How short did you cut your straps?

[wisenber]

That might be an East/West thing moreso than a North/South thing. I wasn't a hanger back then, but when I lived in Ontario there were always a lot of trees with a fairly small diameter - here in the PNW (Vancouver, BC) not so much. If you're hanging in SoCal with the Giant Redwoods you might bring 30' huggers and still find them short!

I'd hate to see the widowmakers that fall off of those!

[Quoddy]

I have both 4' and 5' sets, and use the 4' straps most of the time. 4' straps will work on trees up to 15" in diameter and 5' up to 19".

[Cranky Bear]

I have 6ft straps and have no problems where I hang! You could always get these; http://arrowheadequipment.webs.com/a...s/show/1406497
Would be a lot lighter than the extra strap you would be carrying! Just a thought!?

[Doctari]

Once the loop was put in (I just tied it) mine are a shade under 5' & fit easily around a 12" diameter tree. So far, 12" has been the largest I hang from mostly cause I can still almost reach around one that size, enough anyway that I can toss the end of the strap from one hand to the other.

[mitch]

Thanks for all the replies guys! I think that I will go with 6' straps. I do have extra amsteel in the pack, sp I guess there won't be a problem.

[WV]

"I cut it twice, and it's still too short!"

I use one 4-foot strap and one 6-foot strap. Not all trees are the same diameter. Trees that need longer straps have heavy branches.

[Shewie]

I use 2x 16' straps, but I don't use any hardware apart from karabiners at the hammock end.
One wrap around the tree tied off with a evenk hitch, then adjust at the karabiner end and finish with a slippery half hitch.

[drewdunnrespect]

now i am the same as shewie in this respect that the only hard ware i use is a karabiner and 5 meters of webbing on each end

drew

[Albert Skye]

I'm on the west coast of Canada (lots of big trees) but I've been able to work with one 3' and one 4'. They could be a bit longer but I wouldn't want any more than an extra foot on each.

In my experience, webbing makes little difference for very large diameter trees with a substantial cork layer because even with a thin suspension line, the pressure is significantly distributed, especially with a wrap.

In any case, it's easy to extend tree slings with some cordage.

[lori]

In any case, it's easy to extend tree slings with some cordage.

I actually recently ended up using my whoopie sling to extend the strap on one end - my whoopies are long enough that when the tree diameter exceeds the strap and the distance between the trees is less than 20' I can extend the sling through both strap ends and use the toggle in one loop - harder to adjust, but it worked.

I have 5' straps and need to add a couple feet to one or both - time for new ones. California pines can get big around before they ever grow widowmakers.

And no, don't go hangin' in redwoods, a good breeze will toss around the top of the tree, and the widowmakers themselves are big as trees - had one hit the ground ten feet from me once when I was just walking through a grove. Broke a few land-speed records booking it out of there with a backpack on....