Suspension Ideas

I wanted to gather some group input on ideas of how to do up my suspension system.

Hammock : Claytor Jungle /w orignal webbing straps
Webbing : 50 feet green tubular webbing - 4400 lbs rated
Rings/Biner: 4 Climbing rating oval biners. 4 Non-Climbing rings
Ridgeline : 50 foot camo 550 cord, tightened by nite ize figure 9's
Tarp : Stock Claytor
Stakes : Gutter Nails

I want a very quick and easy way to adjust for length between the trees. I have already purchased all above equipment, discontinung use of non-climbing rated equip for load bearing. Should be able to span 15 foot+, my hammock need at least 15 feet for a good hang. I want something that take a lot of the knots out of the system so to speak. Thought about tying prussiks in the webbing every so often, and clipping into them...ideas?

Also I want to avoid cutting up my webbing to much. I would like to make just two lengths out of the tubular webbing-25 ft each, possibly replacing the stock claytor webbing.
Also should have a easy way to attach tarp if possible. Right now using stock claytor cord, with night ize on side tieouts.

Look forward to hearing everyones input/ideas. Thanks in advance.

If that tubular webbing is nylon, do yourself a favor and replace it with polypro or polyester webbing now. It'll stretch like no one's business, putting your butt right on the ground, literally. And you'l probaby need no more than 12 feet of webbing per side, so you can cut down on the amount of webbing you carry by half or so. Is your ridgeline structural? If it is, the 550 cord probably won't hold for too long, nor witll the figure 9. There have been several reports here of folks snapping 550 cord ridgelines. Not tryin to steal your joy, just sayin'........:D

Well yes it is nylon it looks just like this webbing.

I do want to say that I've been using stock claytor so far though, and surely this would not have more stretch than that? Claytor stock webbing is tubular nylon too.

I mainly wanted some input of ideas utilizing it. I've read all the posts about ring and cinch buckles.

The ridgeline is purely non-structual. I use it to hang my shoes and stuff on, and to keep the tarp slightly elevated above the bugnet, as well as to support the bug net from. In the past I just run the 550 cord from ring to ring.

If I were to replace the webbing I just bought which is best, the plain poly, seatbelt poly, or polypro webbing? Mainly in regards to abrasion resistance and water wicking.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Knowledgeengine

Well yes it is nylon it looks just like this webbing.

I do want to say that I've been using stock claytor so far though, and surely this would not have more stretch than that? Claytor stock webbing is tubular nylon too.

I mainly wanted some input of ideas utilizing it. I've read all the posts about ring and cinch buckles.

The ridgeline is purely non-structual. I use it to hang my shoes and stuff on, and to keep the tarp slightly elevated above the bugnet, as well as to support the bug net from. In the past I just run the 550 cord from ring to ring.

If I were to replace the webbing I just bought which is best, the plain poly, seatbelt poly, or polypro webbing? Mainly in regards to abrasion resistance and water wicking.

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That tubing is definitely nylon. Replace it now and forever hold your peace. Nylon webbing is made for climbers and is designed to strech by its very nature. If it were me, I'd go with polypro webbing from Ed Speer or polyester webbing from Strapworks. Personally, I use the Strapworks polyester.

I'd get the Strapworks seatbelt webbing. I bought some for Wentworth and shipped it to him in Australia. He paid me of course.:p Really good looking webbing.
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ght=strapworks

If you're really wanting to replace the webbing, like the others have said, I'd recommend the seatbelt polyester from Strapworks. I really like the simple slings they make from it now.

But, I would like to see you explore the prussik idea you mentioned in the first post. Any new suspension ideas are welcome.

Well the likelihood of my not doing anything at all with the webbing is slim to none. In my original post I indicated I had already purchased the tubular webbing (50 ft was $17.50). I don't know what I want to do with it for sure. Thread wasn't meant to go off into what to replace what I had just bought at the store with.

And to above posters. As I said I realize what I purchased it nylon. I also realized that at the time of purchase. My stock strap is nylon, and the stretch on it does not bother me, I hang it kinda high, and start out with it very tight. I think if/when I "upgrade" to a no stretch/low stretch polyester it might require I rethink my hanging a little bit.

