Hammock Support Poles

[firemedic5586]

I'm trying to figure out a cheap "light weight"/portable as in canoe portageable support pole that would substitute for using a tree when needed... While roaming through Home Depot a stumbled across these, medium strength , Heavy Duty. Being that I weigh about 240 would any of these be strong enough to hold my fat but in the air.. I would be using it like the NoGround Trekking system, minus the need for a trekking pole..

[IRONFISH45]

I would not trust the closet rod. However I am not knowledgeable about the strength of the bar. I so know there ia a huge amount of presaure from our hammocks. I am sure some of the Engineer types will be able to give you the facts.

[WyoBowhunter21]

I don't believe those would work as you will be putting them under different loading conditions than designed. A simple force calculation could tell if it would work or not. I won't go all engineer talk but first glance says no.

[Pra4sno]

The closet rod's metal is too soft and the walls are not thick enough IMO. A crimp, dent, or fold in this soft metal would cause it to collapse when side-loaded without a lot of well spaced lateral support/bracing. Consider how narrowly spaced a closet rod needs to be in order to hold the weight of 50-100 lbs of clothing - if you could provide that bracing it might hold up.

Originally being from MN and spending weeks of each summer in the BWCA, I am still wondering why the support is necessary with so many suitable trees though.


That being said, I would consider 1.5" aluminum tubing or box tube for building this, and I would try to find stuff with 1/8" walls. 1/16th is too thin. It's not going to be SUPER light, but they make whole canoes out of aluminum sheet and bracing and it didn't stop us as scouts from hauling them over 20-40 rod portages before the kevlar canoes got more reasonably priced.

I would be really hesitant to erect a horizontal metal pole in the mostly flat BWCA with the storms that come through. That coupled with all of the exposed rock... it really seems like it would be an attractant for lightning. Aluminum less so, but it is still so much more conductive than a tree.