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question about tree size
ok from what I have read the best size tree to strap a hammock to is one
4-6" diameter. I realize you can use larger trees but is there a limit? I am thinking about the Smokies in particular where some trees are 24"+ diameter how would you go about strapping to them esp if you're not planning on one that big. How much strapping do you have on each end of your hammock? Do you carry extra just in case?
Has anyone on here hammocked in the Smokies before?
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I made a set of my own straps and they are pretty long just for that reason and so I can hang from trees farther apart if necessary. Can't remember the length right off hand (2ft or better) but I use those all the time instead of my Hennessey straps.
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Even hiking in the Red Woods I could find trees that were small enough. A lot were barely small enough.
EDIT: I was using tree huggers at the time.
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I am with Jazilla on this. I like my straps extra long. This helps with wide trees or trees that are a little farther apart than you like.
When I used the 4 wrap knot I liked 20 feet on each side of the hammock. Now that I am using decending rings I use 15 ft. I think mine are longer than most people. With the 4 wrap knot and those lengths, I could only get around the trees in my backyard 3 times. I figured if it took that in my backyard, then I did not want to go any shorter in the field.
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I also use 15' straps on my hammock although I don't tree huggers anymore. When I did use tree huggers I made a set that were a lot longer than the stock TH that came with my Hennessy.
I have never been in a situation where the 15' straps were not enough. It allows me to hang from trees that are further apart or larger trees. I need at least 15' between trees if I am using my sil hex tarp with the 12' ridgeline.
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The trees in my yard are too big for regular Hennessy straps, so I ordered the next larger size. They're still too small, but now I can combine small and large until I get a fit.
I usually take one of the large straps with me on a trip just in case. I've found I only ever need one. I can usually find at least one smaller tree.
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so basically no one has had a situtation where a tree was to big around to use. I guess if the trees are to big around you just find 2 trees closer together to offset the diameter of the tree.
maybe I am over thinking this, then again I have never paid any attention to the size of a tree when I am camping
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I think most places on the eastern part of the US have been logged at some point in the last 100 years or so, and most people here are on the east coast (or east of the Miss.).
I lot of the parks that I go to are not old growth forests. Might be a different story in some places out west.
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I have never actually hammocked on the east coast yet. I never found it to be a pressing issue hiking around Tahoe and norther California. There were always some way to get it to work. But again, that was with tree huggers. I didn't worry so much that the ends of the tree huggers were still far apart.
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Or if you find a tree too big, climb it and hang there. I saw that a couple of times on White Blaze. Some extreme hammockers