Or as much as camo!Originally Posted by Tobit
QFT and FTW!I love my cinch buckles as much as neo loves his Claytors.
Or as much as camo!QFT and FTW!
Is that too much to ask? Girls with frikkin' lasers on their heads?
The hanger formly known as "hammock engineer".
Since I'm to blame for keeping this thread active - I thought I'd followup and say the 1/2 hitch was the cure for my slippage problems! Woot!
If I get my tarp in the mail this weekend I'm planning on sleeping out this weekend if it's reasonably cool and see if I can get my ridgeline setup and adjusted...
Thanks
Jim
I've experimented with a few suspension techniques, and have now settled on Just Jeff's design, as described in post #1 of this thread. Instead of a carabeener, I have a loop sewn in my 10' webbing. I wrap the looped end around a tree twice and put the running end through the loop. Then the running end goes to the descender rings, exactly as Just Jeff describes. This is VERY simple, and since I'm using SMC's aluminum descender rings, it's very lightweight. I think the onrope1.com cinch buckles would be a little better (as per my own criteria), but I didn't want to have to buy the minumum of 5 where I only need 2, plus I figured I'd have to sew the buckles to my hammock, whereas all I need with the rings is a couple of short pieces of cord.
Last edited by amac; 08-07-2008 at 20:58.
I figured that my first post should be in this thread since I took the time to read it all. . .
I just finished my first suspension, using 1" steel rings from Lowes (39¢ each) and Harbor Freight webbing (the orange 4 piece set). I found that the webbing slips a bit with these rings and the slip knot helped stop that but I was wondering if the smaller diameter of these rings might be a contributor.
I'm also wondering what the current consensus is on super budget accessory cord. I'd like to get some for attaching the rings to the hammock, a structural ridgeline and tarp rigging. Does Amsteel Blue 7/64" hold knots well enough to use for these applications?
It sure does, Amsteel is mostly used on performance sailboats where good knots are essential. If my 3mm Amsteel Blue can support my weight with just a simple bowline, it can handle just about anything.
I have my amsteel slip on knots unless I leave a sizable tail sticking out. By sizeable I am talking 1" or so.
I may be slow... But I sure am gimpy.
"Bless you child, when you set out to thread a needle don't hold the thread still and fetch the needle up to it; hold the needle still and poke the thread at it; that's the way a woman most always does, but a man always does t'other way."
Mrs. Loftus to Huck Finn
We Don't Sew... We Make Gear! video series
Important thread injector guidelines especially for Newbies
Bobbin Tension - A Personal Viewpoint
My experience with ring buckles... thanks Jeff
Just wanted to tell my experience with the ring buckle system, I'm trying the system on my hh. Its awsome. I haven't tried it outdoors, but it has solved the problems i expected it to do while using the hammock in my room. Even though i've used the system happily, for 4 nights straight, I have not removed the hh suspension ropes yet.
weight difference:
The hammock with out the stock tarp, in the #4 snakeskins, plus 4 bronze rings, 9 meters of polynylon webbing, all inside the hh stuff sack, weight arround 1.2 kg. The whole hh default system (hammock, stock tarp, diy poly tree huggers, hh treehuggers, #4 snakeskins, stuff sack) also was arround 1.2 kg.
On trips i usually use the hex tarp and pack it appart from the hammock, but also take the stock tarp in the snakeskins with the hammock just incase. With the ring buckle syst i cant use the stock tarp as i would with the ropes. I guess that if i stay with the rings i might stop using the stock tarp. It would be a shame since i think i was one of the few who was able to use the stock tarp succesfully under ugly weather without needing to attach it to the trees instead of the ropes.
for now my concern is to get some aluminium rings and how well this system would work under heavy rain condittion and the water that runs down the suspension, which i assume would only get as far as the rings are if using the hh hex tarp. I will test it one of these days pouring some water intentionally as suggested on some thread i read arround here. also, im using a bowline knot to attach the rings to the suspesion ropes, should i used another know?
anyways, thanks for the idea.
I have done the dirty deed. I cut the stock ropes off my HH Safari and converted completely to the ring buckles. I'm using that system on the DIY hammocks I make as well. I also converted my tarp lines to figure 9's Part of this is make it easier on my wife if she decides to camp with me some more. But part of it is also to make it faster and easier for me. I did finish off the rope stumps with a figure 8 on a bight so I have a nice strong loop at the if I need it for anything. I may use it for hanging my gear bag while set up. In fact that sounds like a good idea. In addition I snugged the tails down with a prussic for the rope to the rings. It's tight... I have no doubt about that.
