Drip Rings and Marlinspike Hitch

I've seen talk about drip rings and talk about marlinspikes, but I've never noticed anyone else saying that they use these two suspension innovations together. I've been doing just that for the past few months, and it's great. I'm using drip rings with Amsteel 7/64. The rings stay on while the hammocks are packed, so the loop of Amsteel that grabs the webbing hitch is ready to go when I pull the hammock out of the bag. I set a marlinspike in the webbing and hang the hammock as easily as hanging a coat on a peg. It's easy to adjust and is very lightweight. Anyone else tried this?

I suspect hangnout may have by now. He posted about using a drip ring and has recently been working with whoopie slings or UCRs. I think most of us playing with those are also using a marlinspike or toggle approach.

I do the 'coat on a peg' thing but find that my toggle implicitly acts like a drip ring. I still use a drip loop toward the tree side of the hammock toggle, though.

Yeah, I can see how the slinging and constricting people enjoy the same convenience I get from the drip ring suspension.

We've learned something recently about the Marlin Spike Hitch in the webbing.

Now normally we have always just hooked the suspension loop over the top of the Marlin Spike and toogle so that the suspension line and webbing form a straight line with the hitch and toogle on top. If you look closely at this picture by Frawg, you can see how the toogle is on top of the line formed by the webbing and the suspension. Also, in Grizz's video, I believe he does it this way.

It just seemed natural to do it this way.

Well recently TeeDee got an idea ( Look Out :lol: ) and we've started doing the reverse, i.e., we hook the suspension loop underneath the hitch and toogle. This pushes the hitch and the toogle underneath the webbing and the suspension line and forms a drip spout for the water to run down and drip off.

With the UCR or whoopie sling suspension it's just another drip line besides the ones provided by those methods.

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Originally Posted by TiredFeet

...If you look closely at this picture by Frawg, you can see how the toogle is on top of the line formed by the webbing and the suspension....we've started doing the reverse, i.e., we hook the suspension loop underneath the hitch and toogle.

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I must be daft today... I've read that at least 5 times, but can't envision what you are saying. :confused:

The first photo shows the intuitive way. The second shows TeeDee's better way.

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Originally Posted by angrysparrow

I must be daft today... I've read that at least 5 times, but can't envision what you are saying. :confused:

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Might be easier to visualize from the toggle's perspective. I push the toggle upward through the eye from beneath. TF & TeeDee are pushing the toggle/marlinspike downward through the eye from above.

It's a great idea, I think. The solid toggle under the eye becomes a drip point. With the toggle above, the eye/line becomes the drip point, with the possibility of capillary action slowly vectoring water down toward the hammock.

It's raining here, so I'll go set one of my toggles TF's way and undo my drip lines to see what happens.

Edit: Ya beat me to it, vitamaltz! :) I shouldn't take so long to write... :laugh:

Update: I still see the possibility of capillary induced vectoring of water toward the hammock. More significant for me, though, is that I would have to attach the ridge line first, then the hammock. The 'intuitive' way lets me layer things in the order in which I use them -- hammock first, then ridge line, then bug net. YMMV

'nuther update: with the UCR, the running end of the static section exits the bury before the toggle, redirecting water toward the ground before it even gets to the toggle. No problem. :jj:

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Originally Posted by vitamaltz

The first photo shows the intuitive way. The second shows TeeDee's better way.

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Thank You. I just changed how I hook my loop to my hitch.

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Originally Posted by vitamaltz

The first photo shows the intuitive way. The second shows TeeDee's better way.

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That's it. A picture is worth so much more :D

It seems like such a small change, but it makes a difference !