In the Lake States and Canada, the cambium layer on many birch trees seperates from the outer bark for a two to three week period in late June early July. You may want to be careful at that time. Birch and aspen are considered to be a short lived tree so that after around fifty years, they begin to deteriorate. Be carefull around older trees for they may not be as sound as they appear to be.
I've hung in a birch tree and I haven't had any trouble with the bark. I took care not to twist the webbing too much though.
I find that "taking an extra turn" around the tree actually does more damage* to the trees I've done it on. One time around then tie off or clip, etc.
To my mind it's like putting on a tourniquet, & that is a bad thing!!
*noticeable damage with extra turn, none without.
When you have a backpack on, no matter where you are, you’re home.
PAIN is INEVITABLE. MISERY is OPTIONAL.
On the Mtn Bike forum I frequent they swear Mtn Bikes don't damage the trails.
Now here on the hammock forum I read straps and ropes don't damage live skin trees...
What are live skin trees?Originally Posted by OutandBack
Youngblood AT2000
Funny the OP should ask. Couple of days ago I was on a hike and hung my HHSS. I had the wide straps that came with my Safari. I needed to shorten the straps due to not quite enough distance between trees. So I used the the old "one loop through the other loop and wrap back around the tree" trick. Which naturally has a "belt tightening" effect on the tree. At least I remember I did this on the foot end.
I don't know what kind of tree it was, some type of rough barked hard wood about 8-10" diameter. The bark was noticeably scuffed on the foot end after a short hang. Maybe next time in that area I can get a pic, and some one can identify the tree.
On another recent hang, I forgot my huggers. So I just used the HH ropes. I looked for damage after a short hang, and didn't see any noticeable damage. Certainly way less than described above with the huggers. Go figure.
I've had the wire gate from a carabiner bite into the bark of a Balsam fir. That's not exactly LNT and it got pitch all over my straps. I used just the loops in my straps for the rest of my trip. When I got home I ordered Dutch Clips, no problems since!
"In your face space coyote"-HJS
Right. You want polypro webbing not nylon.
Most of the folks I know using Amsteel wrap wide straps around the tree and just run the Amsteel to a biner connecting the hammock to the webbing. I'd agree that putting a small diameter line around the tree wouldn't be good.Trees take a long time to heal.
Elsewhere I have seen discussions of the use of ropes or cords, especially Amsteel/Dyneema, with sticks placed under the cord to distribute the load.
In Colorado that would be Aspens.
Even if you had a super wide strap to spread the load in an attempt to not bruise the phloem layer the powdery film on the bark of Aspen trees which serves as a natural sunscreen can be removed.
Although not considered a live skin tree the bark of Colorado Blue Spruce seem to damage easily with ropes or straps also. I learned that lesson the hard way and now avoid tying to those trees as well.
There's just no beating the big old long needle Pine trees or Cottonwoods in the Rockies to hang from. In the East I would think any hardwood or pine would be the best.
Well, it happened again already. This time I was not cinched around the tree, but just passed the hugger one time around the back of the tree. I think it was the same type of tree as last time, whatever it is. Again, this was with wide straps. There was no slippage that I could tell, but when I was done, I could see the marks from a distance.
Not that I am concerned. Where I hike, it probably wouldn't be noticed if I cut the tree down. Not to mention the deer scrapes and such. But obviously hiking in other places, it might well be a concern.
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