Sticks and Lightning

**tsquared** · 05-14-2009, 15:22

Alright what are the chances of a stick hitting you, or your tree getting struck by lightning, less or better than tent camping?

**tater** · 05-14-2009, 15:29

I'd say exactly the same. Unless you are talking about tenting in an open space, then it would be hard to say.

**Knotty** · 05-14-2009, 16:56

It's probably easier to chose a tent location that has less above it then a hammock spot. Hammocks need trees.

Also a tree is the most likely thing for lightning to hit, so IMHO the tent wins.

None the less, I'll still hang.

**RTR** · 05-14-2009, 17:19

Originally Posted by Knotty

It's probably easier to chose a tent location that has less above it then a hammock spot. Hammocks need trees.

Also a tree is the most likely thing for lightning to hit, so IMHO the tent wins.

None the less, I'll still hang.

+1...Figure I'll run the risk to be comfy. I do look when I am hanging in a grove to make sure I am not on the tree that's the tallest if I can help it. Although living in Utah we do not see much lighting around where I live so really can't say I worry to much.

**Roadtorque** · 05-14-2009, 16:59

I usually set a tent up under the shade of a tree. So for me its probably equal. Still, the chance are very small

**miisterwright** · 05-14-2009, 17:31

I remember reading thread on here about how lightning follows the path of least resistance to the ground. It put me at ease about lightning strikes. To sum up the electricity isn't going to make a 90 deg. turn an run across the lines to your hammock. It makes sense.

But I would advise everyone to ALWAYS LOOK UP before you hang to make sure there aren't dead branches. I once hung one side to a dead tree unknowingly. (It was right up against a living tree, so when I looked up and saw green, I didn't see that one tree was dead.) Anyway a chunk of dead tree fell of the top and struck my friend who was in the hammock. God protected him, but it could have been a very bad situation. It cut our trip short and cost me a hammock. But it could have been serious injury.

You should look up to check for dead branches with a tent as well. Neither shelter does very well against falling objects. I don't think a hammock is at all more dangerous when it comes to lightning, if that is the motivation for the thread. Be careful regardless of your shelter of choice.
~Bryan

**Knotty** · 05-14-2009, 23:04

Originally Posted by mbwtt

I remember reading thread on here about how lightning follows the path of least resistance to the ground. It put me at ease about lightning strikes. To sum up the electricity isn't going to make a 90 deg. turn an run across the lines to your hammock. It makes sense.

Problem is lightning doesn't like to play by the rules. As a sailboat owner I've studied the subject at great length. Scared is being in the middle of the bay in a lightning storm with your 35' aluminum mast being the tallest thing around. My friends boat got hit and the path of damage defied logic.

While the bulk of the strike will follow the easiest path, there will often be many additional routes taken as well. If the tree you're tied to gets hit, all bets are off.

**miisterwright** · 05-15-2009, 00:00

I guess you're right, Knotty. I wouldn't want to find out first hand one way or the other

**NorseAmerican** · 05-16-2009, 19:46

Originally Posted by Knotty

Problem is lightning doesn't like to play by the rules. As a sailboat owner I've studied the subject at great length. Scared is being in the middle of the bay in a lightning storm with your 35' aluminum mast being the tallest thing around. My friends boat got hit and the path of damage defied logic.

While the bulk of the strike will follow the easiest path, there will often be many additional routes taken as well. If the tree you're tied to gets hit, all bets are off.

Reminds me of a feeder race from Sandy Hook to Manasquan week prior to MRYC Tri-sail. We were going into some nast storms, so one of the partners went below deck only to come back with life vests and jumper cables

I was like WTF!? Was new to sailing at the time, but was sure when he hooked up one end to the side stay and threw the other end overboard that it did not seem like something that would work.

**Half Step** · 05-25-2009, 17:13

Originally Posted by Knotty

Problem is lightning doesn't like to play by the rules. .... If the tree you're tied to gets hit, all bets are off.

99.9% of the time I'd have to agree. However, I was hammock hanging in Fern Forest park in Ft. Lauderdale one July 5th when an afternoon squall line came through. No problem, thinks I, I'm in the middle of zillions of trees, and it's not my first time. The odds are in my favor. . .

Of course one of my trees took a hit. Kinda bridged across to the other tree. I was inside an orange-white cylinder of it, more or less. I wish I had a picture. I kind of levitated across the 50 ft. or so of drowned grass to my car. Later on I went back for my crutches

Nothing was hurt, amazingly, though I felt like I'd been mainlined with straight caffeine!

And yes, I still hang out in thunderstorms. I love 'em, and love the great naps I get! We just had an awesome sea-breeze front storm go through this past hour, in fact. It's the widow-makers that I worry about, living in an old-growth oak and hickory wood. Good times, though of course YMMV. . . .