Are our suspensions systems safe

[Charliev]

I was laying in my diy hammock last night. 1.9 dwr ripstop nylon with 7/64 amsteel suspension marlin spiked to straps around tree. I am laying there looking at those skinny little strings holding my butt off the ground and got to wondering just how safe is this so i did a little research. I went to samson rope web site for some interesting information.
According to samson working test of a rope is 1/5 of breaking test. And if life and limb safety is involved then it is less than that. If you figure 1/7 then that brings that 1600 down to around 230 lbs. further reduction in rope strength is caused be wear, age, deterioration cause be shock (squirming around trying to get everything situated. I bet i look like a grasshopper caught in a spider web, causes damage to the rope).

Realistically though that still keeps it close to my eno atlas straps rated at 200 lbs each. That is a fair safety margin but 1/8 or 3/16 would be a lot safer. I aint gonna hang over no rocks, cacti, rattlesnakes and i gonna hang low. We need to keep an eye on our suspension and replace suspect items. I realize that 1/5 or 1/7 is worse case senario, plus most of hangers don' t hang that high anyhow. I may replace mine with 3/16 as they get ratty looking. But for now i ain't hanging over no rocks, cacti, or rattlesnakes an gonna hang it low.

[Ratdog]

I reckon y'all be fine.
'Ceptin' less ya fixin' to hang off the side of a cliff or whatnot.

[gmcttr]

Welcome to HF Charliev.

It did take some getting used to looking at the skinny rope holding me up.

However, having used 7/64" Amsteel Blue whoopie slings for a few years, read the technical and research documents I could find, discussed our specific usage with a Samson engineer and watched the reports from hangers much heavier than myself, at 185 lbs I have complete confidence in my suspensions as I use them. And as you advise, part of my usage is to inspect my suspension systems more often than necessary.

[Zilla]

Welcome to the forum,, i am a big guy and felt the same way. Easy fix - make yourself some whoopies out of 1/8 amsteel and move up to 3,000 lb tree straps.. Or better yet you can do what i did, get rid of the whoopies alltogether and just go with the strap and buckle method,, you can get the cinch buckles and 3,000 lb straps made up at readystraps.com,, the buckles are rated to 4,000 bls.,..Piece of mind -- priceless,, but keep in mind that this is just my opinion and there are alot of ways to stay safe, you need to find what makes you feel secure, thats the only way to really relax,,

[skwatupu]

"But for now I ain't hanging over no rocks, cacti, or rattlesnakes an gonna hang it low."

Classic.

[Shug]

Many a night I done hung off them there skinny little twiny ropes. I'm OK.

So far.

Shug

[XTrekker]

Sometimes when I am laying up in my hammock and I look up at my Dynaglide UCRs, I can almost hear Sgt Rock saying, "You're Gonna Die".

[psyon27]

Sometimes when I am laying up in my hammock and I look up at my Dynaglide UCRs, I can almost hear Sgt Rock saying, "You're Gonna Die".

That video is the first thing that came to my mind! lol

Ken

[Canoefor2]

I have less worry from amsteel as I did have the ENO straps threads break and fell at two in the morning. Let me tell you that you wake up quit fast.

Since then I have gone to using climbing runners at 22 kilonewtons

[wcdaniels]

As a heavy hanger, I'm just fine using webbing straps. I just can't feel comfortable with those skinny little ropes.