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  1. #21
    slowhike's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by headchange4u View Post
    .
    This does raise a very interesting question. What type/species of trees are best suited for hanging your hammock?
    i think it would be better said "which trees to avoid hanging a hammock from".
    there will be a much smaller number of tress to avoid.
    I too will something make and joy in it's making

  2. #22
    Administrator attroll's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Knowledgeengine View Post
    On the general basis of measuring all our new visitors as a possible result of the article, I wanted to make mention of Histats to slowhike/hc4u

    I develop & manage a few websites, and I have been really happy with the reports I get from histats and it's free. I've been using it 2 weeks. www.histats.com I use the invisible counters, and can tell how many times each one of my pamphlets is printed, get a map that shows the location of all my visitors, etc...

    Might be something good, so when we get a influx of visitors, you will be able to "see what they are trying to do" and then make changes to make that easier for them.

    One more thing--whoever creates such a article might consider also submitting it to whiteblaze, and having links to us on there. To help make the transition easier for people who get misdirected looking for hammock websites.
    Knowledgeengine
    It looks like this histats does the same thing that Google Analytics does. I have attached a PDF of what you get from Googel Analytics gives you.
    Attached Files Attached Files

  3. #23
    Member Knowledgeengine's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by attroll View Post
    Knowledgeengine
    It looks like this histats does the same thing that Google Analytics does. I have attached a PDF of what you get from Googel Analytics gives you.
    I believe you are correct. They do both offer very similar functionality. As a matter of fact I am presently using both services. I'll see how this pans out.
    Last edited by Knowledgeengine; 04-29-2008 at 01:28.

  4. #24
    Senior Member schrochem's Avatar
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    Well based on the stats attroll just linked, we have another issue about what trees not to use. It appears we aren't getting any visitors from Greenland.
    Whose gonna step up and get over there and start recruiting?
    Scott

    "Man is a stream whose source is hidden."
    RWE

  5. #25
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    Scientific Study Probably Required

    Just throwing this out there...

    I've argued here before (and I'm too lazy to find it and link it here) that Hennessey, Speer, and the other hammock makers should pool their resources to commission a study of what effects, if any, hammock use has on trees. I don't mean to discourage anyone from sharing info and informed opinion based on experience and expertise in an effort to minimize any environmental damage; but if this issue ever comes to some kind of confrontation, pro-hammock anectodal evidence is just as convincing/unconvincing as anti-hammock anecdotal evidence. The arborists who line up with hammockers will have their opinions cancelled out by those that line up against us. What will likely then happen is you'll get inconsistent policies towards hammock use until someone undertakes such a study as I suggest. The hammock makers have a financial stake in this argument and it is in their best interests to get ahead of the curve on this. If they don't, they (and we) may end up at the mercy of ill-informed opinion, or end up playing catch-up when a state or federal agency performs such a study.

    That said, here's hoping we all take our LNT obligations seriously, and work together to preserve our [pick one: (1) enjoyable pastime; (2) unhealthy obession with hammocks and hammock accessories].

  6. #26
    Senior Member Iafte's Avatar
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    My first hammock used ropes to go around the tree, they would leave marks so I upgraded to the ring buckles with 1inch straps. I see no damage if I chose my trees with a solid bark. Loose bark trees get damaged just by resting your hand on it to take a break.

    I had a ranger lecture me when I was leaving a local park about how I could kill trees in the park by using a hammock on them. He saw the area I was reading my book in but not the exact trees I was hanging from, so we took a walk over and I asked him to show me what trees I was on since I damaged them. He picked 2 trees about 8 ft apart and said that they were the ones I was using. I told him my hammock body was 10 ft long and I couldn't hang from those if I wanted to.

    After about talking and joking for about 30 minutes, he gave up and I set the hammock up the same way it was when I was reading. First he was amazed that I hung from 2 trees about 20ft apart, next he was amazed that there was no damage on the trees and 3rd he was amazed how cumfy the hammock was.

    On the walk back to my car and his, I pointed out an area off the trail where someone had set up a tent. He said that alot of people stealth camp and they are always damaging the undergrowth.
    Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time. ~Steven Wright

  7. #27
    slowhike's Avatar
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    [QUOTE=Iafte;58840]
    After about talking and joking for about 30 minutes, he gave up and I set the hammock up the same way it was when I was reading. First he was amazed that I hung from 2 trees about 20ft apart, next he was amazed that there was no damage on the trees and 3rd he was amazed how cumfy the hammock was.
    QUOTE]

    way to go Iafte!
    I too will something make and joy in it's making

  8. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by bear bag hanger View Post
    Maybe slightly off topic here. But only a little. I think the damage tents do to the ground is, maybe, about equal to the damage we do to the trees. Below is my opinion, I haven't spent a lot of time formally studying this.

    I've been using hammocks for about five or six years now. During my 2004 AT thru hike, I talked to several rangers, of interest is one in the Smokies and another one in the New Hampshire Whites. Both mentioned they do not ticket people using hammocks in the wrong places, but not to tell anyone where I heard it.

    On the other hand, I've observed my own hammock does damage to the trees I hang on, even it it's just a little. I use one inch stapping to minimize this damage, but it's still there. I have tried using two inch wide tree savers, but still noticed as much damage as the narrower straps. Early on, I noticed rope does a whole lot more damage and shouldn't be used.

    Usually, when I come into a campsite, I can tell which trees have been used for hanging. I also can see when a tree gets used a lot. It will eventually kill the tree. I think a single tree can be used several times a year without harm, but when it gets used several times a week, all the time, it will die. I don't think anyone has ever done a study to see how many times a tree can be used before permanent damage is done. Even the hard bark trees will die if used too much. I've also observed that when a tent tamps down the grass, etc. it comes back pretty fast if not used over and over again.

    I've been reading other threads about hammock stands, but still haven't seen anything remotely useable for backpacking. If we start getting a large percentage of campers using hammocks, this may be our only salvation.

    I still, of course, use my hammock. Tents aren't exactly great for the environment either. But, let's not kid ourselves into thinking we don't hurt anything when we go out there.

    OK, let the flames begin ...
    No flames here. I do disagree....I've seen plenty of trees with peoples initials carved in them, nails driven in them etc, that have survived quite well. Trees are remarkably resilient. Regarding damage done from repeated hammock hanging.....in all the years of car camping in campgrounds, my grand total of hammock hanging sitings has been precisely......(drum roll please)....one! Other than mine, I've never seen one while backpacking. Frankly, I think the overall negative effects of hammock hanging is nil to none. Having said that, I do believe it is our moral responsibility to take every reasonable precaution to protect our environment.

    Miguel

  9. #29
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    There are so many variables that it is difficult to get a good handle on what is happening. There are different types of trees, different weights in hammocks, different suspension systems, different basic hanging schemes where minimum stress is applied to the trees versus maximum stress applied to trees, wilderness camping in areas where trees grow like weeds versus high use camp grounds where trees are scarce and slow growing, and probably other variables as well.
    Youngblood AT2000

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