What is Safe to Use as a Marlin Spike?

lazy river road and I were asking about marlin spike safety in a DIY marlin spike thread and we didn't want to hijack the thread. At lrr's suggestion, I'll repost our comments here (feel free to jump in here lrr):

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Originally Posted by lazy river road

Ok I get the marlin spike and what they are used for. But why carry them and not just use sticks off the ground. The marlin spike does not hold the woopie sling the knot does (as Shug points out in his video). So all you need is something to tie the knot around. Just curious? Mabey its easier to use aluminum tubeing instead of sticks and I just dont know it bc I havent yet tried woopie slings but just curious trying to figure out what im missing.

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Originally Posted by Meteor

I've been wondering this too.

Can the sling slip off the knot? Does this happen much? I would love to try the whoopie sling with marlin spike hitch, but I would be thinking about that sling popping over the knot and suddenly applying the weight of a fully loaded hammock on the spike itself.

It doesn't seem that many of the things discussed to use as a spike could handle that kind of a load, so maybe there's another reason folks use something other than sticks?

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It sounds like there have been many miles on the marlin spike knot, so I suspect there isn't much of a risk, but... anyone had issues?

Nope ... not a one ...

Just make sure the whoopie sling loop is securely over the knot and then "set" it by carefully sitting in the hammock. Once done there should be no problems but I did have it slip off once because it wasn't set securely over the knot. It slipped off when I first started to sit in the hammock.

I weigh around 250lbs. I use whoopie slings over a marlin spike hitch. Haven't fallen to the ground yet. I carry solid aluminum rod that I got from fastenal for 3 dollars for a 3ft stick, but I've used good, solid sticks from the ground.

Looks like this is already being discussed here:

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=14982

75 cent piece of tent pole repair tube. REI, any camping store or Walmart. About 3 inches is all you need but they sell them at REI in 4 inch sizes. Works great. Very light and since hollow you can easily rig a lightweight line through them to attach wherever you need it.

trailsticks, for me the point of this setup is NOT having to carry extra weight in toggles. Oh sure it may be negligible, but when you can make these kind of changes to 10-20 places in your gear, it pays. =P my .02

Did just get me a fancy pair of green aluminum stobs from Paul ... just because they were so dang cheap and I was placing an order anyway. Probably eventually lose them ... but they be mighty purty till then! ;)

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Originally Posted by Meteor

lazy river road and I were asking about marlin spike safety in a DIY marlin spike thread and we didn't want to hijack the thread. At lrr's suggestion, I'll repost our comments here (feel free to jump in here lrr):





It sounds like there have been many miles on the marlin spike knot, so I suspect there isn't much of a risk, but... anyone had issues?

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last time i saw a marlin spike was in boot camp in the us navy in the summer of 78:shades:neo

I went out a couple of days ago to test out some new gear (homemade whoopie slings and new speer 8 by 10 tarp :boggle:) and sort of had a marlin spike failure. We have a large amount of snow up here in Houghton MI (about 3-4 ft on the ground in the woods) and its kind of hard to get to the ground to find sticks to use as a toggle so I just snapped a couple of "green" twigs off of a small maple tree sapling. The twigs/sticks were about 3/8" in diameter. When I got every thing set up and laid down in the hammock, after about 5 minutes of relaxing I quickly found myself lying in the snow, thinking "hmm that was weird" :confused:. Upon inspection of the stick toggles one of them (one that failed) was squeezed so tight by the knot that it sheared it in half. :scared:

I am not saying that the marlin spike is not safe when using sticks, but you just need to be selective with your toggle sticks. If I were to have a couple of guidelines for toggles I would not choose any thing smaller in diameter than my thumb and choose only dry, not green, not rotting sticks. If you go by that and hook your whoopie sling on the "knot, not the toggle" as Shug says you should be fine. :D

The easiest thing I've found is a simple, small carabiner. They are solid aluminum, weight is minimal, and they can be found at almost every store. They don't need to be huge or "climber rated".
You can find them for a $1.00 or so, if you already don't own a few. And it gives you an optional place to hang some gear, just click your shoes or stuff sacks into the gate.
Any piece of pipe, tubing, a stick (about the thickness of your finger), a dowel, or arrow shaft will do.
Just make sure the whoopie is hanging on the strap, not the toggle itself.
I weigh 330 lbs., so they have pased the stress test.:scared:

