Stingerz "mod" - extend the line without adding more line

[hutzelbein]

I just posted this in another thread, but thought it might be worth a stand-alone thread as I haven't seen anybody else posting something similar.

Since I got my Dutch Stingerz, I ditched all other methods of hanging my tarps. I don't know any better/easier way to hang a tarp. However, I had two problems:

1. I found that with the ridgeline spliced to the Stingerz as intended by the maker, the V helping to prevent the hammock suspension to rub against the tarp line was not as large as I would like it to be: the tip is a Stingerz-length away from the tarp (= where the line is spliced to the Stingerz).

2. I often have to use trees spaced apart a lot more than I would like (recently had to use two birches about 10m apart), but I don't want to carry 2 x 25m of line.

This is why I decided not to splice my ridgeline to the Stingerz but to use it seperately. I spliced loops into one end and larksheaded them to the tarp. For normal hangs I use them in the usual way, but the tip of the V is now much closer to the tarp. And if I run out of line, I can detach the line, pass it around the tree and feed it through the loop (like you would with tree huggers) and run a single line back to the Stingerz. And voilà: I just added several meters of tarp line without additional hardware.

Here are two pictures to illustrate:

[gbolt]

I wish I had pics...those are nice to show your method. I do not use the second pic method because it doesn't allow a V for the Hammock straps to pass through. Instead, I splice the line to the Stingerz and Clip to the D-Ring where you use the loop and larkshead. I then run the line around the tree back to the Stingerz and the excess line hangs down. The V starts and stops on the end of the Stingerz, not the D-Ring if that makes sense. I actually have looped the excess line through the tarp ring to create a Drip line for the tarp separate from the hammock. I use a 12 foot ridgeline from each end of the tarp and have not had a length issue. Maybe one day I will and then will be re-visiting your photos. lol. Anxious to hear others input.

[hutzelbein]

Instead, I splice the line to the Stingerz and Clip to the D-Ring where you use the loop and larkshead. I then run the line around the tree back to the Stingerz and the excess line hangs down. The V starts and stops on the end of the Stingerz, not the D-Ring if that makes sense.

Yes, I think that's the way they are intended to be used. I have a couple of Stingerz that are connected with the tarp line as well. But when you want to hang the tarp very low (e.g. in bad weather), the hammock suspension rubs against the tip of the V. That's one reason why I'm now using the Stingerz as pictured. But maybe that's just an issue with shorter hammocks? I use a 10' hammock with an 11' tarp - if you hang the tarp low, the suspension will be very close to the tarp.

I do not use the second pic method because it doesn't allow a V for the Hammock straps to pass through.

I don't use this method, either, unless I absolutely have to. The second method is just to lengthen the available ridgeline. If your ridgeline is 12' and your tarp is 11' long, this means that your trees have to be less than ~23' apart (actually less, because some of the length of the line is lost by going around the tree). So what do you do if you cannot find trees that are spaced less than 23' apart? Or if your trees are very big (i.e. have a large diameter)? I used to carry extra line for these cases, and also had very long lines which I did not need most of the time. The way I do it now, I can lengthen the ridgeline by using method 2. Yes, there is no V, so the suspension might rub against the tarp ridgeline. But it will do, and I won't have to carry additional line.

I use a 12 foot ridgeline from each end of the tarp and have not had a length issue. Maybe one day I will and then will be re-visiting your photos. lol. Anxious to hear others input.

When I traveled the US East Coast, I never had trouble finding perfectly spaced trees, either. But not all countries (or probably even US states) have that many trees. I have camped in New Zealand and in several European countries, and trees on campsites are *not* common. If there are trees, they are often out of bounds - or spaced very far apart. My last hang was at a campsite where there was only one pair of trees available for hanging. They were ~33' apart and mature (= had a considerable diameter). I had to add dog bones to my hammock suspension and used method 2 to hang my tarp. The alternative would have been to sleep in a tent...

[Dutch]

This is a great way to make it more versatile

[clean]

I like this idea a lot. I think it's time for me to buy another stinger and try it this way.

[mychal]

I don't know why, but whenever I see straps hung really high on a tree, my brain instantly visualizes some cartoon image of one person standing on another person's shoulders and head, with feet occasionally slipping down onto the lower person's face.

[Typicalsloan]

Simple but very good idea. Thanks for sharing.

I don't know why, but whenever I see straps hung really high on a tree, my brain instantly visualizes some cartoon image of one person standing on another person's shoulders and head, with feet occasionally slipping down onto the lower person's face.

My mind instantly went to the height of those straps. Thats some impressive hanging there.

[Dos]

I like this idea a lot. I think it's time for me to buy another stinger and try it this way.

a picture is worth a thousand words.

Thanks!

[clean]

I just posted this in another thread, but thought it might be worth a stand-alone thread as I haven't seen anybody else posting something similar.

Just curious. Do you leave the lines attached to your tarp? I'm going to try this but I haven't decided where the best place to carry everything is.

[jwright]

Good idea, thanks for the pictures.
That issue is why I moved to the Wasps.
I have my line larks headed onto the tarp like in your first picture. I can keep the Wasp on the tie out close to the tarp to keep the "V", or slide them closer to the tree for the longer spans/wider trees. it also allows me to carry shorter lines
I guess your would have saved me some $$ but then who can resist new Dutch goodies.