Hammock police

[jellyfish]

What do you do when you see someone breaking one of the inviolable hammock rules? For example, using a thin rope on a tree instead of tree straps. How do you handle the situation?

[SilvrSurfr]

I know a couple of people who just don't give a crap about supposed "rules" or hammock best practices, and no amount of talking is going to make them give a crap. I don't waste my breath trying to convince someone who should know better. However, if they're clearly not very savvy, I will say something.

[The Tree Frog]

I don't say anything. I just act surprised when the ropes "break" in the middle of the night!

[bubbavinny]

Graciously encourage them to consider doing it the right way if they seem approachable


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[michigandave]

#hammocklivesmatter . Seriously, there are many people who don't know any better because the budget hammock came with just ropes and a simple diagram of instructions. I've run into newbie hangers at campgrounds in the past and they've always seemed receptive to ideas after I walk them through my setup.

Sent from my LG-H740 using Tapatalk

[TrailSlug]

If they ask I gladly assist otherwise a tough lesson is a very quick learning tool

[OutandBack]

There is that whole HYOH thing that somebody coined around here.
That said if it is a friend just starting out I will offer to show them my setup and explain why tree straps are so important. I don't point out the flaws in their setup. They either get it or they don't.
If its a stranger or a camp I am just walking by I say nothing. Roll into someones camp playing Deputy Dawg and you could get a punch in the eye or worse.

[Wanderlost]

I tend to fall back into an instructor role. I don't tell them they're wrong. I offer some good suggestions of better ways to do things. I try to be an Ambassador of Hammocks, not an enforcer. Like Silvr said, some people just are never wrong.... it matter how much you try to convince them they are. I can't save everyone, but I can do my best to mitigate the overall damage done to both tree and hammock reputation.

[Phantom Grappler]

I use kevlar 3.3 tree huggers and just now got Dutch's new blue dyneema tree huggers with sexy black racing stripes.
We all want to feel good about ourselves and sometimes we feel bad about ourselves for a variety of reasons--so to make ourselves feel good, look down on others--a kind of holier than thou--or smirky snarky way of looking at others and their cars clothes homes and hammock gear---- I'm guilty!
My dyneema straps and kevlar straps can very easily wad up into a kind of skinny rope even though they start at an inch.
So I look at it this way--or try to
Sometime not too far off I'm gonna die
(You gotta love SargentRock's saying)
And the other hammock camper with the rope straps is gonna croak sometime
And the trees we are hanging on are gonna croak sometime too.
To me it doesn't make a lot of difference except we have to obey laws and rules or sometimes be fined if we get caught breaking the laws and rules.
I always try to help others; sometimes I should refrain unless asked for help.
HYOH



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[LuvmyBonnet]

I guess it depends on the situation. I would want to tell them so the reputation of hammock hangers would be of a caring and knowledgeable person not some ignoramus that doesn't care about nature or their fellow hangers.