HH with rings

I am new to the forum and recently switched from an ENO DN with whoopies to a HH Expedition. I have been looking around quite a bit about suspension and keep seeing people advising against using the stock rope through a pair of rings. I know I saw trekkingnut's video and read the entire thread about rings and went with the video's recommendation. I see alot of posts saying that by running the webbing through the rings without a knot, people were experiencing slippage. I don't see alot of firsthand knowledge or incidents where people have seen the weakness or damage to the stock ropes going directly through the rings. I have been doing it in this method and haven't noticed any damage yet. Has anyone had personal experience or been put on the ground using this method?

I've used this method for a bit - I found that a back up was best as security. I've never been grounded but have had some slippage. Also, continous usage does show wear on the rope from pinching it over and over. No true damage but I have switched to whoopies for some and found greater ease of use and weight savings.

Yeah, I always use a slippery half hitch behind the rings as added protection. I guess if I start to see wear I can replace the stock rope with the rings and put the webbing through the rings like most folks do.

As long as I put a half hitch as a followup, I have not had any issues. I'll keep an eye on rope wear.

Man it's good to know there are a few people using the same method I am. I guess we might all hit the ground at the same time, but at least I'm not alone.

I may be one of the few people here that tried whoopies and switched back to the stock lines with rings. Have a little slippage but find that wrapping line around rings with a couple half-hitches work well.

Had a hard time tightening and loosening the whoopies....

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Demeter

I may be one of the few people here that tried whoopies and switched back to the stock lines with rings. Have a little slippage but find that wrapping line around rings with a couple half-hitches work well.

Had a hard time tightening and loosening the whoopies....

---

I use rings as well, and on the HH ExUL the stock suspension lines are 'small' enough that I almost couldn't use the rings due to the amount of slippage (dang near wouldn't hold any weight). I tried putting the rings in a 'biner, webbing loop, looping the lines one extra loop, etc, etc, etc but I could never keep it from slipping. I was all about to give up thinking that I was either a total idiot and couldn't figure out the simplest of knots/lashings, or was just using incompatible equipment, when it hit me... all of the previous attempts allowed the unlashed side (the side inside the 'biner) to expand based on the tension on the lashed side.
So I reorganized everything so that my rings were approx 6" from the whipping, rather than attached to the tree huggers - and then put a clove hitch on the side of the rings closest to the whipped end, and then run my line through the 'biner attached to the tree hugger then back to the rings, normal lashing - never had a slip.... yet :lol: -
The beauty of this setup is that everything is under my tarp, so I don't have to get wet to adjust my hang if I needed to.
One note, I come from a climbing background, and I have issues with attaching a flat webbing strap to a round rope without some sort of low-friction point ('biner) that will address the incompatible tension devices(rope{round}/webbing{flat}). This prevents a scenario where the webbing (under load) could act as a straight edge into the sheath or core of the rope, and possibly severing it. Its probably a low risk deal, but I've seen too many bad setups on the rock where someone used round with flat and damaged the round with the flat :rolleyes:

I have been using rings on mine and my wifes HH safari and expedition. I got a set of really fat aluminum rings, not the skinny steel ones I have seen. I think that the larger fatter rings makes it easier on the rope, and we have not seen any damage (and I weigh 310 pounds) in 2 years.

I also use the larger aluminum rings with a biner. I learned the technique by watching this video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iJTjful66M

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by WetRivrRat

. So I reorganized everything so that my rings were approx 6" from the whipping, rather than attached to the tree huggers - and then put a clove hitch on the side of the rings closest to the whipped end, and then run my line through the 'biner attached to the tree hugger then back to the rings, normal lashing - never had a slip.... yet :lol: -

---

WetRivrRat, How did you attach your rings to the hammock? I think I have your set up visualized, but would love a pic if u ever think of it!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Demeter

WetRivrRat, How did you attach your rings to the hammock? I think I have your set up visualized, but would love a pic if u ever think of it!

---

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/p...ictureid=15983
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/p...ictureid=15984
Imagine the 'biner is attached to the tree hugger rather than an eye bolt :lol:
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/p...ictureid=15985
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/p...ictureid=15986

Is there some advantage you found using the two pieces of rope as opposed to attaching the rings directly to the carabiner?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jw261

Is there some advantage you found using the two pieces of rope as opposed to attaching the rings directly to the carabiner?

