'd rather not be struggling with the rings while everything is getting soaked.

I did try to lighten up on the tension when I set up this time, but the bug net and ridge line hung much lower--not sure yet if that was all bad; I may have laid a bit flatter that way. One thing I didn't like was that I dropped down much more than usual, and with the strong, cold wind we had that night I wanted to be more up into the tarp.

I also thought about trading out the suspension rope, but I'm not sure what I should switch to. I'm 6'4" and 250#, so whatever it is, it should be pretty strong...

Thanks again for the help!

[Javaman]

I am a big fan of Garda Hitch with rings. Use it exclusively with three (3) HH models. I sing its praises whenever I can.

I echo MacEntyre on how to take it down or adjust, and I pull my hammock as tight as it can get between the trees. I just had ZQ remove the velcro and sew up the bottom slit to make my hammock softer feeling under my legs. I have her Mod #2 so now I only top-load.

This is how I use the Garda Hitch:

1. Estimate distance between trees and get both ends of the stock suspension rope Garda Hitched into the ring buckles. Use a bight (sp) in the line for easier release later. FYI, I use SMC descending rings. Bought them online from someplace in Seattle. I have girth hitched two rings to the end of each tree-hugger, which I wrap around the tree and clip through a lightweight 'biner. Each tree has a tree-hugger, lightweight 'biner and two SMC descending rings.

2. Start tightening the hammock from one end, then walk across to the other end. Make sure its pretty centered, then tighten up, back and forth until you like the spacing between the trees. I make sure to fuss around as much as possible to satisfy my inner OCD gremlins!

3. Sit in the hammock as a lounger/chair to stretch the suspension some. Maybe 1 minute of sitting.

4. Tighten lines again.

5. If happy with suspension, confirm tightness, finish with a half-hitch and continue on to tarp and load gear. Sweet dreams! If not happy, adjust using this method . . .

6. To loosen the Garda Hitch, I pull the hammock with my right hand towards the tree. I grasp the hammock on the material between the zip-tie and where the rope goes into the end material. It's basically the material that covers the end whipping. This gives me enough "purchase" on the horizontal hammock suspension to create some slack in the suspension and takes some tension off the Garda Hitch. I can then grasp the end of the bight line with my left hand and more easily pull the bight through the rings and loosen the Garda Hitch. This is very difficult to do without taking tension off the rings. I don't always get the entire bight out through the rings with the pull, but by then I have so much slack that I can open the rings with my fingers and remove the rope.

7. Voila, Garda Hitch undone!

Good luck and welcome to HF!

[bonsaihiker]

Thanks for the welcome, everyone. Kinda weird, though--I've been reading this forum for almost a year and I feel like I know you all pretty well already!

Anyway, thanks, Javaman, for that description. Makes a lot of sense. I think, though, for your technique to work for me I'd need to move the rings onto the hammock suspension rope, instead of the treehuggers they are currently mounted on, but maybe I wouldn't need to do that--I have a pretty long reach. I went that way mainly to have as much adjustability as possible. I also tried to pull a bight through the rings, but the line twisted as I pulled and the kinks that formed would not go through the rings no matter what I did.

I'll have to hang it again and try it out. Won't get to do that again until Saturday, though.

[MacEntyre]

Originally Posted by Javaman

I pull my hammock as tight as it can get between the trees.

There's been a lot written on HF about that. With a structural ridgeline, the hammock is going to be no flatter for making the ridgeline tighter. It just makes the ridgeline, you know, tighter.

I do the opposite, hanging the hammock loose and low initially. I raise the hammock by tightening the suspension through the rings, until the ridgeline just becomes tight. Then I adjust the height of each end of the hammock (I like it slightly head-end low) by moving the huggers up or down on the trees.

I find that when I suspend the hammock this way, it tends to stay where I put it, so there is no need to sit in it, then adjust again.