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As a newby, I'm trying to figure out what would be a quick easy and light support system... Crazy buckles? Ring Buckles? Figure 9s? Biners? I have the HH BULA with stock tarp, snakeskins, and huggers. Probably for now I'll stick with my WM bag with a 24" Walmart CC pad. I may upgrade to a Cat tarp. I can sew so what are your suggestions?
Take a look at Just Jeff's pages on "Hammock Supports" (middle of the page): http://www.tothewoods.net/HomemadeGear.html. As far as quick AND easy AND light, well, you're going to have to give-up some of one for the others. To get "quick" and "easy", you need to add hardware (and, thus, weight). The lightest is probably two lengths of spectra cord, but then you're tying knots, less than easy. You can see where I'm going. For me, Just Jeff's Ring Buckle Support system is the best compromise.
For quick, easy and light, you don't have to give up anything.
It's easy to have it all , just take a look at the SLS that TeeDee wrote up.
Also, HeadChange4U has a version and actually originated the name with his version.
Either version is quick and easy and either version is the lightest suspension system around.
Get a biner for the huggers. Just clip the hugger around the tree and tie the HH spectra to the biner with a double-slip-knot. Might be as close to quick-easy-light as you can get, if you're willing to tie the knot and check it each time you get in.
Otherwise, get some SMC descending rings and connect them to the HH spectra right by the hammock. Wrap the huggers around the tree, run the spectra thru each loop and back to the rings, and use a garda hitch in the rings.
Or make yourself some longer huggers with two rings sewn into one end. Just wrap the hugger around the tree, run the rings thru the other end of the hugger, and garda hitch the HH spectra to the rings. Add a biner and you'll never have to change the hitch or take anything apart.
There are so many options for support and each one has slight trade-offs, but many of them can be done w/o modding the HH spectra. If you are willing to cut the Spectra, you can do all sorts of other things like add webbing, or tie the rings right next to the hammock so you can adjust it from under the tarp, or add cinch buckles so you can use webbing, etc.
I bet you'll go thru 2 or 3 systems before you pick one you like! :jj:
Thanks guys... part of my problem is that I've been reading Just Jeff's site and lots of ideas sound good. I was at Harbor Freight buying a gift for my son-in-law and started looking at different straps, biners, and figure 9s... Decisions, decisions... I guess I just need to get out there and experiment...
I too am behind the times, I'm still using an SMC ring clove hitched into the Hennessy spectra line (the clove hitch holds under load but allows the ring to be moved where needed) with a trek light carabiner clipped into the tree hugger. The line is looped through the SMC ring and clipped into the biner several times and then half hitched. No mods to the hammock lines. You are still using the stock tree huggers and I'm beginning to see those as a bit of a problem, too long for a little tree (lots of wrapping required), and , more than I expected, too short for a big tree. The ring or cinch buckle system, with it's long adjustable webbing eliminates this.
TAK, you are not behind the times... well at least not relative to me. I am still using webbing straight from the hammock end and wrapped around the tree. It just doesn't get any simpler for me. It may not be "adjustable", but I haven't ever found the need to adjust it after I got used to hanging it. I do have a cinch buckle set-up too, but I don't use it.
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Originally Posted by DuctTape
Is that Ed Speer's wrap knot method, or your own design?
tree straps and line. tie together with a slipped double sheetbend or a slipped buntline hitch. knots can be quite fast, but you have to pick a good one and take the time to learn to tie it.