Beginner's Suspension

[TominMN]

I'm trying to put together a set-up for a teen new to (but has a grasp of) hammock camping. I want to keep it fairly simple so that it's something he's comfortable dealing with. I'm thinking straps all the way. I can deal with the tree end: A MultiBuckle on the sewn eye. Less expensive than Dutch Clips if they ever get lost. The new hammock has CLs.

I'm thinking some sort of cinch buckle for adjusting but having trouble coming up with any great ideas about how to hook to the CLs. Staying away from ti hardware, as I can imagine things getting lost or left behind. Not trying to be cheap, just practical. I'm hanging on Cinch Bugs these days but that would be expensive stuff for him to leave hanging on some trees somewhere. Figure some day, when he knows how to and actually wants to take care of things, that an upgrade can occur.

I've had a couple of ideas, but they seem less than great.

Anybody have any thoughts?

[boulderv7]

You could use a multibuckle on the end of the strap as a replacement for the marlinespike hitch. I'm making a hammock for my mother and this is what I'm doing. Then you can just hang the CL on that.

[MadTurtleCreek]

Try a toothless cam buckle. Not sure how this would work.

[sidvicious]

man, if it were me i'd dutch/whoopee it all the way and be done with it.

it's simple.

edit: i overlooked the "losing gear" part. my error.

sv-

[kunzman]

Dutch's new spiders with long straps would seem to be the way to go according to your specs. They stay with the strap.

[Solohammock]

You can do the webbing and buckles like Warbonnet sells.... You would just pull the CL's off and pop the buckles on (they are on a CL already) or you can just pop one CL on to the other with a square knot.

[ShellHammock]

Here's something simple.... Pick up some straps (Dutch sells great ones at a nice price) and also drop some cinch buckles in your shopping pack. Watch this video on how to attach those buckles to your continuous loops. Cut the webbing in half and tie a loop... no need for extra hardware here. The only thing to forget is the straps on the tree!

** Edit to give even more Suspension Options For Continuous Loops

[TominMN]

You could use a multibuckle on the end of the strap as a replacement for the marlinespike hitch. I'm making a hammock for my mother and this is what I'm doing. Then you can just hang the CL on that.

Dutch's new spiders with long straps would seem to be the way to go according to your specs. They stay with the strap.

Both of these suggestions have a lot of merit and few downsides. The combination of these ideas got me to thinking, a potentially scary thing that can be...

I had rejected the MSH immediately due to the fiddle factor, the potential of lost bits, and the likelihood of misuse. A hardware MSH replacement solves some of that but still requires more fiddling than I think he'd tolerate.

But then, along came the Spiders. (I couldn't resist)

Cheaper to replace than Cinch Bugs, easy to use. So what if I sort of apply some of Dutch's idea in using a MultiBuckle in a somewhat similar way? The biggest part of fiddling around if you use one as a MSH/toggle substitute as originally marketed is the adjustment process. Pull the CL off the MB, hold onto the hammock, undo the securing tuck, adjust the strap length, secure, rehang the CL. I can see the kid having to do it multiple times, at least in the beginning.

So, what if you have the MB in tri-glide mode on the strap and now slip the CL over it? Slide it up or down to get it (about?) right (a la Spider) and then pull a loop of the strap tail up through the CL and secure back through the far end of the MB just as PapaSmurf shows in his vid.

Off the top of my head, I'm liking this hybrid idea.

What do you think? Am I missing something?

[Mtn hanger]

My son is 13 now and I his setup I used whoopies and some Dutch bling (wasp, hook, Marlin spike hitch) and he hasn't had any problems with it. I know if he can do your son can

[TominMN]

Here's something simple.... Pick up some straps (Dutch sells great ones at a nice price) and also drop some cinch buckles in your shopping pack. Watch this video on how to attach those buckles to your continuous loops. Cut the webbing in half and tie a loop... no need for extra hardware here. The only thing to forget is the straps on the tree!

I know this works, but I don't want him to have to choose between leaving the suspension attached to the hammock (can't get forgotten) or having to thread the strap every time. Could do this with AHE/WB strap suspension as well I guess. It also leaves hardware on the hammock. Maybe he wouldn't mind. It's something that I try to avoid on my own set-ups.