I mainly was/am looking for any unique ideas on how I might combine the items in the original post together into a working suspension system. Items like cinch buckles or additional rings, biners are okay, but I want to stay with my webbing I just bought for now. At least till I hang using it once at least.

Well for the time being I have made a zip line inside my apartment out of the 50 foot tubular webbing. I'll post some pictures before I take it down later, but I need to clean up first.

I took the 50 foot and ran it between two structual columns and used a descending ring on the webbing to slide, and a baseball bat for the handle. It is a lot of fun, but it is too short of a zip line. Would be cool to have at a campsite, if I had a lightweight handle.

In all seriousness though, I have done this to help remove some of the initial stretch in the fabric. As everyone has pointed out the nylon stretches, after a few runs down the line it sags, and I tighten it back up.

Remember all this when you give up later and get polyester webbing so we don't have to say we told you so. :)

Hooch is correct when he says that climber's ropes need to have stretch in them and are designed to do so.
The stretch is a shock absorber.
If you fell while climbing and your rope didn't stretch it would snap when suddenly put under load.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Knowledgeengine

Well for the time being I have made a zip line inside my apartment out of the 50 foot tubular webbing. I'll post some pictures before I take it down later, but I need to clean up first.

I took the 50 foot and ran it between two structual columns and used a descending ring on the webbing to slide, and a baseball bat for the handle. It is a lot of fun, but it is too short of a zip line. Would be cool to have at a campsite, if I had a lightweight handle.

In all seriousness though, I have done this to help remove some of the initial stretch in the fabric. As everyone has pointed out the nylon stretches, after a few runs down the line it sags, and I tighten it back up.

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Nice idea, but it probably won't work. And this is why: nylon webbing has a low memory stretch. This means that after you stretch it, it doesn't stay there, but goes back to its original size. So once you stretch this webbing it'll do the same. I had the ENO SlapStraps that were made from nylon. And every time I used them, they stretched and strecthed, eventually winding up with my butt on the ground. I appreciate your ingenuity, but in all likelihood it's not going to work. Learn your lesson the hard way if you must, like I did. But don't say we didn't offer alternatives to you. In short, we told you so! :p:D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bugzee Malone

Hooch is correct when he says that climber's ropes need to have stretch in them and are designed to do so.
The stretch is a shock absorber.
If you fell while climbing and your rope didn't stretch it would snap when suddenly put under load.

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Or snap you if it held.

"Whether the stone hit's the pitcher, or the pitcher hits the stone... It's going to be bad for the pitcher." Tevya... Fiddler on the Roof.

I know it’s not good, but $17.50 is a relatively cheap lesson.

This site is like a double edged sword: They often save you money by helping you avoid unsuitable items, but they also provoke you into buying things you never would have thought of!

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These fellows are answering your question of how they would use your components to create a suitable suspension and I think it's very creative that one step in that process is bartering or selling off unsuited things to achieve the end goal... they just haven't told you the final steps.

Personally as my final step in the process I'd go with 2000# polyester webbing (seatbelt or ratchet tie down, whatever) and two carabiners sewn into loops at the end, but that's just me :)

and yeah, Hooch is right, it'll never stop stretching

the stock nylon webbing on your claytor is relativly short correct? you will notice much less stretch from it than you will from a 15 foot piece. the amount of stretch from a foot or so will be minimal, 15 feet on each end would add up to several feet of stretch which will be noticeable. you might as well replace the stock webbing too while you're at it though.

also, why not replace the ridgeline with a non stretch line that will hold your sag angle? this will allow you to keep a consistent sag and hang lower on far apart trees if needed.

i don't see prussics working on webbing but it's worth a try i guess. i have hung from autoblocks/klemheist (like a prussic but better) on line before and they held, but let several inches as they tighten and are hard to loosen once weighted. you don't want to tie knots? if you take the time to learn some decent knots you will find they are barely more time consuming than ring buckles or whatever. knots are better suited to tree straps and line though. if you are dead set on using only webbing, 2 cc buckles will be lighter than your 2 oval biners, and much easier to adjust. you would have to tie a knot or hitch to use the biners unless your prussic idea works.

the 2000# camo polyester from owfinc.com is really nice too. what colors does the 1.5" strapworks poly come in?