My odyssey started simple enough. I was laying in my hammock thinking about my next hiking trip. Specifically I was thinking about ways I could cut some weight from my WBBB and of course my mind fixed on the stock suspension. Don't get me wrong, the stock straps and buckles work great and are almost completely idiot proof. (Which is always a plus when I am involved) But as we all know it is on the heavy side and very bulky. So what is a poor boy today?

And then it hit my like a bolt of lightening. Whoopieslings!

So I got online and ordered up a set of slings and tree straps from Dutch complete with Dutch clips. Looked pretty fool proof to me. Easy to install, versatile and much much lighter. I placed the order and a few days later had them installed on my hammock and all was well with the world.

Except well, the stock tree straps were just a little on the small side. We have some pretty good sized trees here in the south east and the 4 footers that came from Dutch were a little on the short side. So what to do, what to do?

Order longer tree straps!

Sure that will fix everything I told myself and I ordered up a set of 8 footers from Whoopieslings.com. They arrived a few days latter and fit perfect. Good quality, plenty of length, loops sewn with double boxed ends. Hammock went up nice and easy with plenty of room for any tree I would want to hang from and all was well with the world.

Except well, the straps and six foot whoopies were almost too long. The whoopies from Dutch attached to the tree straps at the very end and now if the tree was on the small side I had to wrap the strap around the tree several times which made it a little more difficult to get that perfect hang. What to do, what to do.

Convert to a toggle and use a marlin spike hitch! Perfect!

So off to Home Depot I went to get some aluminum tubing. Zip Zip went the chop saw, well more like GRRRRR GRRRRRR, a quick stop by the belt sander to knock down the burs and a finish polish with some 00 steel wool. Two nice new shiny toggles. A quick trip to Shug's Youtube site to figure out how to tie the Marlin Spike hitch. Hammock goes up easy peasy with a perfect hang angle on the first try and all is well with the world.

Well except, now I really didn't need the dutch clips to connect the whoopies to the hammock. I know it is a small thing but I am a big believer in the K.I.S.S. principle and it was one more point of possible failure. (Not that Dutch's gear is anything but top quality) I could just remove the dutch clips but, that would be too easy. Plus I might want to use that suspension for another Hammock. (Did I mention I am a hoarder when it comes to gear. ) So I just ordered a second set of whoopieslings, this time from whoopieslings.com. And now I am sure that this will be the perfect suspension and all will be well with the world.

But you know, now I have two complete spare suspension systems just laying around. DIY hammock anyone?


--louis

PS: Hammocks should come with a warning from the Surgeon General stating that if you start tinkering with your hammock it could be bad for your mental health.