What's the conventional wisdom on webbing strength these days, anyhow? Ed is using 1050# strength in his beefier version. Anybody ever heard of that failing?
I'm using 3500# from Strapworks and realizing it's serious overkill. Assuming Ed is safe with 1050# up to 350 user weight, wouldn't one of the Harbor Freight straps at 1500# or even REI's bulk webbing at 1250# be plenty strong?
Even at the hammocks max rating of 400# that should be fine, right?
The HF 1500# straps should work fine and would probably save you some weight over the Speer 1050#. I think the REI webbing is nylon and it should be avoided if possible because of stretch.
“Light thinks it travels faster than anything but it is wrong. No matter how fast light travels, it finds the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it." -Terry Pratchett
That's why I'm interested - should save a lot of weight - actually cut the weight of the straps in half from what I'm using now!
No Harbor Freights around that I know of, so I'll check other hardware stores. I don't want to pay a bunch in shipping and wait forever to get them. I'm heading out for 8 days in a week and I want my setup figured out and well-tested before I go.
I've never hung for more than two nights at a time before, so this is quite a leap!
Off to look for 1" polyester ratchet tie downs with a 1500# breaking strength!
-Curt
Yes I did tie a knott to prevent slippage and in the orginal straps I had the rings held totally. But in all other straps I have bought the knot jams into the rings as the straps slowly slip. I can get them not to slip by tying the same knot as one would to cinch up a western style saddle on a horse, but still don't feel secure using them in "dam thats a cool place to hang" places that have bit of drop to unpleasent landing situations. As to the cam buckles, have been using them the most this summer and if I could find a light weight source of them wouldn't use anything else. Guess I will have to try to find some buckles locally. This hammnock addiction evoles further for me. Side note : just finished a BYO G4 back pack which turned out great at 12 ounces, and a pepsi can alcohol cooker at 8 grams, so mabe the extra weight of the cam buckles wont be so bad.
Yup. The bowline is a good knot, but it's also very easy to screw up. I spent decades tying it wrong (with no failures, luckily). The figure-8 on a bight is similarly strong, almost impossible to screw up, and (unlike an overhead on a bight) easy to untie after a load. Perhaps not quite as easy as a bowline, but a heluva lot easier than an overhand on a bight.Originally Posted by GrizzlyAdams
BTW, I'm a fan of Duane Raleigh's book Knots & Ropes for Climbers for information about critical-strength knots under potentially heavy loads. Plus, illustrations by Mike Clelland! Even Raleigh admits that "sewn runners [webbing] is slightly stronger and sleeker than tied ones" (82), but the benefits of the ability to re-tie outweighs the slight gain in sleekness and strength (according to Raleigh, and in the context of climbing equipment).
All told, I think for hammocking, where the risks for a fall are (usually) significantly less than for climbing, knotted webbing loops are equally strong to sewn ones.
uva uvam vivendo varia fit
No problems with the webbing 'melting' into itself when knotted and under pressure?
Walmart is also a good source for polyester webbing ratchet straps. They have several colors of the 1500# webbing and different lengths.
Someone post a chart that showed breaking strength, color, and prices of the ratchet straps at WalMart not to long ago. I can't find the thread but I sure would like to have that chart posted in this thread.
“Light thinks it travels faster than anything but it is wrong. No matter how fast light travels, it finds the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it." -Terry Pratchett
Is this it?
yep, curt that's the one. I posted it but don't know what type of webbing was used. They have other colors but I was focusing on the blacks or camo. There was a set at home depot (keeper brand) that was 1" that looked really light. Again, I'm not sure if it was polyester or not.Is this it?
Scott
"Man is a stream whose source is hidden." RWE
no one taught you the story about the rabbit coming out of the hole, taking a nip around the tree and heading back down the hole ???
but hey, thanks for the pointer on figure-8 on a bight, I'm always interested in learning useful new knots. In the short while I've been in this forum I've picked up several, not to mention bookmarks for very cool knot sites. Plus, with the book reference you gave, I have a new item for my Christmas list.
and maybe I'll just keep using knots on my webbing. But don't tell Slowhike.
Grizz
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