What's so bad about nylon webbing?

**jpslickorocks** · 08-01-2009, 23:10

Just curious?

**Ramblinrev** · 08-01-2009, 23:26

it is only slightly less stretchy than elastic.....

**Tiki** · 08-02-2009, 03:49

Hollow nylon climbing webbing has stretch that falls somewhere between a dynamic climbing rope and a static rope.

When hanging a hammock.. you tend to use more/longer amounts of webbing.. which tends to exacerbate the problem.

It's not really a huge issue IMO if you know stretch is going to occur and plan ahead for it by rigging your hammock a little higher. I've been using nylon straps until I can get something better and that is what I do.

I've been using some short 1/4" wide Black Diamond spectra runners to hold my rings (via a larks head knot) on my ENO double and I don't think they stretch at all.

**gargoyle** · 08-02-2009, 07:02

Do a test hang at home with a long piece of nylon rope/straps for your main suspension line. You will then understand the "stretchiness" of nylon, after you pick your behind up off the grass.
You can use it, but you have to predetermine your stretch factor every time you set up your hammock, but then it will stretch alot and you will end up re-adjusting ALOT.
I used nylon climbing rope on my first set up, man I wouldn't have believed a rope could stretch that far.

I had rig my hammock so high and tight, I almost needed a ladder to get in it, then it still sagged to 3 inches off the ground. I ended up tying the rope ten feet up in the tree too. big pain in the but.

**Ramblinrev** · 08-02-2009, 07:14

Nylon shines brilliantly for climbing. It has saved many a life with its ability to stretch. But for a static hang it will stretch each time. Nylon tends to return to its original length each time and stretch all over again. So it will not "stretch out" to the point where it is stable for a static hang.

Some nylon climbing rope is designed to strecth between 30-50% under load. Which is fine when the load is only applied in a crisis situation. Webbing usually doesn't stretch that much but its use in climbing is to absorb shock so the stretch factor is critical.

At one point the Coast Guard had gone to nylon ropes for towing purposes. That did not last long as the rope would stretch and flex building up internal friction and heat to the point where the rope would explode. That is not likely to happen to hammock straps but it does give some idea of just how much nylon moves under load.