View Full Version : Claytor No Net...First Time Out...
alex30808
04-13-2008, 14:50
Had a great trip...it rained on us Friday night and I was a little concerned with the review I had read earlier on the "Wicking" action of the Claytor straps...well...it held true...I was in my DIY under my JRB 11X10 while a buddy was in the Claytor under a 10X8 Blue woven Poly tarp...the tarp had enough coverage...but the straps wicked water and eventually got to the ends of the hammock. The hammock was wet down about 10 or so inches on each end...my buddy slept dry and did not ever know the hammock was getting wet until I showed him when we were packing up. I'll be changing the straps out and applying a ring buckle system to the claytor before it goes back out.
BillyBob58
04-13-2008, 20:34
Well, now I'm confused. You say there was enough coverage for the Claytor no net with a 10 foot rectangular tarp? Neo feels he does not have enough coverage with the 11 foot JRB.
How long was the DIY hammock you had under the JRB tarp?
Did his ( your ) Claytor have that skinny webbing that looks like it is maybe 1/4" nylon ? I wonder how strong that is? Any way, if it wicks like that it has to go.
I have used Claytors webbing and recommended knots with mine. A bowline to provide a loop. So the webbing goes around the tree and back thru the bowline loop, then tied truckers hitch style followed with a half hitch. It works great, but sometimes the webbing looks like it has been burned or melted after use. I wonder how long it will last? I could put a biner in there, but extra weight. Also, I have some extra 1" webbing with loops. I wonder if I could just run through that loop safely, or do I need a biner thru that loop, to avoid the "burn" marks? I don't care about those burn marks unless it weakens the webbing. OTOH, the biner might serve as a water blocker.
alex30808
04-13-2008, 21:15
I will be swapping the stock webbing out for a ring buckle system this comming week sometime...I'll post photos when I am finished. I have a good bit of sag in my hammocks...I have a structural ridgeline on my DIY and had one on the Claytor in order to have it hang the same as my DIY...the ridgeline is only 8' long...thus the ease of coverage from a 10' tarp.
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a319/alex30808/Hiking%20and%20Camping/DSC00528.jpg
Here you can see the Claytor set up and the black ridgeline...that's me sittin and eating...lol..
Here's a side view of the JRB with my DIY under..I had 12" or so of tarp coverage on each end...maybe a little more...
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a319/alex30808/Hiking%20and%20Camping/DSC00523.jpg
The biner will serve as a drip point...my ring buckles did the same for me on the DIY...
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a319/alex30808/Hiking%20and%20Camping/DSC00522.jpg
but the stock straps on the Claytor acted like a sponge...the ends of the hammock were wet a good 8" down...but because of the sag in the hammock my buddy stayed dry.
Maybe Neo, who is still using the stock Claytor straps which absorb water like a sponge without getting his hammock wet, is having to cover from tree-to-tree with enough left over to drape over the straps where they go around the trees? :)