TechDeck nylon lacing

[alexyoung]

So, noob question here: I have about 50' of this stuff: http://snowshoe.com/index.cfm?pageid=60&productid=TD#TD left over from a snowshoe making project (Sweet snowshoes, btw. Ojibwe model. Work great on deep snow. UWSP's Treehaven facility just outside of town here teaches a snowshoe weaving class if you're from WI and are interested)

Anyhow, so I've got a bunch of this cord - per the website it says it's good to 1400# and it's tubular, and it CLAIMS that it doesn't stretch, which I know is the complaint w/the nylon in the ENO SlapStraps I got with my SN...

Aside from the stretching potential that apparently is a problem w/nylon, and I realize this stuff is probably not as lightweight as some cords, but anyone see any major problems with attempting to use this stuff to make some whoopies??

[TATO]

Do you know what the diameter and weight per foot is?

[Bubba]

It looks like its 3/8 of an inch. Do you know how many strands it is? 1400# per strand sound like it would be strong enough. It would need to be hollow core braided to provide constriction for whoopie slings.

[alexyoung]

Well, I've made the whoopies and attached them to the hammock - tomorrow I'll test them in actual hanging use - but I did hang each one from a pull-up bar in my house by the static loop and stood up with one foot in the adjustable loop - and they both held my weight, so far so good!

With some left over cord I made a structural ridgeline as well, the amount I had left over just covers the 83% of hammock length formula so hopefully that's a comfortable hang for me - I'll know tomorrow!

[Bubba]

Sounds like you'll be good to go.

[the_gr8t_waldo]

at .25per foot, it's right in there with the per foot price of amsteel.125" in snowshoe use i would think nylon's strechyness would be a good thing- in hammock suspention, not so much

[Bubba]

The website says it does not stretch even though it is nylon. An issue some would bring forth would be the diametre. 3/8" vs 7/64" is significant to some people here.

[the_gr8t_waldo]

nylon stretches... exotic finishing processes can modify that a bit, lacking that it stretches! about the only other thing that could modify that is to weave it differently . and tubeular produces a very stretchy rope. ...from the web site-" after lacing the cordage is treated to a few coats of varnish." this in effect glues the fibers together so that they canot pass by each other. (not all that exotic but it will take a lot of stretchyness outa the cordage!) what is non stretch to one person is very stretchy to another.

[Bubba]

nylon stretches... exotic finishing processes can modify that a bit, lacking that it stretches! about the only other thing that could modify that is to weave it differently . and tubeular produces a very stretchy rope. ...from the web site- after lacing the cordage is treated to a few coats of varnish. this in effect glues the fibers together so that they canot pass by each other. (not all that exotic but it will take a lot of stretchyness outa the cordage!) what is non stretch to one person is very stretchy to another.

I agree with your first post. My tone was to reiterate the website claims with a bit of reservation. Like you I don't necessarily agree that it will not stretch but I was supporting the the OP in his efforts of utilizing something different and waiting to see his results.

[alexyoung]

I set it up in the woods behind my house and lay in it for a little over an hour - tried it between a couple sets of trees - close together and far apart, it seemed to work out fine, I'll have to test for longer to see if it stretches appreciably over, say, a night... but didn't notice anything in the hour or so that I was out there - took it down and set it up a few times to brainstorm improvements... added a couple pieces of shock cord to coil the whoopies for storage and also can be used to keep the loose end from dragging on the ground when tightened up all the way (see picture)... Oh yeah, and I used a pretty long bury because I just figured larger diameter, bury's got to be more... that was before I found that there was a formula to calculate the bury... but it held me... so far so good, for stuff I had laying around the house I suppose...