View Full Version : RE Tree Huggers
EL MONSTRO
11-08-2007, 19:02
I noticed this year thru hiking with a Hennessy Hammock that the tree huggers lasted about 45 nights before wearing thru. I milked one a little too long, and luckily it broke before I was completely in it. I then went to not using them and found this to be better in the end as it saved me some unneeded weight. Anyone out there take any bad spills when the tree huggers give up the ghost?
slowhike
11-08-2007, 19:26
congratulations on your thru EL MONSTRO! was it the AT or another?
i've herd others talking about some of the HH tree huggers wearing out way sooner than they should. there's another thread here somewhere talking about it.
but i wouldn't be in the habit of using rope instead of some type of webbing on the trees. it may not hurt some trees & it may not have any long term affect on most others, but i know it can do a number on some tree barks.
if we don't encourage hammockers to use webbing on the trees, i believe it will work against us in the long run.
use webbing despite the weight. its important for the future of hammock hanging imo.
if the webbing is wearing through at the attachment of the rope then maybe we should be requesting that they have D-rings in the ends or other changes to the suspension layout to minimize wear on them
I like a permanent rope attachment to the webbing, then I can make the adjustments at the hammock end using something more interesting... whether it be knots, or rings, or hooks...
nickelanddime
11-09-2007, 10:57
congratulations on the thru. I don't have tree huggers and have only ever glanced at my buddy's set a couple times and I had read a little of another thread talking about them wearing out, what I was wondering (if the failure was at the loop)is do you have the rope tied off to the loop or going through the loop? I've always had mine tied off with a quick release knot at the loop in my original webbing set and it's got about 100 hangs on it now with no sign of wear just looks like it needs ironed flat again... a pic of the webbing set I just made to fix this is in my gallery and I believe on a thread about taughtline hitch vs. nietize
JoeHiker
11-09-2007, 17:16
What is with these Tree Huggers. The ones I bought 3 years ago are just as strong as the first time I used them. Are they making them out of some cheaper material now?
slowhike
11-09-2007, 21:36
What is with these Tree Huggers. The ones I bought 3 years ago are just as strong as the first time I used them. Are they making them out of some cheaper material now?
made over seas... they probably get there stuff (& there labor) from different places at different times.
some are probably fine, some probably are not<g>.
warbonnetguy
11-10-2007, 18:18
i suspect it's a combo of a covered line (line with poly sheath, which causes alot more friction than uncovered spectra or vectran)) and a knot that slips a little when weighted before tightening down all the way. a high friction line sliding through the loops a bit when weighted (even if only an inch or less) has a lot of cutting power.
daibutsu
11-10-2007, 19:22
I have experienced excellent customer service from Hennessy Hammocks and will even go stealth camping tomorrow night enjoying a comfy sleep within one of their (hopefully American or Canadian manufactured ) hammocks. It does appear, lately, that their hammocks and tree huggers might be made in China. Maybe this is why the quality is somewhat deteriorating.
Nudgeworth
11-10-2007, 22:13
Hennessy has a factory set up in a small rural town here in the South Island of New Zealand. He spends the northern Winter here.
warbonnetguy
11-11-2007, 12:41
Hennessy has a factory set up in a small rural town here in the South Island of New Zealand. He spends the northern Winter here.
you live on the south island, do you ever go to castle hill?
daibutsu
11-12-2007, 08:57
The little tag that came with my HH and the screen printed advertisment "stuff" bag both say "Made in China," Maybe China, New Zealand ?
HappyCamper
11-27-2007, 08:54
FYI. My HH huggers started to fray after not much use. I sent Hennessy an email yesterday asking for new huggers and they are sending replacements, no questions asked. Response was within a few hours. The great customer service is much appreciated. I'm hoping the new huggers will be made of something stronger.
Nudgeworth
11-29-2007, 05:43
you live on the south island, do you ever go to castle hill?
Nah, I've been past that area mutiple times, but never seen it in person.
I've heard it's stunning.
I think that there's a music festival there sometimes
Have you been there?
warbonnetguy
11-29-2007, 20:53
no, but its one of the most famous bouldering/climbing areas in the world. i've drooled over many pictures of the place. i think it costs about 2000usd to fly to nz, i checked.
