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  1. #1
    Member kroot's Avatar
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    Overnight Hammock Sag

    On my most recent hammock backpacking trip, I had some issues with my hammock sagging overnight.

    When I set up camp, my undquilt was a good 3-4inches off the ground while I was in the hammock, but when I woke up in the morning I was barely an inch from the grass. Does anyone know what the typical cause is for this? My theories so far are:


    • Webbing stretch. I was using cheap, REI tubular webbing and I suspect that it has the potential to stretch when under a sustained load. I've gone out and bought some new straps that should have almost 0 stretch (kevlar), so next trip I'll see if that was the problem.
    • Hammock stretch. My hammock is made out of 1.9oz ripstop nylon from RSBTR and it may have stretched enough to sag.
    • Whoopie slipping. It's possible that I didn't have the constrictor on my whoopie slings tight enough and that was allowing the suspension to slip during the night.



    Has anyone else experienced this, and if you did, what did you determine the problem to be?

  2. #2
    Senior Member rweb82's Avatar
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    Whoopie slings will lengthen out initially. The fibers themselves aren't really stretching, but when under load, the weave pulls tighter- causing the amsteel to lengthen a little. With Amsteel suspensions, I recommend laying in the hammock for a few seconds, then get up and readjust the height. After that, you shouldn't experience any more "stretching" from the Amsteel. And as you already mentioned, always make sure to milk the bury!

    If your straps are nylon instead of polyester, then that could be the culprit as well.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by kroot View Post
    ..[*]Webbing stretch. I was using cheap, REI tubular webbing and I suspect that it has the potential to stretch when under a sustained load...
    Tubular webbing is nylon and will stretch. That is likely to be your problem. Polyester or kevlar (that you ordered) webbing is the cure.

  4. #4
    Senior Member MAD777's Avatar
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    Almost certainly the tubular webbing is at fault. Don't use nylon tree straps of any sort.

    Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
    Mike
    "Life is a Project!"

  5. #5
    Member kroot's Avatar
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    Great, that validates my suspicions that it's the webbing. I had already purchased some non-stretch straps (they didn't arrive until I got home) and I'm looking forward to putting them through their paces in a few weeks.

    Thanks y'all.

  6. #6
    Member kroot's Avatar
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    Update: I switched to some kevlar straps from MeyersTech Hammock Lab and had no sag all week: https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...36#post1897536

  7. #7
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    I've only noticed any sag after rain, so like the above comment it must be material.

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