First hammock... Looking for line.

**jackleberry** · 11-24-2010, 00:54

Greetings, hammockers. I recently relocated from Memphis, TN to Eugene, OR and found that there is very little to do in these parts besides enjoy the outdoors.

On an impulse I spent ~$200 on a tent from REI, much more on other random equipment, and embarked on a camping trip to the Willamette National Forest. I was hooked. Camping in west Tennessee was never a consideration for me. The Sun, the oppressive heat and humidity, boring terrain, poisonous snakes, thick underbrush, murderous mosquitos... Here in this part of Oregon, I've seen none of those things. I've seen trees taller than I ever imagined, trees which one can actually walk under without needing of a machete. The mosquitos do exist, instead of losing gallons of blood to them, I lose mere droplets. It does get a bit cold at times though, but the cold comes along with a miraculous occurrence: snow!.

Anyway, instead of pursuing all of the various things that the big city I left had to offer, I instead find myself obsessed with camping. First, I started making little wood burning camp stoves out of tin cans... Then I started amassing lighter weight and better gear. Then I started developing survival kits. My latest obsession is hammocks.

I've built my first, out of some overpriced rip-stop nylon from Jo-Ann's (Walmart had nothing!) and paracord. The suspension is continuous line (with short peices of webbing at the trees).

I'm proud of it, but unfortunately I've yet to actually sleep in it. For one thing, it's quite cold now and I lack a cold weather solution. I'd like to make an underquilt, but I'm not sure where to get a good deal on down. Also, I'm concerned about the use of paracord for the suspension. It seems to hold me, but I haven't got it wet and I haven't strung it at a shallow angle. I think I'd like to try replacing the paracord with Spyderline or the like, but I can't find a source for it online where the price of shipping doesn't dominate the cost.

Can anyone recommend a solution? Group buys? Does anyone have some spare materials they could sell me with reasonable shipping? I would appreciate any helpful advice.

**Bubba** · 11-24-2010, 01:01

Hello and welcome! Paracord is not the best choice. You'll find a large majority of members use 7/64 inch amsteel for their suspensions. We make whoopie slings and utility constrictor ropes out of the stuff and use it in conjunction with straps that protect the trees from damage. Arrowhead equipment owned my member pgibson is a popular place to get the amsteel or the ready made whoopie slings along with other suspension needs.

**cfisch9** · 11-24-2010, 01:04

Originally Posted by jackleberry

Anyway, instead of pursuing all of the various things that the big city I left had to offer, I instead find myself obsessed with camping. First, I started making little wood burning camp stoves out of tin cans... Then I started amassing lighter weight and better gear. Then I started developing survival kits. My latest obsession is hammocks.

Sounds just like me, except I started by making alcohol stove rather than wood burning stoves.

As far as the type of line to use for your suspension, paracord is not a great choice because it will stretch a lot, I would recommend Amsteel Blue myself. You should take a look at this post:

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...t=amsteel+blue

The Redden Marine site provided on that post has amsteel blue of all different colors and diameters, and you can get as much or as little as you would like. I purchased my amsteel there, and made my own whoopie slings with it. Also a very fun project:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CorthADuXs

Welcome to the forum by the way. There is a great wealth of information contained within, so take your time and enjoy learning everything there is to know about hammocks.

**lazy river road** · 11-24-2010, 01:06

Well welcome to HF, Eugene is supposed to be an awesome placec its on my list of places to go. And all the answers to your questions lay with in this forum. Enjoy the new obsession but be careful it gets addicting fast. Also storm crow (adam) over at hammockgear.com is haveing a sale on one of his quilts right now. The Jacks at Jacks R Better are also having a quilt sale as well as over the coming weeks various of their quilts will be going on sale. Or a 1/4 ccf pad can get you into the 35's or so. Have fun reading up though.
Peace
LRR

**gargoyle** · 11-24-2010, 05:59

Welcome aboard! Enjoy the diy adventure.
As for buying some down, Look here.
Adam and Jen's bulk down and fluffy goodness emporium and outlet mall (Really it's called HammockGear)

**kc7fys** · 11-24-2010, 07:56

That first paragraph or so is pure elegiac prose. My wife and I are longing to leave Minnesota for OR or WA. I lived there a scant decade when I was a hippie college kid. It's a lot better out there, ainnit?
Jonathan

**millarky** · 11-24-2010, 09:02

kc7fys- you made me look up elegiac prose way too early in the day

.

jackleberry - another source for great suspension offerings are http://whoopieslings.com/

enjoy

**Stavros** · 11-24-2010, 09:24

Paracord will hold you up but as someone already wrote it will stretch a little bit. There are many, many solutions on how to hang your hammock. Right now whoopies made of Amsteel is the most popular way to hang but you might come up with a brilliant idea and a completely new solution.

Welcome to the hanging world, by the way!

**Just Jeff** · 11-24-2010, 09:56

I wouldn't trust paracord to hold me up. I've broken it twice now...and it's real 550 b/c I cut it off the parachute myself. 550 cord is rated at 550 lbs...but knots derate cordage, and with use that knot will get tighter until the cord eventually breaks.

So it'll hold you up...for a little while.

It's also designed to stretch to absorb opening shock...and you don't want hammock suspension to stretch. Much better to get Spectra, Amsteel or polyester/polypro webbing, IMO.

**Big Jim Mac** · 11-27-2010, 13:38

Give those whoopie slings a try, I have made 6 now and they are getting pretty easy to do. Bought all my amsteel from Redden, they often throw in some extra if they are at the end of a roll. Got my tree straps from Arrowhead but I'll try to make the next set. Love Oregon, I shipped my Yeti mountain bike out there a few years ago while attending a meeting and did a ton of riding at Oak Ridge and elsewhere.