VIDEO: The Whoopie Shackle a variation of the soft shackle

**Redoleary** · 10-16-2016, 11:23

I'm hesitant to say I invented something here, I'm even more hesitant to suggest that its very useful. I did a brief search and didn't see anything like it, and yesterday while I was making it, it didn't dawn on me until after I was done that it was a whoopie... anyway maybe this will plant the seed for something useful.

This is simply a variation on a theme of the soft shackle comprised of a tiny whoopie sling.... just playing around

**Mittagsfrost** · 10-16-2016, 15:04

Great idea!

**Tacblades** · 10-16-2016, 16:02

Its a good idea, needs some testing to see if that short bury on the whoopie part is enough to hold the shackle under load.

**Redoleary** · 10-16-2016, 17:26

Originally Posted by Mittagsfrost

Great idea!

Thank you sir.

Originally Posted by Tacblades

Its a good idea, needs some testing to see if that short bury on the whoopie part is enough to hold the shackle under load.

Thanks Tacblades, I hooked it thru an eye bolt in the ceiling of my basement and put a strap thru it and gave it a good couple of bounces it was a straight vertical load, but it didn't budge. I also had it so the knot and the whoopie tail were in between the strap and the eye so bury was being bent 90* which may or may not have been a factor, but I believe that is the proper way to install a soft shackle anyway, but you're right, more testing is needed.

**Redoleary** · 10-17-2016, 04:57

Well I hung from this thing last night in the spare bedroom on the hammock stand and had no slippage. I think the hammock stand is a decent test b/c the angle is less than ideal so it might be under a touch more strain than it would be if I had it outside. More testing to come.

**sqidmark** · 10-17-2016, 05:11

Early in the summer I attempted to make an adjustable cl to use for those times when a whoopie was too long, in lieu of carrying various length dogbones. Eventually this led me to loopies. I started a thread back then.

Anyhow, one thing I found was that with a small loop like this, it is very easy to suddenly lose constriction if there is any contact on the bury portion, just as would happen with any ucr without a prussic/whipping.

I don't have time to study your device further right now, but maybe it's different than what I'm envisioning.

**Redoleary** · 10-17-2016, 08:10

I actually used the whoopie shackle to connect my hammock to the loopie sling. The loopie works well in tight spaces.

**johnspenn** · 10-17-2016, 08:37

It's an interesting concept. I'm trying to figure out if there's any more added function doing it that way.

As far as a secure stopper knot goes, Tacblades has a video on the "Improved Soft Shackle" that I use to make my SS's, and you might like if you haven't seen it yet.

**sqidmark** · 10-17-2016, 09:07

Originally Posted by Redoleary

I actually used the whoopie shackle to connect my hammock to the loopie sling. The loopie works well in tight spaces.

In that older thread I showed a photo with the loopie and whoopie side by side at their shortest possible lengths. As I recall the whoopie was about 21" and the loopie 10 1/2". However, for the loopie you then have to add the extra distance of a biner or shackle.

Another nice thing about the loopie is that it can be easily rotated to bring the adjustment point close the hammock instead of way up near the strap, which is a nice feature for us shorter folk.

So far I haven't been fond of fumbling with shackles in the field. I'll tinker with your latest suggestion.

**Redoleary** · 10-17-2016, 10:39

Originally Posted by johnspenn

It's an interesting concept. I'm trying to figure out if there's any more added function doing it that way.

As far as a secure stopper knot goes, Tacblades has a video on the "Improved Soft Shackle" that I use to make my SS's, and you might like if you haven't seen it yet.

I seriously doubt that there is any value added to this method, it's just another way to skin the same cat.

I did see Tacblades video, thank you. While I do believe there are certainly better knots for the job I believe their "betterness" is purely academic, I don't think we subject these things to the sort of load that would give me pause for concern over the type of stopper knot being used. But I can appreciate making these different/better like Tacblades did simply because we can.

Originally Posted by sqidmark

In that older thread I showed a photo with the loopie and whoopie side by side at their shortest possible lengths. As I recall the whoopie was about 21" and the loopie 10 1/2". However, for the loopie you then have to add the extra distance of a biner or shackle.

Another nice thing about the loopie is that it can be easily rotated to bring the adjustment point close the hammock instead of way up near the strap, which is a nice feature for us shorter folk.

So far I haven't been fond of fumbling with shackles in the field. I'll tinker with your latest suggestion.

I too find soft shackles a bit fiddly but I do enjoy playing with them and tying knots etc. The soft shackles I have on my tree straps I never open I just pull the strap through it every time.