HH sent me a new set of tree huggers unsolicited. One day I had an email from Tom's son? brother? (same last name) saying they had been having "wear" issues and were sending me a new set. New material looks shinier, feels tougher, wearing fine so far. I am using SMC rings with garda hitch and running the strap through a 'biner for easy set up so not much rope wear on the hugger in the first place.
I haven't had any problems with my newly purchased HH's huggers. I did immediately switch to using the default lash on a carabiner and attaching the webbing to the carabiner. Using the default lash on the webbing loops bunched them together and to my eyes generated an alarming level of wear and deformation.
I recently purchased some 1" wide polyethylene webbing from strap works, and on a whim I also ordered some of the 1.5" wide polyethylene seat belt webbing (maybe to be more tree friendly). Upon receiving it, I was suprised to find that the seat belt webbing was noticeably lighter than the 1" webbing (both are 20' length). Anyway after reading the posts here, I'm wondering if maybe the seatbelt weave lacks durability like the HH huggers? Otherwise the wider and lighter seems like a better choice (I couldn't find 1" wide seat belt weave).
warbonnetguy
12-08-2007, 12:49
never heard of polyethelyne webbing, but car seatbelt webbing is heavy and usually made of polyester, most folks use polyester webbing that is alot lighter than polyester seatbelt(which should be plenty durable), common choices are the 1" 3500# polyester from www.strapworks.com or the 1" 2000# polyester from www.owfinc.com, which is lighter, but still plenty strong.
oops, you're correct warbonnetguy - I meant polyester not polyethylene, sorry. I was comparing:
Polyester Seat Belt Webbing 1-1/2", 0.42 $/ft
Polyester Webbing 1", 0.38 $/ft
The seat belt webbing is significantly lighter than the 1" webbing, because its thinner I guess.
Strapman
12-12-2007, 13:40
We at Strapworks (http://www.strapworks.com/Strapworks_Simple_Sling_p/hss1p.htm) have added a new design to our straps to make it easier for you to order these hammock supports. I call it the Strapworks Simple Sling (http://www.strapworks.com/Strapworks_Simple_Sling_p/hss1p.htm). I would have called it a Hammock Strap, but I have had several different variations of this strap. I did price it specifically to match the posted pricing in this forum.
Funny thing: while I was filling out the appropriate paperwork to add this to the site, I got three calls from members of this forum.
Cannibal
12-12-2007, 13:45
Nice! I like all the configurations you guys offer with the Simple Sling. Love it when manufacturers respond to their consumers!
gcalhoun
12-12-2007, 16:15
This is sweet! I think I was one of those guys on the phone with Dave trying to explain what I needed. The next thing I know, the Simple Sling is on their web site. How great is that?
Rosaleen
12-12-2007, 17:04
Hi, Guys-
I don't pop in very often, but am here now and spotted this thread. The single greatest factor in Treehugger strap wear-thru is the polyester sheath that protects the Spectra inside of the hanging ropes. Most people are not gentle when running the support ropes through the strap loops. Tom has described the quick tie up as "sawing through" the loops. One thing that helps is to support the hammock weight and gently thread the rope through the hanging loops, then tie off. Another method to protet the loops is using carabiners. Those add weight, so I haven't tried that route.
I came up with a simple fix that seems to help a great deal. If you have some scrap silnylon, simply sew a loop around the Treehugger loop, in effect, making a silnylon lining for each strap loop. I still try to be wary of sawing on the Treehuggers, but this helped my Treehuggers a lot.
I hope this helps some of you here.
Cheers!
Rosaleen
PS-Tom's son, James, is helping with the business. There are also some other support people working with the family, but they are not Hennessys.
I know NOTHING about caribiners...
Can you tell me which size/ones on the Strapworks.com website will work for hanging my HH so I don't have to use all of those lines?:confused:
Also, will the mini caribiners work for holding the Kickass quilt up around the two ends?
Strapman
03-25-2008, 18:19
I know NOTHING about caribiners...
Can you tell me which size/ones on the Strapworks.com website will work for hanging my HH so I don't have to use all of those lines?:confused:
Also, will the mini caribiners work for holding the Kickass quilt up around the two ends?
http://www.strapworks.com/Carabiners_s/29.htm here is a link to our carabiners. Any of these will work.
If anyone is concerned about the rocking motion of the hammock turning the straps into a "saw" of sorts, you might consider ordering some 2" tubular nylon webbing and feeding the simple sling through. This should remedy that issue.
