Any way to lock a hammock to prevent its theft?

**mgabel_pi** · 11-12-2008, 19:03

I'm rather paranoid about my stuff and don't like to leave things and the go off for a hike. I've sort have figured that a tent is rather hard to steal quickly, but surely this is not the case for a hammock. [Actually, I pacsafe my stuff before i go somewhere: http://www.pacsafe.com/]

So, is there a way to lock it up?

I'm thinking that one should be able to lock it so that the only way it can be taken (if the lock/cable is not broken/picked) is if so much damage has to be done to the material of the hammock that it would then not be worth having.

**Roadtorque** · 11-12-2008, 19:28

I leave a few of these behind to watch my stuff

!!! I think you have a good question and I'm looking forward to answers. The only thing I can think to tell you is I believe most people use hammocks while backpacking therefore the hammock goes with them while hiking. Other people "stealth camp" or go way out in the middle of nowhere to hang a hammock as a base shelter for a few days. I've never seen a hammock as the primary shelter at public campgrounds before but then again I'm out west where hammocks are a bit slower to catch on then back east

**mgabel_pi** · 11-12-2008, 19:45

(needed 10 characters)

**Ramblinrev** · 11-12-2008, 20:01

Truth be known... I'd suspect I could steal a two person backpacking tent as fast as I could steal a hammock if I wanted to. At least get it off the site and pack it up somewhere else. It is pretty quick to pull stakes, slip poles, wad and run. A single person tent, bivy or tarp tent is pretty much a snatch and grab jobber.

This is only to say if someone wants your stuff.... they can pretty much get it. Locking your loaded pack is one thing. Securing an established base camp is something totally different. If I had to make sure my base camp was secure I would tear down each morning, pack it up and then pacsafe it or take it with me. I'd rather tear down and set up a hammock than a tent any day. Just my thoughts.

**turk** · 11-12-2008, 20:12

I'd wager i could steal a freestanding tent way faster than a hammock setup.

Pulling guylines, and undoing the suspension is the time killer.

**Ongs-Hat** · 11-12-2008, 20:39

If somebody wants your property they will get it....one way or another. Atleast that is my experience with thieves

**NCPatrick** · 11-12-2008, 20:44

I could have used the pacsafe up at MAHHA this year. My camera was pilfered out of my pack while I was out sightseeing.

**FanaticFringer** · 11-12-2008, 20:54

Stealth hanging is your best option

**pedro** · 11-12-2008, 21:01

IMHO, you would be better off taking the "out of sight out of mind" approach. If you can't stealth camp, concentrate on making your camp as fast as possible to deploy/tear down. Then cache it somewhere. Just make sure that YOU can find it again!

**LostCause** · 11-12-2008, 21:04

I was thinking of this exact issue earlier this year. I went to the Texas Renaissance festival and they had camping there, but you would leave it out while you were in the festival. I wouldn't want anyone taking my stuff, and I guess we could pack and unpack everything into the car but who wants to do that? I considered bike locks, pacsafes, and looking online for some kind of way to set up a electric shock device on the ring suspension or zippers.

In the end we just drove up there and back because I got called out to work the next day, but this is a question that has plagued me for a while. I'm really interested to hear what creative methods people come up with. HF is great for that!

edit: FF... your avatar made me think there was something crawling on my screen for a second... lol