View Full Version : Question about nylon straps
I recently replaced my straps with one inch strapping from a local outdoor store. I assumed it would be strong enough but after all this talk about straps breaking etc. I decided to call them and check. They informed me that the straps were "not strength rated" which made me a bit uneasy.
Yesterday I called a local EMS (Eastern Mountain Sports) store which carries a 1" strap rated at over 4000 lbs. but it is made out of nylon. My understanding is that nylon stretches more than polyester. My question is....how much stretch can I expect and does it stretch only once. I don't want to deal with stretch each time I hang the hammock.
I plan on heading over to EMS later today so a quick response would be appreciated.
Thanks, Miguel
angrysparrow
06-03-2007, 08:59
My question is....how much stretch can I expect and does it stretch only once. I don't want to deal with stretch each time I hang the hammock.
The amount of stretch you get is dependent on your weight and the length of the hang. Minimally, I think you'll get several inches worth of 'sag'.
As far as stretching more than once, yes I'm afraid that it will take some time to fully stretch webbing. I'm not sure that it would keep sagging over time(I think it should be able to be fully stretched and no longer be a problem, like a nylon hammock body, but I'm not certain) because I've never used nylon webbing under weight for an extended period.
My advice: see if EMS doesn't have some polyester webbing. Short of that, Strapworks (http://www.strapworks.com/Polyester_Webbing_p/pew1.htm) seems to be a good vendor.
blackbishop351
06-03-2007, 10:38
Get some polyester or polypropylene webbing. Nylon doesn't stop stretching for a long, long time - it keeps returning close to its original length, kinda like a rubber band.
Dingus Khan
06-03-2007, 10:56
ditto on the previous thoughts - save yourself the hassle and buy from strapworks, i have been using the ring buckle system with 12 ft of 1 inch strap on either side and have yet to have ANY stretch, probs or need for further adjustments.
thanks to all the diyer, testers and posters. i'll never tie another henn. knot!!
peace
FanaticFringer
06-03-2007, 10:59
Speer poly webbing works great for me.
Thanks for the advice...I'll be ordering from strapworks. I like hassle free hanging.
Miguel
PS....How long are most people using? I've been thinking 12' (each end) but have been considerering 15'. In reality I've been using 10' without any problems but don't want to be caught short. This is with the ring system.
Miguel
angrysparrow
06-03-2007, 11:57
PS....How long are most people using? I've been thinking 12' (each end) but have been considerering 15'. In reality I've been using 10' without any problems but don't want to be caught short. This is with the ring system.
10' to 12' seems to be typical. I chose 15' just to facilitate longer possible hangs.
GrizzlyAdams
06-03-2007, 16:07
PS....How long are most people using? I've been thinking 12' (each end) but have been considerering 15'. In reality I've been using 10' without any problems but don't want to be caught short. This is with the ring system.
Miguel
I bought 12' to go with an HH Desert Rat that I modified with rings that are tied to cord which replaces the stock rope, and the cord is tied onto the hammock body in the same way that HH does. I have also a HH Explorer Ultralight, whose ropes I left. I can tie those rings anywhere on the rope length I like, using knots that loosen after use. At the moment I'm using those 12' straps on the Explorer, but they are way more than is needed if I move the rings down the rope. I'm thinking about cutting the straps in half....but haven't yet. I want to be sure I can keep moving those rings whenever I want, before slicing the webbing.
Grizz the cautious
angrysparrow
06-03-2007, 16:16
I'm thinking about cutting the straps in half....but haven't yet. I want to be sure I can keep moving those rings whenever I want, before slicing the webbing.
Grizz the cautious
As relatively cheap as webbing is, I wouldn't be overly concerned about it. :rolleyes:
GrizzlyAdams
06-03-2007, 16:46
As relatively cheap as webbing is, I wouldn't be overly concerned about it. :rolleyes:
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery/files/4/2/3/alfred_e_neuman-small.jpg
I'll be backpacking with the Explorer for a week later this month. I think I'll wait until after getting back to civilization before tinkering with it.
Grizz
PS....How long are most people using? I've been thinking 12' (each end) but have been considerering 15'. In reality I've been using 10' without any problems but don't want to be caught short. This is with the ring system.
Miguel
I use 14' due to large trees and/or long spans
I bought 12' to go with an HH Desert Rat that I modified with rings that are tied to cord which replaces the stock rope, and the cord is tied onto the hammock body in the same way that HH does. I have also a HH Explorer Ultralight, whose ropes I left. I can tie those rings anywhere on the rope length I like, using knots that loosen after use. At the moment I'm using those 12' straps on the Explorer, but they are way more than is needed if I move the rings down the rope. I'm thinking about cutting the straps in half....but haven't yet. I want to be sure I can keep moving those rings whenever I want, before slicing the webbing.