I am not sure if I mentioned it, but I added the simple sling in seatbelt
polyester, which is lighter weight and about as strong. http://www.strapworks.com/Strapworks_Simple_Sling_p/hss1s.htm
I was laughing a bit today that I never made a connection to the term "Tree Hugger" and that it is appropriate that "Tree Huggers" should come from Eugene Oregon...
I'm not familiar with the "kickass quilt" but if there is any weight on it I wouldn't use the mini carabiners.
NCPatrick
03-26-2008, 08:48
http://www.strapworks.com/Carabiners_s/29.htm here is a link to our carabiners. Any of these will work.
Can you tell me how much each of these carabiners weighs? I don't see the weights listed on your site.
I've been using the Camp Nano 'biners (http://www.camp-usa.com/module/product/detail.asp?ID=127), which weigh approximately .9 oz. (according to the website) or the green Trek-light 'biners, which weigh in at about .7 oz. [seems their website is being remodeled].
Thanks.
Strapman
03-26-2008, 10:33
Can you tell me how much each of these carabiners weighs? I don't see the weights listed on your site.
I've been using the Camp Nano 'biners (http://www.camp-usa.com/module/product/detail.asp?ID=127), which weigh approximately .9 oz. (according to the website) or the green Trek-light 'biners, which weigh in at about .7 oz. [seems their website is being remodeled].
Thanks.
most of our carabiners weigh 2.1oz and are rated for about 5000#. the locking weighs 2.4oz.
NCPatrick
03-26-2008, 10:34
Ok. Thanks!
headchange4u
03-27-2008, 10:06
I've been using the Camp Nano 'biners (http://www.camp-usa.com/module/product/detail.asp?ID=127), which weigh approximately .9 oz. (according to the website) or the green Trek-light 'biners, which weigh in at about .7 oz. [seems their website is being remodeled].
Thanks.
I have been playing around with a new (to me) suspension system and I have been weighing components of the other suspension systems I have used like ring buckles, cinch, buckles, webbing, etc...
The Camp Nano Biners weigh 1.1 oz on my scale at home. I weighed both of them and they came in at the same weight. I know that .2oz isn't a big deal, but it's still not the advertised weight.;) :)
NCPatrick
03-27-2008, 10:12
I know that .2oz isn't a big deal, but it's still not the advertised weight.;) :)
Not a big deal? That's 5.66990463 grams!!! :D
Youngblood
03-27-2008, 10:17
I'm not sure how accurate all these scales are either. I have spring loaded scales for weighing your body weight that have digital readouts and ones that just have a dial. I also have one that uses a balance beam but you have to interpolate the reading. The fact that the digital readout has all those digits doesn't make those digits accurate, I trust the balance beam scales.
photomankc
03-27-2008, 10:45
I use a digital 5Lb postal scale for most of my weight measurements and it is accurate enough that it agrees within .1 once of what my reloading scale check-weights come out to. The digital bathroom scales have been worthless. Half the time they can't agree reading-to-reading on my weight.
headchange4u
03-27-2008, 10:58
I'm not sure how accurate all these scales are either. I have spring loaded scales for weighing your body weight that have digital readouts and ones that just have a dial. I also have one that uses a balance beam but you have to interpolate the reading. The fact that the digital readout has all those digits doesn't make those digits accurate, I trust the balance beam scales.
I think my scales are fairly accurate. They were advertised at .1oz accuracy when I bought them, and a nickel shows to weigh 5 grams. I would like to have a set of small weights used to calibrate scales and really check it out over a range of weights.
Why not a stack of nickels?
boarstone
04-12-2008, 11:03
Here's my 2 cents: I hammock when I hike and I have found that for a rugged and sturdy webbing, I looked at my horse training days and use a 25' lunge line cut and sewn for each end with enough to loop around an average tree, up to twice around if needed.
stoikurt
04-12-2008, 14:41
Welcome boarstone. So what type of material is lunge line made out of? And what is the width, weight, etc?
riverkeeper
04-19-2008, 03:03
I got loop fray so soon started with small wire Black Diamond biners sold by REI with the key chain types marked something like " Not load bearing". About 3 bucks each ... no probs ever.
