I'm seeing alot of threads re: Whoopie Slings and just wondering how they compare in terms of simplicity, weight, and bulk to Webbing straps? What are the pros and cons of slings vs webbing?
Webbing
Line and Straps
Whoppie Sling
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I'm seeing alot of threads re: Whoopie Slings and just wondering how they compare in terms of simplicity, weight, and bulk to Webbing straps? What are the pros and cons of slings vs webbing?
Primarily the slings are lighter and less bulky. The whoopies that we make at AHE are about 2 oz for the pair, but you still have some weight for tree straps and either a toggle or a carabiner to attache the slings to the tree strap. I think they are both equally simple to use. But hey they come in all sorts of colors, and are cool
Paul
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I switched to whoopies and never looked back. Am now upgrading all my hammocks. No down side as far as I can tell.
it took me this long just to switch to straps and D rings fromthe stock hennessy setup, may be a little while before I try whoopies
I use both whoopie slings and webbing, but I voted for whoopie slings in your poll because I think that's what you're asking. The webbing is for the tree straps.
First get over the fear of dissecting your hammock to install the whoopies...on a Warbonnet BB it's a one minute job max to remove the OEM and larkshead the dead eye of the whoopie in place.
But there is the new language to acquire...like what is a larkshead, what is a dead eye,etc. But you will learn the whoopie terms quickly.
Whoopie compared to lines or webbing.
Whoopie weighs less, is more quickly adjusted even compared to webbing and rings or even rings and garda hitch and there is less damage to the cordage compared to either.
Once you switch over you'll also see NO metal is required...that is if your tree huggers have one sewn loop...then you'll add another term to the whoopie language and that is Marlin Spike Hitch. If you don't know yet the MSP allows you to fix a point on the distal end of the tree hugger for the expandable end of the whoopie to attach to. The whoopie is held in place by your weight. The MSH is created and maintains itself with the insertion of a spike. The spike can be almost anything you want it to be, something is is spike like in that it is long (3-5 inches, maybe even less) and thin, think even pencil thickness. Some do carry 'spikes' in their kit, of their choosing. I used screwdrivers the other day because there were handy, but others find sticks,twigs on the trail--2 extra tent stakes are perfect. The spike also allows instant decampment. Pull out the spike from the knot (or hitch rather) and it implodes instantly freeing the whoopie which frees the hammock. The spike is easily removed even when your weight in the hammock has been applied. It is easily worked and the hitch itself easily tied even in cold weather with gloves on.
Try it, you'll like it.
and if you don't want to make your own whoopie order a set from Opie here at HF, minimal investment to see if you like them.
You can even try them larksheaded to your hammock without removing the existing OEM lines or webbing and see before removing them.
Another advantage is that knots derate the breaking strength of cordage, whoopies derate far less so a bonus is a stronger set up.
When I think back to fiddling with triangles to adjust, or rings/Garda to adjust I'm much happier now and ultimately saved weight in the process of a safer hang.
I've been wondering about this:I understand all the other advantages to the WS, but when it comes to increased relative strength: what about the Larkshead at the hammock? Does that not count as a knot, and therefore weaken the rope? I realize it is only at one end, but still, wouldn't that be the weak link in the chain? Also in the tree webbing's sewn in loop and the hitch for the spike, do these weaken the webbing? Are these weak links compared to the whoopie itself? Resulting in a overall system strength the same as using the rope with a regular hitch or knot?
Or am I, as is so often the case, missing something? Educate me please, somebody!
I'm not an expert on the dynamics of knots, but it seems to me that the lark's head on the hammock end isn't bending at a very tight radius...at least not on my hammocks. I was under the impression that the very tight bends of the cording in a knot were the weakness.
“I think that when the lies are all told and forgot the truth will be there yet. It dont move about from place to place and it dont change from time to time. You cant corrupt it any more than you can salt salt.” - Cormac McCarthy
Webbing and rings now but when the black amsteel arrives I'll be in the process of making pair of whoopie slings. I like not having to worry about how far apart my trees will be but in the couple of years I've been hanging (in the southeast), I've not found many situations where I couldn't get two trees where I only needed about 6' of webbing on each end (including around the tree.)
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