Is it safer to hang from smaller trees?

[Bushwhacker]

I saw a thread a while back (possibly the scariest hammock experience thread) where quite a few members expressed their surprise at a large trees falling. However, it's possible that large trees are more likely to fall, while young trees might just bend instead.

Therefore it seems like it's probably safer to avoid old growth forests, especially when it's windy out. Besides, it's less likely that small trees will produce widow makers (or be one themselves, for that matter).

On this note, you should also probably try to avoid shallow earth, which is generally associated with large lichen covered rock flats.

[SilvrSurfr]

I'm not sure that widow makers are the product of the age of the tree. I would think it's more about the health of the tree. However, the bigger the tree, the bigger the widowmaker, that's for sure.

[oldgringo]

I agree 100%. I avoid the larger trees.

[Nodust]

4-6" trees are perfect I think. Plus bigger trees sometimes means farther apart.

[canoebie]

I avoid larger trees, there is more chance of decay, insect damage, etc. If you look closely many larger trees have limbs at the lower edges that are dead and ready to fall. Mother nature is naturally pruning them from the bottom up. I like 6-12 inch trees as they are in "early adolescence" and much as we, they are more limber and resilient at this stage. The trees that fall in my woods tend to be older for sure. Maturity has its downside. Must be why I can't split a cord of wood in a day like I used to.

[DuctTape]

I am more concerned with the general health of the tree, dead branches, and the type of tree. Some trees have a habit of dropping branches for no apparent reason. In general though, I donot avoid large trees out offear they will uproot. I weigh all my risks with an estimated likelihood. Large tree uprooting doesnt make the top 20.

[BillyBob58]

My rule from the beginning has been to use the smallest trees that are available and are also big enough to support me. Plus, when possible(often it is not possible), far away from the big boys. Only because if the small ones come down, or drop branches on me, there should be less trauma. All the time, around here, I see newly fallen trees and the ground is fairly consistently covered with fallen branches, some big enough to kill, either newly fallen or from years ago. Once, during my 1st year or two of hanging, I was hanging my hammock (coincidentally) between two 6-10" diameter trees, on a beautiful wind free day, when huge tree about 100 yards away just fell over. It put on quite a noisy show as it fell. That gave me quite a start! I think that is the day I made my rule about tree size.

But most impressive was after we had a big ice storm 20+ years ago. Not only did gigantic trees split in half, but many limbs much larger in diameter than I am snapped off from way up high, came down on the splintered and sharp end and stuck upright like a fence pole. Like sharp spears falling from the sky. Tips buried deeply enough in the ground so that these very heavy branches were supported upright. That was before I became a hanger, but the memory is still strong.

[SilvrSurfr]

While I agree larger trees probably have bigger widowmakers, there are some trees that just don't grow that big and you really have no idea how old they actually are. For example, the Blackjack Oak rarely gets above 30 to 40 feet high. You might think you're hanging from some young tree when it's actually pretty old.

[trouthunter]

Where I camp most of the time there are large stands of Bald Cypress trees, they tend to have very small, short branches - even on the larger trees.
These are my preference for hanging my hammock.

As stated above, the health of the tree is key here, but if you don't sleep under large branches they can't fall on you.

[OutandBack]

In Colorado perfectly healthy tree can fall for no reason other than wind and soaked ground from the Spring snow melt.
I look up for dead branches but that is about all. When it's your time it's your time.