Grizz the cautious
Are there any pictures floating around Cyberland of your settup? I'm not sure what you mean by moving the rings up and down the line.
Miguel
Nylon does streeeeeeetch. I bought some from REI awhile ago, hooked them up to my byer, pulled them tight. When I sat down I went from about 3 1/2 feet above the ground to a quick butt slam into the lawn. Then the hammock sans me returned back up to where it started. Oh yeah it took a few layers of skin off my back.
Now if you want to make a really long range slingshot.....:eek:
GrizzlyAdams
06-03-2007, 23:00
Are there any pictures floating around Cyberland of your settup? I'm not sure what you mean by moving the rings up and down the line.
Miguel
I did some searching on this forum and found a picture by gstepclassical that serves the purpose well :
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery/showimage.php?i=802&c=4
Imagine the long length of spectra that comes attached to the end of your hammock. You can slide the rings over the rope and position them 2', 4', 6'---whatever---from the hammock body, and then afix them there using (as shown here) an anchor knot with a couple of half-hitches. In the picture the rings are at the end of the rope. If you positioned them close to the hammock body you'd have lots of left-over rope hanging out of the last half hitch.
By way of explanation, or clarification of intent. Lots of folks here say they like the rings because of how quickly they can then string the hammock. I find that with pottering about stretching out the HH side pull-outs, attaching and tuning the underquilt, putting up the tarp, fixing guy-lines, etc., the difference between hanging the hammock with rings or with knots and tree huggers is small relative to the rest of it. What sells me on the rings is how much easier it is then to tighten things up. Against this backdrop, additional time I spend positioning and tying the rings (at most once per campsite) is small, in the larger scheme of things.
Truth is, when I'm putting up camp I'm not in much of a hurry, unless it is raining.
Grizz
I'm not sure about the length of my poly straps (but it's a metric length).
I'm currently hanging them from my first floor* window with some bricks to stretch them a bit.
I haven't found them too short yet but the cord attaching the rings to the hammock is quite long and I was thinking if I had some spare with me I could always add some more length there if needed.
Drop
*ground floor, first floor, second floor etc. right? I can never remember how that goes in different countries.
I did some searching on this forum and found a picture by gstepclassical that serves the purpose well :
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery/showimage.php?i=802&c=4
Imagine the long length of spectra that comes attached to the end of your hammock. You can slide the rings over the rope and position them 2', 4', 6'---whatever---from the hammock body, and then afix them there using (as shown here) an anchor knot with a couple of half-hitches. In the picture the rings are at the end of the rope. If you positioned them close to the hammock body you'd have lots of left-over rope hanging out of the last half hitch.
By way of explanation, or clarification of intent. Lots of folks here say they like the rings because of how quickly they can then string the hammock. I find that with pottering about stretching out the HH side pull-outs, attaching and tuning the underquilt, putting up the tarp, fixing guy-lines, etc., the difference between hanging the hammock with rings or with knots and tree huggers is small relative to the rest of it. What sells me on the rings is how much easier it is then to tighten things up. Against this backdrop, additional time I spend positioning and tying the rings (at most once per campsite) is small, in the larger scheme of things.
Truth is, when I'm putting up camp I'm not in much of a hurry, unless it is raining.
Grizz
Interesting!!! You have me reconsidering my setup. :) I don't have any spectra attached to my hammock. Why couldn't I tie off a piece of strong cord simiar to the one in the pic by using a bowline loop at the hammock and then the anchor knot to attach the rings. I like the idea of using only one cord from the hammock to the rings, plus as you said, you can then adjust it. I just posted another thread titled "best knot" but after rereading this I may reconsider. Any thoughts???
Miguel
gstepclassical
06-04-2007, 21:33
By way of explanation, or clarification of intent. Lots of folks here say they like the rings because of how quickly they can then string the hammock. I find that with pottering about stretching out the HH side pull-outs, attaching and tuning the underquilt, putting up the tarp, fixing guy-lines, etc., the difference between hanging the hammock with rings or with knots and tree huggers is small relative to the rest of it. What sells me on the rings is how much easier it is then to tighten things up. Against this backdrop, additional time I spend positioning and tying the rings (at most once per campsite) is small, in the larger scheme of things.
Truth is, when I'm putting up camp I'm not in much of a hurry, unless it is raining.
