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  1. #1
    Senior Member Gra_factor's Avatar
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    Jun 2011
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    Tore up my hammock!

    I was modifying my suspension system today and messing with the ridge line and what not, I sat my butt down in my Byer Moskito hammock and caught the edge of the mosquito netting instead of the fabric and went base over apex.

    Have you ever done that? It's like being a beetle on its back. I'm hanging there with my feet up in the air going back and forth trying to get my weight further forward so I can get up. Most undignified. It seemed like forever but was probably only 5 or 6 seconds. I kept thinking "it's going to tear, it's going to tear...." and it did. Tore about a quarter of the way across my fabric near one end where the end of the netting was sewn. I think my weight was transferred to the stitching at that point. I also totally tore up the mosquito netting.

    I only used the thing twice too!

    90% of the problem was my carelessness, but I will say that the workmanship on this hammock was not that great to start with. I have friends that have 3 of the same hammock, and my mosquito netting looked totally different to theirs. Mine was much bigger and was hard to keep out of my face, and one of the 2 attachment points was missing.

    So I'm in the market for another hammock, another inexpensive one.

  2. #2
    Member SticksBlog's Avatar
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    Jul 2011
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    Corinth, MS
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    Grand Trunk Ultralight
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    I paid $30 for my GT UL with suspension (used, but in like new shape). Then I replaced the suspension with tree straps, toggles and whoopies from Whoopies.com (about $40 ~ but this is optional, the only reason I switched the suspensions out was because I wanted lighter, less bulky and an easier set-up ~ but the stock suspension was fine.) Then I made a DIY Bug Sock. Cost of materials, less than $10.

    I am a happy camper!
    Jus' Sayin'

  3. #3
    Senior Member Gra_factor's Avatar
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    I'm thinking along those lines.

    Is the GT UL big enough? I'm not huge, 6ft and 180 lbs.

  4. #4
    New Member
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    Aug 2011
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    down by the river, ny
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    Hey Gra Factor,

    Nice to see a fellow central/western New yorker here.
    Sorry to hear about your mishap.
    Pm sent.

  5. #5
    Senior Member Joey's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gra_factor View Post
    I'm thinking along those lines.

    Is the GT UL big enough? I'm not huge, 6ft and 180 lbs.
    I'm 6'2" 200lbs and have slept well in my GT U.

    Sorry to hear of your mishap. I've had close calls when using hammocks with attached bug netting. it's one of the reasons I I like the GT U and my WB Traveler with a bug sock.

  6. #6
    Senior Member DaleW's Avatar
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    Mar 2011
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    After having a GTUL rip in half, I decided to go with a Warbonnet Traveler DL for a light and simple hiking hammock. You are light enough that you can use the single layer models at $60 each and that includes suspension. They are well made and have tons of room. I have a Papa Smurf bug sock to use with it. The double layer is great if you want to use a pad for insulation. By the time you buy a cheap hammock and nickel and dime yourself to re-work the suspension, you can buy the Traveler.

    Anyone could land wrong like that and tear up the netting, regardless of the brand. I wouldn't expect the body of the hammock to tear though.

  7. #7
    Senior Member finskie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DaleW View Post
    After having a GTUL rip in half, I decided to go with a Warbonnet Traveler DL for a light and simple hiking hammock.
    May I ask how your UL ripped in half?
    What saves a man is to take a step. Then another step. - C.S. Lewis

  8. #8
    Senior Member Gra_factor's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by finskie View Post
    May I ask how your UL ripped in half?
    Wearing cleats to bed?

  9. #9
    Senior Member DaleW's Avatar
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    GTUL ripping

    Quote Originally Posted by finskie View Post
    May I ask how your UL ripped in half?
    There was another person on HF in the last week who had a GTUL rip crosswise in the middle too.

    I'm not blaming the product as I broke the rules somewhat.

    I was using whoopie slings and a structural ridgeline. That in itself shouldn't have created any more stress.

    For the record, I am 5'10 and 220 pounds.

    I was testing a new hang using light landscape timbers as poles in my yard. It was a 16' span with the tree straps at 6' high. The timbers had enough flex that I needed to tighten the suspension quite a bit to keep from touching the ground. When it was all loaded, I had a 30° slope on the suspension, but I assume there was a lot more stress as I increased the load and the suspension changed angles as the poles flexed. There was some bounce too and I think it was all just too much for the fabric. In other words, it was unusual circumstances for what I know was a minimal fabric. It could have very well been faulty fabric, but there were certainly enough unusual variables that I can't blame the product. The other ripped GTUL is described at http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=38300 . My hammock ripped in exactly the same location. The other user's suspension looks far from radical or unusual.


    For what it is worth, I repeated the exact hang with my Hennessy Expedition and there was nothing of note other than the flex in the poles. I did abandon the setup when I heard crackling in the poles later in the day and I eventually replaced them with stout 4x6 timbers. There is a thread on this misadventure at http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=38373 .

    The whole weight rating thing for hammocks is all over the place. You know good and well that a Hennessy with 210D oxford nylon is capable of more stress and abrasion than the light polyester fabric used in the GTUL, yet both have the same 250 pound weight rating. You can easily find more examples and a wider range of weights. The Kammock hammocks are rated at 500 pounds, which worries me a little. Clark really dances around the issue with specs like:
    "Max Load: 700 lbs. / 318 kg • Recommended Safety Load: 300 lbs. / 137 kg". The Grand Trunk Nano 7 is 1.7oz fabric and is rated at 300 pounds and a Warbonnet Traveler SL 1.7 is rated for 250. Eno has their SingleNest and DoubleNest and ProNest all rated at 400 pounds. Hammock Bliss seems to have all their hammocks rated at 350 pounds, even the triple.

    All said and done, I think the GTUL fabric is probably pushing things a bit. I think it is prone to damage from snags or something like a pocket knife clip creating a run in the fabric, etc.

    I would advise NOT hanging from any anchor that flexes or allows your rig to bounce and/or requires unusual tightening of the suspension to offset the flex to keep you from touching ground, especially with any single layer lighter fabric.

  10. #10
    Senior Member
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    Was anyone watching/

    Did you finally get up and make that quick look around to see if anyone saw your flip over. Funny how we do that. As to the chep hammock,,, I have probably spend enough money these past few months on all my accessories and materials to buy the finest hammock and net and straps from the pros if I had really saved the money.

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