I may be slow... But I sure am gimpy.
"Bless you child, when you set out to thread a needle don't hold the thread still and fetch the needle up to it; hold the needle still and poke the thread at it; that's the way a woman most always does, but a man always does t'other way."
Mrs. Loftus to Huck Finn
We Don't Sew... We Make Gear! video series
Important thread injector guidelines especially for Newbies
Bobbin Tension - A Personal Viewpoint
im still very happy with the RBS, but a few questions if i may...
1. what do you ring buckle users do with the extra webbing that hangs about? each end on mine is 4.5 m so theres alot hanging most of the time and i try tying it to the webing but it somehow ends loosening and hanging down. ive thought of making a pair of little pouches to leave hanging from the rings at each end and just roll the extra weebing and store it there. any other suggestions?
2. for hh people: compared to the rope and tree hugger method, im under the impression that the rbs allows tensioning the ridgeline tighter and easier, so much i think ive come close to breaking it without being aware of it. i shouldn't do this, right? i mean, i should be carefull not to tighten the webbing to much or i might over tension the ridgeline and snap it? has anyone pullled too hard the webbing through the rings that they end up breaking the rl?
3. im having trouble getting the foot end higher than the head end. Maybe i need more time and experimentation but ive tried many ways and i somehow never get it right. most of the time the head end is higher than the FE or just at same level. only once have i been able to set it up with the footend higher but it was luck, or at least im sure i didn't intend for it to happen. So, any tips on this?
4. is SMC the best-strongest ring brand? im really concerned my bronze(50 cents a piece, not tested) rings aren't made for this type of usage so im looking to get some from the US but i only get to buy them once (while i keep saving for an underquilt or ss, and also because ordering things from here is a huge pain) so i want to get the best possible ones and not worry of having to place more ordersuntil i have money for the uq.
Hope i was clear enough. as always, i appreciate any tips.
Last edited by elcolombianito; 08-18-2008 at 23:21.
I used the ring buckle system and an HH for a while, before changing over to lower bulk/lighter weight cord. But I can have a go at some of your questions.
I rolled up the extra in a flat loop about 4 inches long, and put a heavy-duty rubber band around the loop to hold it all together.
right.2. for hh people: compared to the rope and tree hugger method, im under the impression that the rbs allows tensioning the ridgeline tighter and easier, so much i think ive come close to breaking it without being aware of it. i shouldn't do this, right?
A number of people who used RBS or cinch buckles last year reported snapping the ridgeline.
i mean, i should be carefull not to tighten the webbing to much or i might over tension the ridgeline and snap it? has anyone pullled too hard the webbing through the rings that they end up breaking the rl?
I think of the ridgeline as a way to tune the height and tension of the rest of the suspension to get the sag that the ridgeline identifies. Basically, what you want---all you want---is to have the angle of the rope from the hammock to the tree (or rings) be just a smidgeon smaller than the angle of the hammock body to the ridgeline. You will know that you have approached this point when the ridgline goes from drooping to being taut. What tightening up the webbing does is to flatten the angle from hammock to tree. Once it is flatter than the angle of hammock to ridgeline there is absolutely no point in tightening up further, except possibly to raise the hammock body up higher off the ground. But for that it is better to just move the point of connection to the tree up a little.
What happens when you tighten one end of the webbing is a bit more complex than you probably realize. So the surest way to get one end higher than another is to raise the point of connection to tree, on the end to be higher, leaving the length of the suspension webbing alone. Works every time.3. im having trouble getting the foot end higher than the head end. Maybe i need more time and experimentation but ive tried many ways and i somehow never get it right. most of the time the head end is higher than the FE or just at same level. only once have i been able to set it up with the footend higher but it was luck, or at least im sure i didn't intend for it to happen. So, any tips on this?
The SMC rings are among my favorite pieces of hammock gear to have around. They are light, useful in many contexts, relatively cheap, and very strong. Are they the strongest? No, heavier rings are stronger. But the SMC rings give you multiple times more strength than you need.4. is SMC the best-strongest ring brand? im really concerned my bronze(50 cents a piece, not tested) rings aren't made for this type of usage so im looking to get some from the US but i only get to buy them once (while i keep saving for an underquilt or ss, and also because ordering things from here is a huge pain) so i want to get the best possible ones and not worry of having to place more ordersuntil i have money for the uq.
Grizz
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