I still like my slurpee straw toggles. I can play pipes of pan on them and do bird calls on them. Use them as a weird rescue whistle. Stick them in my nostrils to amuse myself and to breathe better. They are fun to look at. I like worrying that I may lose them. Keeps me vigilant. They pimp my suspension and I feel stylish and suave. I can blow through them to excite a fire. They work as earrings.
Shug

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Originally Posted by Shug

I still like my slurpee straw toggles. I can play pipes of pan on them and do bird calls on them. Use them as a weird rescue whistle. Stick them in my nostrils to amuse myself and to breathe better. They are fun to look at. I like worrying that I may lose them. Keeps me vigilant. They pimp my suspension and I feel stylish and suave. I can blow through them to excite a fire. They work as earrings.
Shug

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:woot: easy on the cold medications my friend :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

I went to goodwill and scored about 15 knitting needles of various sizes. I just cut one of them up and use it as toggles. They were cheap and are pretty cool looking also. Mine are mint green! They are basically just hollow aluminum tubes.

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Originally Posted by Shug

They are fun to look at.
Shug

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You're fun to look at..;):lol::lol:

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Originally Posted by gargoyle

The easiest thing I've found is a simple, small carabiner. They are solid aluminum, weight is minimal, and they can be found at almost every store. They don't need to be huge or "climber rated".
You can find them for a $1.00 or so, if you already don't own a few. And it gives you an optional place to hang some gear, just click your shoes or stuff sacks into the gate.
Any piece of pipe, tubing, a stick (about the thickness of your finger), a dowel, or arrow shaft will do.
Just make sure the whoopie is hanging on the strap, not the toggle itself.
I weigh 330 lbs., so they have pased the stress test.:scared:

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Great idea, I am gonna do that. Plagurism is the ultimate flattery.;)

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Originally Posted by Thunder

If I were to have a couple of guidelines for toggles I would not choose any thing smaller in diameter than my thumb and choose only dry, not green, not rotting sticks. If you go by that and hook your whoopie sling on the "knot, not the toggle" as Shug says you should be fine. :D

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This is great advice and pretty similar to my practice. I too have had trouble finding trail sticks this winter since we've been blanketed in snow since December. I've used extra stakes but as soon as the snow melts I'll be back to sticks. I usually snap my sticks to the appropriate size, and if they snap too easily or bend, I'm not going to use them.

BTW, I've always really wanted to check out Houghton. It looks beautiful and property seems to be selling for next to nothing.

Hum this makes me want to widdle some marlin spikes out of wood :)...great imput

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Originally Posted by lazy river road

Hum this makes me want to widdle some marlin spikes out of wood :)...great imput

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Actually the marlin spike is the knot .... the toggle, stick, stoub, biner, arrow-shaft, old tent pole, tent pole repair piece, knit needle et al holds the knot together.
Grizz uses some nice custom ones. Paul at Arrowhead sells 'em too.
If you whittle some post a picture. I got a toggle thing!!!!
Know-It-All Shug

"I've always really wanted to check out Houghton. It looks beautiful and property seems to be selling for next to nothing."

Yeah its a great place to get away...there is not much around for indoor activities though. It is very scenic at all times of the year and there is a TON of historic spots up here, which is pretty cool. The whole Keweenaw peninsula is interesting.

If I had the money I would also buy some property up here on lake superior for a summer cottage, or even in town. You can get some old mining homes for less than $40,000, but they need some work. ;)

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Originally Posted by Thunder

"I've always really wanted to check out Houghton. It looks beautiful and property seems to be selling for next to nothing."

Yeah its a great place to get away...there is not much around for indoor activities though. It is very scenic at all times of the year and there is a TON of historic spots up here, which is pretty cool. The whole Keweenaw peninsula is interesting.

If I had the money I would also buy some property up here on lake superior for a summer cottage, or even in town. You can get some old mining homes for less than $40,000, but they need some work. ;)

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Gotta love those "handy man specials."

i'v used an old arrow shaft already ...and sticks off the ground

Had an older WalMart hiking pole that wouldnt adjust any more...so out can the pipe cutter!