Suspension Rope Stretch

**billvann** · 03-29-2010, 13:22

How much and how long should the stock suspension rope stretch?

I've used my HH Expedition four times, theee weekends and on week of Scout summer camp. I set my rig up so I can bearly get my butt into the openning (granted I have short legs but not THAT short!) and by morning I'm only a foot or so off the deck. What a PITA to get out!

I've augmented my suspension with prussik loops and descending rings for securing with a garda hitch. This was the first weekend I used that suspension. I tied the end off with a slippery half hitch and the rings appeared to be no closer or further from the tree than when I set it up. It's possible that the prussic slid.

I plan on using some tape as makers on my next hand to see if I can tell if the rope or pruissik loop is slidding. But I was curious if the stock rope has that much stretch in it (approx 18").

**gargoyle** · 03-29-2010, 13:35

Time for a set of whoopies.
Theres a tutorial in the forum for replacing the rope.

My first hammock (not a HH) had some rope that did what yours is doing, I replaced it, big improvement.

Are you just using the rope, or do have webbing that is possibly nylon, because , as you know, n yl on s tre eee e eetches, alot. Or your hanging over a fault line and the earth is moving?

**billvann** · 03-29-2010, 14:11

Being somewhat new (last spring), I've been reluctant to do any major mods to the stock set up. Already my decender ring suspension is old fashion and Whoopie Slickgs are the rage!

I did get a pair of Whoopie Slings from Opie for my Grabd Trunk Nano 7 hammock I won. I set it up once but haven't had a chance to "play" with it.

I'm sure that once I get comfortable with it I'll pop for another set for my HH. It's lighter, easy to use and relatively inexpensive. And while I'm at it I might as well send my hammock to 2Q for the zipper mod.

**mtncmpr** · 03-30-2010, 12:53

The problem may possibly be the tree huggers stretching??

**billvann** · 03-30-2010, 23:16

Some stretching of the webbing is possible, but not as much as I experienced. I'm using 1" polypro webbing from Arrowhead Equipment.

**opie** · 04-01-2010, 04:45

bill, you may also be experiencing the initial stretch of the hammock fabric. If you have 4 nights in it, you should be nearing the end of the fabrics break in.

**millergear** · 04-01-2010, 06:57

Originally Posted by opie

bill, you may also be experiencing the initial stretch of the hammock fabric. If you have 4 nights in it, you should be nearing the end of the fabrics break in.

I'll 2nd that. My 1st few hangs sagged a lot! Took 4 or 5 hangs before the fabric and/or cords lost their initial strech.

**Just Jeff** · 04-01-2010, 07:03

Yep - agree with opie. The fabric seems to stretch for the first several nights, but it'll stop at some point. I doubt it's the cord, and the huggers will stretch but not enough to have that kind of impact.

**billvann** · 04-01-2010, 08:08

Well fabric stretch makes sense. I've had a total of 10 nights hanging (seems like it should be more!). So I won't panic... yet!

I think I'mm bring some electrical tape next time and tape reference points on the suspension to make sure it isn't the rope slipping through the rings.