Skip the Eno Atlas straps.
Go to Home Depot or Lowes and get polyester ratchet straps. The ones I got are 1" wide, 10' long, and had a loop on one end. The breaking strength is 1300 or 1400 lbs.
Cut off the hardware and you're left with an almost 10' strap with a loop. I tie the marlin spike hitch and put the caribiner through instead of a toggle.
I think this is what I got. http://goo.gl/NsCnQc
I shamelessly stole this idea from someone on this forum but I don't remember who it was.
The ratchet straps are probably cheaper, but the Atlas straps are so easy to use and very dependableOriginally Posted by djcrawford24
Another +1 to shug's videos, a great starting point to learn all about hanging. Arrowhead Equipment also sells a complete whoopie sling package all ready to hang.
"It’s a dangerous business, walking out one’s front door" – Gandalf
Tieing a marlin spike hitch isn't exactly hard, nor unreliable.
Atlas straps wight more if you're backpacking, and are only adjustable in increments. With a regular strap and MSH you can place the toggle wherever you need it.
You are starting down a road that has LOTS of differing answers just in case you had not figured that out by now. Everyone has a very different thought on what is required. The information you got on going to You Tube and checking out Shug's video will be the most valuable information you can get.
To add my two cents to the mix...keep it simple to start with. Simple to me means:
1) Tarp - You can start with an old blue noisy tarp
2) Something to tie the tarp down with - To start use whatever you have or cheap stuff but something made of Poly is best so it does not stretch out on you. You can buy stakes or make your own from available material.
3) Hammock - ENO Single is a good place to start
4) Suspension for Hammock - Atlas Straps are easy to use for a beginner but as others have pointed out, there are less expensive options if you want
5) Insulation - Wal-Mart Closed Cell Foam (CCF) will work for cheap but an Under Quilt (UQ) IMHO is more comfy but you will need to figure out what works for you. For a Top Quilt (TQ) you can use an old sleeping bag. Of course this all assumes your temps fall below 70F =/- at night. If your temps are hot then you can skip the quilts and just tie a light blanket under you and toss the same over you.
6) Bug net if you live in an insect infested area like I do. ENO makes one that works well with their products but you can make one for less cost if you choose.
Shug, you have birthed so many of us into the world of hammocks! I,too, watched and learned, nourished by your wisdom and expertise, and I ventured into DIY hammananigans and have never looked back!
Watch the Shug videos
You can order a suspension from readystrap.com like I just did. You can order a similar setup from warbonnetoutdoors.com, or several vendors sell the strap/whoopie setup, with toggle or caribiner. (IMO, the caribiner is more multifunctional) Not familiar with the Atlas straps, I assume they're a non-stretch version of the slap straps? When talking easy/simple, nothing is more that than the cinch buckle and strap suspension.
So, that's what you need to hang your hammock. As others have mentioned, there's a host of other "stuff" that you'll need to camp in the hammock. Only thing you just have to have in addition to the two items you mentioned and straps/suspension, is either a pad or UQ. The rest is preference.
"I wonder if anyone else has an ear so tuned and sharpened as I have, to detect the music, not of the spheres, but of earth, subtleties of major and minor chord that the wind strikes upon the tree branches. Have you ever heard the earth breathe... ?"
- Kate Chopin
With this two items all you would need to
Would be a set of ENO Atlas straps to hang your hammock
And (6) stakes to hold down your tarp
And if you intend to camp with this setup
You will need a pad sleeping bag
And the ENO bug net
You don't need a bunch of fancy hooks and clips things
To start out
Try it as is before going off the deep end
This is your one stop shop for all Hammock knowledge
A lot to take in! I'll look into it all bit by bit. I'm intending this to be my setup for solo hiking so long as there are trees. I'll try to keep the weight down.
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