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  1. #1
    New Member Hokie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    NW Highlands area of NJ in sight of Delaware Water Gap
    Hammock
    Warbonnet Traveler DBL 1.1
    Tarp
    BigMamaJamba spinn
    Insulation
    Yeti
    Suspension
    Whoopie slings
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    31

    Best safe + lightweight suspension for rain?

    Having read and tried to understand the advantages and disadvantages of the various suspension systems discussed on HF along with Grizz's outstanding videos, I am still confused on what HF members current experience suggest as the best solution for the scenario further below. I am going to be specific about current gear and expected trail conditions since recommendations can vary so much by climate region (dry west vs rainy southeast) and hammock so that your recommendations can be even more helpful to other fairly new people like me.

    Current Hammock: Warbonnet Traveler 1.1 single (yes with Yeti!)
    Current Tarp: BigMamajamba spinn - will carry 2 of 4 doors that can attach to it (really love these by the way)
    Current suspension: Whoopie sling lark headed to hammock (from Oopie) and attached with Dutch clips (from HF store) to 6 ft tree straps.

    Problem to solve: Staying as dry as possible without weight or safety penalties while maintaining the ability to easily adjust the hammock

    Scenario: You are backpacking for at least a week and it is heavily raining every day while daytime highs hover in the 30's and 40's with little opportunity to dry things out. (PS - you might be able to tell I am planning to do the Springer to Damascus AT section starting in early April).

    Desired attributes to balance
    1. Safe
    2. Lite weight
    3. Minimal to no knots
    4. Easy adjustment of the hammock from the hammock end in order to keep dry under the tarp and to be able to detach and pack a dry hammock separately from wet suspension

    In reading through HF discussions, I thought the answer might be the rings and Garda hitch at the hammock end with amsteel but other discussions seemed to question the safety of this method. Would you recommend I change suspensions or modify the current one in any way?

    Thanks for any suggestions!

    Confused and trying to stay dry!

  2. #2
    Senior Member Running Feather's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Hendersonville, NC
    Hammock
    DIY of the Day
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    DIY of the Day
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    DIY PLoft/IX-UQ/TQ
    Suspension
    WS or Spyder Line
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    2,334
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    1
    I use Spyderline on occasions where the line is going to be under the load of the hammock, UQ, CCF, TC's, and my heavy sleeping bag. I find that letting out a whoopie under load can be an agility/dexterity exercise. The sheath on the Spyderline will grip most anything. Easy longer/shorter or on/off just roll the Garda hitch.
    2015 John Rock Spreadsheet.

    "If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing you should do is STOP DIGGING "

  3. #3
    Senior Member WV's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    southeast WV
    Hammock
    DIY
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    The main thing is to hang the tarp first and take it down last. Also, make all the ridgeline adjustments before there's any weight on it. Here's how I do it.

    My ridgeline has 3 sections, two adjustable (whoopee sling) ends of 7/64 amsteel that connect to tree-huggers and a center ridgeline section of adjustable Dynaglide. The 3 parts are connected with two carabiners. The tarp stays permanently attached to the ridgeline by 3/16" bungee loops hooked to the carabiners. The length of the center section is about 16" longer than the length of the tarp, so the bungee loops stretch to about 8" long when the line is under tension. This ridgeline is packed in a snakeskin. Set up is:
    1.) Attach tree-hugger to one tree, and attach amsteel end loop to tree-hugger using method of choice (mine is Dutch clip for tree connection and MSH and toggle for ridgeline).
    2.) Walk to the second tree and attach tree-hugger and connect amsteel end loop the same way.
    3.) Adjust amsteel whoopees at one or both ends to center the tarp. Pull the line tight enough to stretch the bungee loops holding the tarp. (Depending on the distance between the trees and the height above the ground, you may want to tighten it enough to take up the slack in the center section of the ridgeline, but it's not essential, as the weight of the hammock will pull it taut. Note: the center section of my setup is adjustable, but that is just to allow me to use different sized tarps with it. Once a tarp is properly connected to the ridgeline there is no adjustment needed on the trail.)
    4.) Retract snakeskin and tie out tarp (optional, depending on weather ).
    5.) Attach hammock ropes to biners in ridgeline. My hammock has end ropes of dynaglide with whoopees, but I almost never need to adjust the whoopees because they connect to the fixed center section of the ridgeline. Adjustments are only needed to fine-tune the level of the hammock if the ridgeline isn't level or to adapt the hammock to a different support system.

    Takedown is reversed: pack up hammock under the safety of the tarp.

    Have a good trip!

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