Ridgerunner mod: quick release on corner buckles?

[Steve66]

I am considering getting a Spindrift for my Ridgerunner to prepare for the upcoming colder weather. However, New England weather is fickle...it can be warm one day and pretty chilly the next...so I'd like the option to easily take the Spindrift on and off. I came up with an idea for a corner buckle "quick release" that would help, but I wanted to get the opinions of the great folks here on HammockForums:

I would take the dog bone off the hammock's corner buckle and add a Dutch clip to the end that had previously been attached to the corner buckle. I would then create a short (3 or 4") piece of Amsteel with a dog bone on each end. One end of that short piece would be attached to the corner buckle with a lark's head and the other end would attach to the Dutch clip. Repeat for all 4 corners. When I want to use the Spindrift, I just unclip the short piece from the Dutch clip, feed it through the hole in the corner of the Spindrift, and put it back on the Dutch clip.

Anyway, thoughts? The nice thing is that, if it doesn't work out, I just return everything to the original setup.

Steve

[LuvmyBonnet]

This could be interesting. The only thing that has kept me from buying a Spindrift is lack of ease of putting it on and taking it off.

[2eez4life]

I hope you figure it out. You'd think somebody would have figured it out by now...

[GroundHog]

I made new dog bones out of dyneema, smaller diameter than the 7/64 amsteel. Then I got 2 Dutch biners and put them at the apex of each suspension triangle. I can undo the dog bones from the biners and thread them through the spindrift and back on the biner. I'M not home or I would take a picture and show you what I mean.

[Intimidator]

if you just take off the warbonnet buckles and connection triangle, you can use dutch beetle buckles or hammock fan strap anchors directly to the dogbones

[alifeoutdoors]

I do a version of Groundhogs setup. I went with titanium cinch buckles with a dutch biner making the connection between the CL and the dogbones. Same principle of what he and Intimidator are suggesting. Just seemed simpler for easy on and off. I don't like storing my suspension with my hammock and also don't really care for doors so picked up a spindrift for fringe seasons/ winter. It retained the simplicity of the cinch buckle/warbonnet system but still gives me the full connection suspension my sanity graves

[gunner76]

The Terminator loves her RR's. I found after getting her a Spindrift sock ( with 2 doors ) that it was easier to buy her a second RR to leave set up in the sock. So know she has a netted RR for warm weather and a non netted RR that stays in the sock ready to go.

[drsolarmolar]

Groundhog and Imtimidator have suggested what I'd recommend. Instead of making your hammock more complex with extra dogbones and clips (if I understand your plan you'd be adding 8 more pieces--one short dogbone and one clip per spreader bar buckle) I'd go with removing the apex buckle and then use a carabiner as the link to attach the dogbones and suspension. Dutch has a nifty 3" carabiner rated to something like 2600 lbs which wouldn't require you doing anything to your existing dogbones and suspension other than swapping the apex buckle out. Thus you have a net change in parts of exactly zero. Keep it simple! Then when you want to put on or take off the Spindrift just unclip the dogbones from the carabiner and presto, you're good. The biggest pain in the earlobe to putting on or taking off the Spindrift is undoing and redoing the suspension. This takes care of all that in one easy, noncomplicated step!

That said it's your baby so if you want to experiment and try it out then go for it and let us know how it works!

[drsolarmolar]

The Terminator loves her RR's. I found after getting her a Spindrift sock ( with 2 doors ) that it was easier to buy her a second RR to leave set up in the sock. So know she has a netted RR for warm weather and a non netted RR that stays in the sock ready to go.

That's my plan...to eventually buy a netless RR and keep the Spindrift on more or less full time.

[Steve66]

I'd go with removing the apex buckle and then use a carabiner as the link to attach the dogbones and suspension. Dutch has a nifty 3" carabiner rated to something like 2600 lbs which wouldn't require you doing anything to your existing dogbones and suspension other than swapping the apex buckle out. Thus you have a net change in parts of exactly zero.

I like it - the net change would just be to swap each apex buckle with a different connector...very simple. In fact, after a little digging, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that Dutch makes a Bridge Hammock Whoopie Hook that is actually specifically made for just this application! Post on HammockForums is here, including this picture:
7b552e86a099e023bbaebad6cebb9a59.jpg

Thanks, HammockForum community!