Help choosing suspension

[kc_joe]

After you all helped me realized I need to go at least 1" (always have on previous suspensions by the way) at the tree I'm debating between 2 setups. Either way I will be tying off directly to my amsteel loops. I'm either going to go with 15' of Dutch's new 2.0 Dyneema straps OR 10' of mule tape larks-headed onto 5' of the 2.0 Dyneema huggers. Any advantage to speak of with one over the other? One easier to tie the knot onto the loops? Pack-ability? etc?

[rallywagon]

I used mule tape for a while, but I stopped after two rainy nights. The mule tape really absorbed and transferred water from the tree into my hammock...right past the Beckett hitch with drip tail. Cold, wet back was not fun. It also holds the water much more than traditional flat polyester webbing when packing up. It also picks and fuzzes up easily compared to polyester webbing. But, it is cheap and strong.

[lilbear]

I recently picked up a suspension kit for my first hammock. I looked long and hard at the Dutchware straps because I want to keep my weight low. Then I found this... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irxdI6DIdSg&t=349s Scared me away to a slightly heavier strap.

[JackM]

-1 for mule tape

Here is my current preferred solution. UCR's made with Lawson Equipment Whoopie line, orange (I don't find it listed anymore) 2.3mm (3/32), and 7/64 Amsteel (blue).


I recently purchased 5' Dyneema huggers from Dutch. They are not shown here since I am hanging directly off my stand. It has rained so much for the last two months that my yard has become a swamp, hence I've been forced to move to the carport. The minimum length of the UCRs is 2' and maximum is 14'. The advantage of UCRs over whoopies is that you have roughly half the cordage for a given maximum length. These UCRs, with the dyneema huggers, weigh 2.8 oz for the pair. I received a set of Dutch's 15' dyneema-polypro straps, with beetles, with my Chameleon and they are nice, adjustable from essentially 0" from the tree to 15' less the circumference of the tree, but they weight 6.5 oz.

Note: The Dyneema straps are not recommended with beetles or other cinch buckles (too slick), but should work OK with a slippery sheet bend in your CLs.

[Country Roads]

I like to use either Kevlar straps or Dutch's new Dyneema straps. Neither seems to absorb much water, they are both very compact, both are lighter than even the 1/2" mule tape, they both hold a hitch well (either Beckett or J-bend; I prefer the J-bend as it is easier to loosen after loaded). My current setup with 10' Dyneema straps, and Dutch clips (which I use when I will be hanging on trees with lots of snags, ie spruce), weighs 2 1/8 oz for both, and only weigh 1 1/2 ounce without the clips. It is very compact also and does not get shredded by rough bark, like mule tape can. Con's: more expensive, not "stealth", they do not work well with hardware such as cinch buckles (although I have used Kevlar with buckles and a backup slippery half hitch with no issues). I do use a drip line on my continuous loop, since water will wick some past the hitch. Either will work as straps or huggers with a whoopie sling.