Exactly... reversed!!
However, as you noted, it takes more space in a tight setup and also isn't as neatly compatible with the J-bend/Becket for the main adjustment and constrictor for the fine tuning. (I actually played thru this scenario in my noggin after standing there all flummoxed for a while.)
I can only (or can't even begin to) imagine what you have to go thru from the customer service end of things.
In the meantime, I'm, just sticking with the mini-whoopie in the first post.
Five Basic Principles of Going Lighter (not me... the great Cam Honan of OZ)
“If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking.” ~ Gen. George S Patton
Yar, I think that Brandon's latest video is likely the right track to take with these lighter webbings out there. (just run the webbing and tie a knot.)
Or even the TI loop alien ideas from Paul (english fella but I can't recall his forum name) and others.
What might be a nice hybrid of what you and Brandon have... would be making a mini whoopie as your continuous loop for one side (probably the head end due to space requirements for the back to back bury.
That would give you a knot based system as your primary, but give you a few inches of final adjustment without having to retie things. Seems that's the primary complaint with knots is getting that last inch or two right... though it does get you good at the knot, lol.
Ultimately I like simple... so I actually find the customer service part a pretty invaluable part of design. When you build stuff you tend to overlook all it's quirks or faults... or things just work easily for you because you built them and know how you meant them to work without thinking about it. It's only in handing them off to someone else that you highlight any issues and can improve on them. The speed hike folks keep me on my toes too though because they want to be up and down in minutes... so if I can skip a knot or make it easy to setup/breakdown in the dark then that's a better system for everyone generally.
In many ways, bridges are easier to use but you also have to accept that they aren't really much more than a drop in the bucket so educating folks is part of the deal regardless.
Doing things a bit differently also means you have to understand that it might take a little longer when you're asking your customers to unlearn or undo what they already do.
Last edited by Just Bill; 12-20-2018 at 13:48.
My first “real” hammock was set up this way. I bought a modified Hennessy off someone here in HF. The continuous loops were full Whoopies on both ends. It worked pretty well, the only reason I pulled them and put standard loops on it was in the rain the whoopies would get the hammock wet when packed. That might be worth revisiting just with a shorter whoopie.Originally Posted by Just Bill
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I too started off with whoopies on both ends — with strap/MSH/toggle and Dutch biner between whoopie fixed eye and hammock CL — thinking they were all necessary bits, but very quickly realized there was a whole bunch of stuff that could be bypassed... mainly because I was ticked about having to bypass a lot of perfect hanging spots due to the suspension being too darned long. And my inner gram weenie kept nagging me relentlessly.
There was a lot of evolution between then and now. This iteration of the (current!) perfect UL suspension offers 1) wider straps/huggers where desired/required, 2) simplicity of J-bend/Becket, 3) micro-adjustability to easily obtain that last Nth degree of perfection in hammock height, and 4) maintains a very good minimum length for closely spaced trees. Of course, the straps are negotiable as far as type, length and material if you want to go a bit lighter still.
I also made up some much smaller CLs after it dawned upon me that most CLs supplied by hammock makers are much longer than necessary... two of these short ones pictured below will allow for more than an additional foot of clearance in a tight setup... after which the big problem becomes the tarp fitting!
CL_comparison.jpg
Five Basic Principles of Going Lighter (not me... the great Cam Honan of OZ)
“If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking.” ~ Gen. George S Patton
you guys are wizards!
Yar... I never got the monster continuous loop thing either.
For ones I sell... I use an 8" for 7/64" and a 6" for dynaglide on the UL ones... just because that's more or less the proper bury.
For personal ones.. I've gone as little as 4" with dynaglide.
I tend to look more to keep the overall apex to apex of the suspension to match the tarp I'm looking to pair it with.
Mainly because I like the stakeless systems with tarps and if you don't balance it out like that you'll fight it more.
And just simple UL math... if you can use a smaller tarp... it will be lighter.
To use a smaller tarp- gotta keep it all tight.
Although in playing with shortie gathered ends (9')... at some point trying to use a wide fabric to compensate for shorter length... and then increasing your sleeping angle... you end up needing more tarp than if you'd just gone with a standard width hammock a foot longer. I tended to settle around 10'6" as a decent balance. 9'4" was about the magic minimal number I could personally tolerate.
I really want to go to a simple strap only setup, I don’t tend to need much minor adjustment. My only concern with the UL straps are:
-Is there on you’ve found that doesn’t roll up on the tree as much as others?
-How well does a J-bend alone do in rainy conditions? Do you just end up using the shoestring trick, or does the knot stop enough water that it’s not an issue?
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As is increasingly the case, Just Bill makes the points I would make, but several days earlier!
On the one hand UCRs can be finicky and like Just Bill I rarely if ever sent a hammock to a customer with one, unless asked.
But my go-to Boy Scout camp hammock has them on Amsteel, oriented as Just Bill describes and IMPORTANTLY with a prusik trying to keep some tension on the tail. I put a double wrap on the prusik to give it more 'grab' on the Amsteel, and the cord used has a rough texture, which makes it harder to slip.
That prusik loop isn't going to stop a slide once started, but serves to keep bumps and so on from letting a slide start.
Grizz
(alias ProfessorHammock on youtube)
Strap only is good....simple_suspension_Bada-Bing_001_edited-1.jpg I find I can eyeball it and usually get really good results on the first try. The mini-whoop is for people who miss it by a skosh and want to make it right without having to re-tie. It seems to be the most common complaint.
Yep, Venom curls up (handles much like cord) and Myerstech does, too, but it flattens back out a lot easier than Venom, and Kevlar tends to remain flatter. Maybe somebody can comment on Spider.
I haven't been out in a ton of heavy rain storms, however for the couple of heavier downpours I've experienced the J-bend seemed to provide plenty of water break. Never used any strings or additional drippity-doo-dads and never had a problem.
Five Basic Principles of Going Lighter (not me... the great Cam Honan of OZ)
“If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking.” ~ Gen. George S Patton
Thanks. I think I’ll give Kevlar a try. I’m not so much worried about trying to roll it back up, my concern is keeping the strap flat around the tree.Strap only is good....
Yep, Venom curls up (handles much like cord) and Myerstech does, too, but it flattens back out a lot easier than Venom, and Kevlar tends to remain flatter. Maybe somebody can comment on Spider.
I haven't been out in a ton of heavy rain storms, however for the couple of heavier downpours I've experienced the J-bend seemed to provide plenty of water break. Never used any strings or additional drippity-doo-dads and never had a problem.
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