---

It actually is a single shot of rope, I just found that due to the size of the rope I couldn't use the rings any other way. truly the only benefits for me would be that the rings are semi-permeant (iow, I dont have to go looking for them when I need them) and if it's raining I don't have to go outside the cover of my tarp to re-adjust - otherwise it just happened to work well enough for me
HYOH right? :shades:

Edit...
Plus I get absolutely zero slippage this way - and hanging is a breeze - set the tree huggers, set my 'biner, pop the loop over the gate and yank, done.... Next!

That's a really interesting approach. I guess the only downside, if using the stock suspension cords, would be that it significantly shortens the possible distance between trees right?

You would be correct that it shortens the maximum possible distance between tress. However, it isn't a permanent setup, so if I found that I needed more length then I could either remove the rings altogether or just move the rings up the line towards the trees. The rings are only there for convenience, and if convenience suffers due to available trees then I just switch to whatever is most convenient at the time.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jw261

I am new to the forum and recently switched from an ENO DN with whoopies to a HH Expedition. I have been looking around quite a bit about suspension and keep seeing people advising against using the stock rope through a pair of rings. I know I saw trekkingnut's video and read the entire thread about rings and went with the video's recommendation. I see alot of posts saying that by running the webbing through the rings without a knot, people were experiencing slippage. I don't see alot of firsthand knowledge or incidents where people have seen the weakness or damage to the stock ropes going directly through the rings. I have been doing it in this method and haven't noticed any damage yet. Has anyone had personal experience or been put on the ground using this method?

---

I was put to ground yesterday due to stock rope fail. The outer layer of the rope broke but the core stayed intact. I'm looping the leftover rope and keeping the rings.

Erikayak

How were you connecting the rope to the rings and what size were the rings?

Also of interest:
* What kind of hammock and were the suspension lines stock or DIY Install?
* How old were the suspension lines? (Suggesting maybe the sheath simply rotted to the point of failure)
* How were you looping/lashing the rope though the rings? (Suggesting maybe too much friction in a single point)
* How often did you keep the rings in the same place? (Suggesting repetitive injury to the ropes at the same point - iow, did you always look for trees 12 feet apart and hung your lines the same way every time)
* How often do you inspect your lines? Was there noticed deterioration? (Suggesting the injury to the rope wasn't visible for one to notice, thus no care taken to prevent hitting the deck)
* Was this (just by chance) an attempt to purposefully test your suspension lines to a point of failure? (Suggesting an attempt to "see how many licks it takes to get the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop")

I ask all of these questions merely out of an inquisitiveness towards the opportunity to learn failure points for the various ropes in use out there. In my younger days I rock climbed and rope maintenance wasn't optional, it was the difference between life/death. However many a folk would climb without ever conducting any review/maintenance, sometimes they won, sometimes the rock won...
Point is, I know what to look for in climbing gear, and I wouldn't suspect any difference in the lines used on hammocks, but in the off chance that it was -
....pictures or it didn't happen... :lol: :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jw261

Erikayak

How were you connecting the rope to the rings and what size were the rings?

---

My suspension looked like THIS.

As WetRivrRat suggested maybe I put too much friction in a single point.

I have the UL Explorer, the ropes are pretty thin and don't work with the garda hitch (two rings). later i found all the people talking about how it is bad for the ropes. I have made a new method, only using one ring on each side. i tie a doubled figure 8 on the end of my ropes, put a single wrap on a pretty small rap ring, then feed it through the end of the rope through the webbing and stick a biner on the figure 8. You just clip the biner to the ring and it stays adjustable, havne't had any slippage as far as i can tell. doesnt need slippery half hitches either. Saves time and a little bit of weight not carrying 2 more rap rings. i'll take some pictures later and post them.

Greetings Everyone, this is my first post. I too have been using 4 descending rings (2 per side) on my HH Explorer UL. I chose to tie a bowline loop about 3 inches in diameter and about 12 inches from the gathered end using the existing Hennessy cordage. I then used a larks head with both rings which means you must feed the entire hammock through the bowline loop. This was very easy. Now with no permanent modification I'm able to use 1" poly webbing. I hope this helps.