Accommodating Short Hang Distances with Whoopie Slings

[hangNyak]

However one has to be able to pitch their tarp between the same two trees as well. With 11' and 12' ridgeline lengths quite popular with tarps, anywhere I can properly hang my tarp, I can certainly hang my hammock.

Well said. This IMHO is pointless if there is not enough room for your tarp. If going without a tarp, pray for no rain,wind or snow. I use whoopie slings and love them, but if there is not enough span, I'm looking for different trees. The only place I have an issue is on my hammock stand, and then it's only with one of the three hammocks I have.

[kbajg]

Two methods to accommodate hang distances that are too short for whoopie slings

One using a continuous loop at the ends of the hammock and bypassing the whoopie slings entirely.

The other doubling your whoopie sling back on itself and girth hitching both the adjustable and fixed eyes on the hammock and putting the doubled over whoopie sling behind the MSH on the tree strap. This can be repeated multiple times, each time halving the length of the whoopie sling.

With both methods, you lose the adjustability of the whoopie slings. However, you can move the MSH up and down the tree strap to change the length if needed.

Very nice info good to have options.
Not to hijack your thread but this past weekend camping/hanging I used your method "Hiker Pole Side Pullout for Tarps" I noticed it popped up at the end of your video (You sir are a genius) That works like a charm. I changed it a little by using shock cord on the pull outs but same effect. I like how the shock cord can give & take as the wind dictates.
Great ideas keep em coming.

[Tendertoe]

Well said. This IMHO is pointless if there is not enough room for your tarp. If going without a tarp, pray for no rain,wind or snow. I use whoopie slings and love them, but if there is not enough span, I'm looking for different trees. The only place I have an issue is on my hammock stand, and then it's only with one of the three hammocks I have.

Before we even consider any of this, these methods are to be used in less than ideal situations.

Two points -

1. You can fit an 11 or 12 foot RL tarp between nearly any distance trees if they are all that are around (imagine a car camp, desert, etc.). Heck, you can drape your tarp over your hammock and your 12 foot RL tarp can be made to fit over your hammock with nearly any length RL (6 foot, 7 foot, 8 foot, etc.) and fit between trees as short as your height if need be.

However, if you don't know how to make your hammock fit that span, you're sleeping on the cold ground.


2. If you have a 10 or even an 11 foot hammock with no ridgeline (Switchback comes to mind, or any DIY of course) your hammock "hung length" can be the full 10 or 11 feet when not restricted with a ridgeline; add 2-4 feet of whoopie slings and your minimum hang distance is now 12-15 feet. Your tarp with an 11 foot or even a 12 foot RL would fit trees with 11 or 12 feet between them, however, your 10 or 11 foot hammock with no ridgeline and stock whoopie slings needs 12-15 feet and will not work without some type of accommodation.

Once again, in a forest with hundreds of trees, accommodations would not be needed - just move along to other trees. However, in less than ideal situations and/or with longer hammocks without ridgelines, having a few tricks up your sleeve to make things work can keep you off the ground.

Very nice info good to have options.
Not to hijack your thread but this past weekend camping/hanging I used your method "Hiker Pole Side Pullout for Tarps" I noticed it popped up at the end of your video (You sir are a genius) That works like a charm. I changed it a little by using shock cord on the pull outs but same effect. I like how the shock cord can give & take as the wind dictates.
Great ideas keep em coming.

Glad the pullouts worked for you.

[MAD777]

Thank you Tendertoe for the demonstration!
I've never been able to figure out why some folks think that there is some kind of minimum distance associated with whoopies. There simply isn't.

Besides, is their tarp shorter than their hammock???

[hangNyak]

Before we even consider any of this, these methods are to be used in less than ideal situations.

Two points -

1. You can fit an 11 or 12 foot RL tarp between nearly any distance trees if they are all that are around (imagine a car camp, desert, etc.). Heck, you can drape your tarp over your hammock and your 12 foot RL tarp can be made to fit over your hammock with nearly any length RL (6 foot, 7 foot, 8 foot, etc.) and fit between trees as short as your height if need be.

However, if you don't know how to make your hammock fit that span, you're sleeping on the cold ground.


2. If you have a 10 or even an 11 foot hammock with no ridgeline (Switchback comes to mind, or any DIY of course) your hammock "hung length" can be the full 10 or 11 feet when not restricted with a ridgeline; add 2-4 feet of whoopie slings and your minimum hang distance is now 12-15 feet. Your tarp with an 11 foot or even a 12 foot RL would fit trees with 11 or 12 feet between them, however, your 10 or 11 foot hammock with no ridgeline and stock whoopie slings needs 12-15 feet and will not work without some type of accommodation.

Once again, in a forest with hundreds of trees, accommodations would not be needed - just move along to other trees. However, in less than ideal situations and/or with longer hammocks without ridgelines, having a few tricks up your sleeve to make things work can keep you off the ground.

I got ya. Most of what I've come across, is running out of Whoopie sling length. Can ya help a guy out with that one? Btw, nice video and demonstration.

[1csleptonkayak]

Very helpful ideas for a fellow WBRR owner (and fellow buckeye) just starting out with whoopie slings. I was starting to wonder whether a shortening of the RR dogbones was going to be necessary to accomplish the shorter hang distances.

[nothermark]

Thank you Tendertoe for the demonstration!
I've never been able to figure out why some folks think that there is some kind of minimum distance associated with whoopies. There simply isn't.

Besides, is their tarp shorter than their hammock???

Yes there is. Without resorting to tricks there is the length of the bury on each end plus room for the marlin spike hitch plus any excess loop length on the fixed loop. With the same hammock and straps the buckle and fixed loop introduce about the same length but it does not take more than an inch or two more to the tree. Even playing tricks with the whoopee slings you can divide the bury in half and some room between the knot and the tree. That is longer than a strap or a Hennessy anchored rope and knot.