NCPatrick
04-24-2008, 08:52
You pays your money, and you takes your chances. I'm going to stick with load bearing 'biners myself. I do use one of those Black Diamond biners for my adjustable ridgeline though.
boarstone
05-21-2008, 06:46
Welcome boarstone. So what type of material is lunge line made out of? And what is the width, weight, etc?
weight ?...made of poly/nylon?..a local feed store or farm store should have some, most dog leashes are made of same material, ....
We at Strapworks (http://www.strapworks.com/Strapworks_Simple_Sling_p/hss1p.htm) have added a new design to our straps to make it easier for you to order these hammock supports. I call it the Strapworks Simple Sling (http://www.strapworks.com/Strapworks_Simple_Sling_p/hss1p.htm). I would have called it a Hammock Strap, but I have had several different variations of this strap. I did price it specifically to match the posted pricing in this forum.
Funny thing: while I was filling out the appropriate paperwork to add this to the site, I got three calls from members of this forum.
You have an excellent site, and I have never had a problem ordering from you or with your products.
Another solution would be to buy about 6" of vinyl tubing at the hardware store and cut it in half. Thread it over the support rope at the point where the rope would contact the loops of webbing. Maybe even 2 bits of 2" would do since the webbing compacts where the rope is tied. Hardly any weight of tubing to consider.
warbonnetguy
12-04-2008, 00:16
i suspect it's the hh knot/lashing that allows lots of rope to slide through the strap as it tightens down once weighted. there are many better knots one could use that wouldn't do that.
slipped double sheetbend, slipped buntline, ect...
Hi everyone,
My HH treehuggers died within the first 12 months. I was going to let Tom Hennessy know about them, but I figured it was just me "sawing" through them with the spectra cord. In other words, it was "operator error".
Unlike most hikers, I wear a belt when I'm "out bush". I hang a military canteen off it as well as an "E&E kit" and a small pouch with a pocket knife and a very basic first aid kit. I was taught in the army that you should always have some basic gear "on the man" as they say in case you are separated from your pack.
My belt of choice is a Blackhawk brand rigger's belt.
http://www.allhandsfire.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/41CQ_1BIG_ri.jpg
It's sort of an emergency climbing/rappelling belt.
When I use my hammock, I often use my rigger's belt as a tree hugger. It is perfect for the job (so long as the tree isn't too wide).
For the other end, I made up a tree hugger out of 1 inch nylon webbing knotted with figure-8 loops in either end with a standard carabiner through the loops.
Probably a bit heavy a solution for the go-faster guys out there, but it works for me.
koaloha05
12-04-2008, 19:57
Hi everyone, ....Probably a bit heavy a solution for the go-faster guys out there, but it works for me.
Not a heavy solution if it's part of your basic essential kit, has mult-use and functional. One of the pair of trousers I use for hiking/camping requires a belt to keep them on. Another DIY project on the list. A belt that can function as a tree hugger.
Cannibal
12-04-2008, 20:16
Probably a bit heavy a solution for the go-faster guys out there, but it works for me.
That's a great idea and use of gear!
Strapman
12-05-2008, 10:31
If someone wants to come up with a design or two for a belt designed specifically for the needs of the hammock hiker, I would be happy to quote it out and maybe even add it to our site for ease of ordering. Just remember, the simpler the better.
-David
NCPatrick
12-05-2008, 10:51
If someone wants to come up with a design or two for a belt designed specifically for the needs of the hammock hiker, I would be happy to quote it out and maybe even add it to our site for ease of ordering. Just remember, the simpler the better.
-David
Great job Strapman! So nice having you on the site. :thumbup1:
If someone wants to come up with a design or two for a belt designed specifically for the needs of the hammock hiker, I would be happy to quote it out and maybe even add it to our site for ease of ordering. Just remember, the simpler the better.
-David
This is a terrific idea and I think it warrants a new thread. Then ideas for the belt could be collected, edited and revised until there is a joint agreement on design. So I am going to start the thread in the General Talk forum.
Here are some pics I just took of one end of my HH ULBA tied to a Blackhawk Rigger's Belt wrapped around a tree.
It's a pretty simple concept, but a picture is always worth a thousand words.
Cheers
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery/showimage.php?i=4511&c=3
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery/showimage.php?i=4510&c=3
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery/showimage.php?i=4509&c=3
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery/showimage.php?i=4514&c=3
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery/showimage.php?i=4513&c=3
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery/showimage.php?i=4512&c=3