Hard shackles?

[barefoot]

Soft shackles are popular for attaching various suspension parts, but does anyone use conventional stainless steel sailing-type shackles?
They're compact, strong, cheap, and not particularly heavy.
I typically suspend my hammock off a long double-whoopie-ridgeline (this one is separable into ridgeline and whoopsie slings, but they haven't always been). I use alpine butterfly loops to hang the hammock. I have generally used marlin spike toggles to attach my hammock suspension loops to the alpine butterfly loops, but wondered about using a shackle instead.
So I did.
It works just fine, and gives enough of a "key" to suspend an underquilt from as well.
And now that's how I store my hammock, with the whoopies and ridgeline attached. Can separate then when I need to, but usually don't.
Thoughts?

[old4hats]

I have been using these for about five years on my every night indoor hammock and also on my stands out in the yard. I like their size and strength, plus you never worry about anything coming loose. As yet I have not used them out in the wilds.

[jeff-oh]

Yep, no reason not use them.

[TominMN]

That type of shackle is designed to be used for semi-permanent connections, as it seems you are doing. It's not a shackle that would be super easy to use in the backcountry where you want simple and fast connect/disconnect. Aside from the fiddle factor, it would be much too easy to lose the pin in the duff. Also, of course, the gram weenies would contest your statement about being "not particularly heavy"!

[OneClick]

Also, of course, the gram weenies would contest your statement about being "not particularly heavy"!

I could see them putting it in a vice and taking the Dremel to it to remove some material.

[ibgary]

I use climbing carabiners. Small, easy to use and easy to find.

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[Tyroler Holzhacker]

I'd say those sailing hard shackles are too heavy for backpacking. Ok to use in the backyard or car camping, but why not use the soft shackle or just a climbing biner and save the weight. Also the simple beckett hitch or marlin spike hitch would do the job and be a lighter option for suspensions.

[TominMN]

I'd use just about anything I had laying around for a home setup. No need to save weight or space.

[NeighborhoodNinja]

Theres no serious reason why you shouldn't use hard shackles. They work and if its a semi permanent hammock that you dont carry for distance, there's no real reason why you shouldn't use them.
Soft shackles are so popular for three reasons. They are safer when a line breaks (think kinetic energy), they dont run the risk of messing up your hammock from sharp/hard edges and they're a ton lighter than hard shackles. I use soft shackles every chance I get. I even use them with my truck recovery system because of the kinetic energy issue and they tend to be farm more forgiving and less destructive than hard shackles. I also use Dyneema/Spectre Winch Cable too (Less Stored Kinetic Energy).

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Most Industries are attempting to move toward soft shackles if they can. I saw a soft shackle, when opened up, was about 10' long and about 2' diameter thickness. It was being used by a crane. The invention and expansion of dyneema type materials is quickly replacing the use of hard shackles.

[cougarmeat]

Aside from being Heavy compared to alternatives, and having a moving part that can easily get lost - they will work. But WarBonnet sells a carabiner that is very light. It's strength is not quite up there with climbing biners that are designed to hold over 200 lbs falling 30 feet, but they are easily within a large margin of safety for hammock use. I may use soft shackles for the novelty. But nothing could be simpler than opening that regular carabiner gate (when you want it open).

Guess it depends on your priority - simplicity or minimum weight.