Grizz
I would add that it makes centering the hammock much easier and faster.
FanaticFringer
06-04-2007, 21:41
I would add that it makes centering the hammock much easier and faster.
Not to mention more options such as long tree spacing and wide trees.
GrizzlyAdams
06-04-2007, 22:53
Interesting!!! You have me reconsidering my setup. :) I don't have any spectra attached to my hammock. Why couldn't I tie off a piece of strong cord simiar to the one in the pic by using a bowline loop at the hammock and then the anchor knot to attach the rings. I like the idea of using only one cord from the hammock to the rings, plus as you said, you can then adjust it. I just posted another thread titled "best knot" but after rereading this I may reconsider. Any thoughts???
Miguel
One cord from hammock to rings is certainly the cleanest solution. And (depending on the cord used), strongest, because any time you have a knot in a line you lose some strength.
The bowline is not what you want to use on the hammock end though. If the connection between hammock and rope is purely tension, you want a knot whose loop tightens with tension. A bowline does not.
I could speculate what knot to use, but my money says there's folks on the forum who are doing this already. Probably there are pictures up already. Go with the voice of experience on this one.
Grizz
One cord from hammock to rings is certainly the cleanest solution. And (depending on the cord used), strongest, because any time you have a knot in a line you lose some strength.
The bowline is not what you want to use on the hammock end though. If the connection between hammock and rope is purely tension, you want a knot whose loop tightens with tension. A bowline does not.
I could speculate what knot to use, but my money says there's folks on the forum who are doing this already. Probably there are pictures up already. Go with the voice of experience on this one.
Grizz
Grizz
Tom Claytor specifically suggests using a Bowline when using his straps. I've been using that knot without the ring system for quite a while and there has been zero slippage. I have been experimenting with the Anchor knot for attaching the rings but I'm open for other suggestions.
Miguel
GrizzlyAdams
06-05-2007, 12:01
Grizz
Tom Claytor specifically suggests using a Bowline when using his straps. I've been using that knot without the ring system for quite a while and there has been zero slippage. I have been experimenting with the Anchor knot for attaching the rings but I'm open for other suggestions.
Miguel
Are we talking about where the rope ties to the hammock body, e.g. behind the wrapping?
I can imagine that might work if there is something on the hammock body between the bowline loop and the end of the hammock body, creating a jam. I never learned how to tie a bowline loop "tight" as I'd want if that was the only thing keeping the rope attached to the hammock body.
But hey, if Claytor is doing it, then it can be done. Voice of experience, etc.
Grizz
blackbishop351
06-05-2007, 13:41
Are we talking about where the rope ties to the hammock body, e.g. behind the wrapping?
I can imagine that might work if there is something on the hammock body between the bowline loop and the end of the hammock body, creating a jam. I never learned how to tie a bowline loop "tight" as I'd want if that was the only thing keeping the rope attached to the hammock body.
But hey, if Claytor is doing it, then it can be done. Voice of experience, etc.
Grizz
I suppose one could use a bowline to make a bight, then use the (kind of standard) larkshead to wrap the hammock.
Are we talking about where the rope ties to the hammock body, e.g. behind the wrapping?
I can imagine that might work if there is something on the hammock body between the bowline loop and the end of the hammock body, creating a jam. I never learned how to tie a bowline loop "tight" as I'd want if that was the only thing keeping the rope attached to the hammock body.
But hey, if Claytor is doing it, then it can be done. Voice of experience, etc.
Grizz
I'm talking about a commercial hammock with with a tube sewn into the ends. You just thread the rope through the tube, cinch it up a bit and tie your bowline. The hammock suspends from the loop formed by the bowline. Somewhere up past the bowline knot you attach the rings possibly using an anchor hitch. Doesn't that seem reasonable? If you have a better solution or knot....I'm all ears. I'm certainly not a knot expert....that's why I'm asking for advice. I do like the idea of using one piece of rope to connect from the hammock to the rings.
Thanks, Miguel
GrizzlyAdams
06-05-2007, 14:47
I'm talking about a commercial hammock with with a tube sewn into the ends. You just thread the rope through the tube, cinch it up a bit and tie your bowline. The hammock suspends from the loop formed by the bowline. Somewhere up past the bowline knot you attach the rings possibly using an anchor hitch. Doesn't that seem reasonable? If you have a better solution or knot....I'm all ears. I'm certainly not a knot expert....that's why I'm asking for advice. I do like the idea of using one piece of rope to connect from the hammock to the rings.
Thanks, Miguel
understanding dawns. Perfect use for a bowline. Sleep easy.
Grizz