Marlinspike Hitch Warning.

I had a rather enlightening moment this weekend when out camping. I used a marlinspike hitch and a tent peg to hang my daughters hammock. It's one of the Parrot Bay hammocks. I left the little S hook on the loop, and ran it over the marlinspike hitch. The tent peg was a el cheapo spike style as you can see in the picture. I am just explaining this so that you can understand what you are seeing in the picture.

Here's the warning. Be careful when using this as a suspension as you could easily lose an eye. I was wandering around the campsite, and while I didn't lose or poke anything, came dangerously close one time to finding my eyeball impaled on the end of this spike. It was one of those "Holy Cow" moments when I realized I had just missed disaster. If you are going to use a stick or tent peg, or any kind of spike to hold your marlinspike hitch, be very careful. Would hate to see someone or someone's child lose an eye.

I always just pick-up a stick off the ground.

Not as pointy, but could still do some damage if you're not paying attention.

Thanks for the warning. I hadn't really thought about this.

Thanks for the warning! Part of the fun of this game is learning by mistake. But this is not one I want in my experience pile.

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Originally Posted by amac

Thanks for the warning! Part of the fun of this game is learning by mistake. But this is not one I want in my experience pile.

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yeah, it's all fun and games until someone looses an eye:scared::lol:

Replace you tent stake with a normal cheapo carabiner. Just use the non-opening side as your hitch point, where you would normally place your tent stake. Its all shear strength, and aluminum is tough. Then you got an extra spot to hang gear bags and stuff. I haven't poked my eye out yet on a carabiner.

brilliant gargoyle.

Use a bowline and ditch the spike,stick

Gargoyle,
Based on our other thread about that, I was going to try that, but when it came time to set up, the small fly's were just pestering us, and my daughter had the stakes in hand so we went with it. Next time I do plan to use that.

Markodavid, I was using a marlinspike hitch on the straps, and the rope on the hammock already had a loop in it. The marlinspike hitch needs a small block of something to hold it as a stopper.

I just want people to be aware if they use something with a point for the stopper, and it's about eyeball height for anyone, a night time run around the hammocks could turn into a real eye opener. Sorry about that.

A safer suspension option would be to use a beckett hitch or a J-bend hitch. Shug has a video on that. This would save on weight and no chance to lose an eye on the marlin spike. and no biner required. Biners? We don't need non steeeenkin Biners!

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Thanks to shug for his great instructional videos and product reviews. And the man is just very entertaining to watch.