Doing it wrong: Pathfinder school's hammock suspension video.

**AlteredMentalStatus** · 07-07-2010, 18:33

I asked him about supporting his weight and the knots, just after he placed this on youtube. I wanted him to get in the hammock and show it would hold the weight with that set up. Here's what the response was" kingtut1964 They support my weight fine. The back up knots are just an overhand slip knot, I don't want to find out in the middle of the night I was wrong". The comment section on the video has been closed....I wonder why????
He stated that there was no knot suspension, so I asked about the slip knots......

**gRaFFiX** · 07-07-2010, 18:45

Looks like a video I would have posted when I first started hanging. I sure am glad I did my research before I started purchasing major new gear. I think this is one of those instances where a person who knows nothing about the subject in question (but should)has been caught peddling BS, and we're mad because we know improper use can invoke bans nation wide due to ignorance. I know I see this all the time; got a problem with your car, everyones a %$)*& mechanic.

**beep** · 07-07-2010, 20:29

It has occurred to me that we here on HF are "shouting agreement" at each other. In other words, we are "preaching to the choir"!

If we want to educate and convert the masses, we should be posting something positive and interesting (not inflammatory!) over on the Pathfinder forum HEREto provide correct information and an invitation to check out the wealth of information on HF.

**Raul Perez** · 07-07-2010, 20:44

Originally Posted by Ramblinrev

Devils advocate here... I could see turning off the comments and video responses under some circumstances, particularly when there is the potential for major controversy about a piece. Scenario... The video posted is challenged in its facts or technique. To prevent useless debate and flame wars I might turn everything off while I did some research to determine if the critique was justified and valid. If I was convinced in my own mind that the video was accurate and correct I would not immediately remove it from view. But I would take steps to make sure the site stayed controlled while I did some research. I can understand the decision to suspend comments based on that scenario.

Ramblinrev,

But it's OK to not disable comments when there are 85 positive comments?

I understand where you are comming from but I would handle it a different way. I would make a comment on my video saying that maybe I need to do more research on the subject matter I just presented and I would have come to Hammockforums and had a discussion on this thread. That's integrity and having an open mind without ego. It has happened before and I have done exactly that on various occassions.

I remember seeing Dave do a 10 minute video of him failing to get a fire started because that's what happens in the real world. I respect that.

The comments on that video were not inflammatory and this site was cited several times in an effort to have him come over and learn more about something he clearly is a novice in. Instead he disabled the comments and doesnt show up. I dont respect that.

**Ramblinrev** · 07-07-2010, 21:22

Originally Posted by Raul Perez

Ramblinrev,

But it's OK to not disable comments when there are 85 positive comments?

I understand where you are comming from but I would handle it a different way. I would make a comment on my video saying that maybe I need to do more research on the subject matter I just presented and I would have come to Hammockforums and had a discussion on this thread. That's integrity and having an open mind without ego. It has happened before and I have done exactly that on various occassions.

I remember seeing Dave do a 10 minute video of him failing to get a fire started because that's what happens in the real world. I respect that.

The comments on that video were not inflammatory and this site was cited several times in an effort to have him come over and learn more about something he clearly is a novice in. Instead he disabled the comments and doesnt show up. I dont respect that.

I didn't say I agreed with the decision. Simply that I can understand it within the confines of that scenario. I stand by that. I don't know what was going through their minds and as far as I can tell... neither does any one else here. I don't see it as "cowardly" under that scenario. I would also have handled it differently if I were in those shoes. But I'm not. So I'll pass the benefit of the doubt.

**RePete** · 07-07-2010, 21:29

Originally Posted by Raul Perez

. Instead he disabled the comments and doesnt show up. I dont respect that.

Are you sure he has not shown up? Very well could have read this entire thread. If he has he should realize that while this video he did gets us riled up we all seem to agree that if he looks at this thread with an open mind all we really want is for him to learn better ways and then teach that in his next video. Weather he credits HF or not is not relevant. What is important is the masses getting good info.

**mtbikernate** · 07-07-2010, 21:36

I kept the audience in mind when I made my comment. It's OBVIOUS that the tree he tied to on the left was dead. It also looked like there was one next to it that could have hidden the dead branches with green foliage. No matter how much I wanted to mention using straps for the LNT ethics, I realized from his dismissive earlier comments that he was not going to respond to comments about that.

It's too bad posting got disabled. I'd have liked to see how the responses went after mine.

But I'd bet that somebody got too personal (or too offended) and things escalated. Such is the way of the interwebs.

**Theo** · 07-07-2010, 21:39

Originally Posted by Mustardman

My problem is much less the tree straps, and much more the yanking the hammock ultra tight.

One thing we have to face is that lots of people hang hammocks without tree straps. Some because they don't know about the damage issues, and some because they don't care. We can try to educate them, but at the end of the day many will think it's no big deal, and we're a bunch of dumb tree hugging hippies. Especially in the survivalist community, where LNT is definitely NOT a concern, trying to convince certain people to care about LNT is probably a losing battle. Not that I think the tree strap issue shouldn't have been brought up - I brought it up in my comments as well. I just don't know how much good we will do, given the audience.

A lot of times it is not the message but the presentation that is the problem. I have two friends who are into the survival thing big time. Especially from the "End of the World" scenario. They poo poo'd LNT until I pointed out that LNT was much more stealthy than what they were doing. Now they are better at it than I am.

I think the same approach is needed for sites and videos like that. Just my $.02.