Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 16
  1. #1
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2019
    Location
    cincinnati, ohio
    Hammock
    Darien, Chameleon
    Tarp
    tarp with doors
    Insulation
    LL TQ, HG UQ
    Suspension
    beetle buckles
    Posts
    100

    Chameleon suspension

    I'm going to buy a Chameleon this weekend and saw the options for the suspension were the beetle buckles and the whoopie sling. I've decided beetle buckle is a better option, but didn't know if there was a lighter way to suspend this hammock (other than whoopies). I'm a dutch fan and I know he has a ton of bling but wasn't sure if someone else has hung their Chameleon with one of Dutch's other options....what was it and how did it work?
    Psalm 118:24 This is the day the Lord has made! I will rejoice and be glad!

  2. #2
    Member ravenblack's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2019
    Location
    Great Britain
    Hammock
    Chameleon
    Tarp
    HG Journey 12'
    Insulation
    HG Econ/Tiaga 360
    Suspension
    Straps and UCR
    Posts
    77
    You could take a look at the Turtle Ties but they aren't DW.

  3. #3
    Senior Member cmoulder's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    Ossining, NY
    Hammock
    DH Darien, SLD Tree Runner
    Tarp
    HG hex
    Insulation
    Timmermade, Revolt
    Suspension
    Kevlar, Lapp Hitch
    Posts
    4,912
    Images
    356
    Quote Originally Posted by ATGIRL2028 View Post
    I'm going to buy a Chameleon this weekend and saw the options for the suspension were the beetle buckles and the whoopie sling. I've decided beetle buckle is a better option, but didn't know if there was a lighter way to suspend this hammock (other than whoopies). I'm a dutch fan and I know he has a ton of bling but wasn't sure if someone else has hung their Chameleon with one of Dutch's other options....what was it and how did it work?
    Just starting out, the beetle buckles are going to be the simplest option because they make it easier to do a lot of tweaking and experimenting with suspension height on trees, with absolutely nothing to tie or untie. Might even want the Dutch clips on the suspension, for the same reason. For straps, use the plain polyester or Dutch's spider/poly hybrid (the white ones with the black stripes) because they handle better.

    Now is not quite yet the time to start thinking about cutting weight. It's more about ease of setup and getting a feel for the dimension of things. Do it enough and eventually you'll develop an "eye" for a good setup and one that isn't quite there.

    Just my 2 cents.
    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

  4. #4
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2019
    Location
    cincinnati, ohio
    Hammock
    Darien, Chameleon
    Tarp
    tarp with doors
    Insulation
    LL TQ, HG UQ
    Suspension
    beetle buckles
    Posts
    100
    Quote Originally Posted by cmoulder View Post
    Just starting out, the beetle buckles are going to be the simplest option because they make it easier to do a lot of tweaking and experimenting with suspension height on trees, with absolutely nothing to tie or untie. Might even want the Dutch clips on the suspension, for the same reason. For straps, use the plain polyester or Dutch's spider/poly hybrid (the white ones with the black stripes) because they handle better.

    Now is not quite yet the time to start thinking about cutting weight. It's more about ease of setup and getting a feel for the dimension of things. Do it enough and eventually you'll develop an "eye" for a good setup and one that isn't quite there.

    Just my 2 cents.
    Tx for your two cents. I'll take anything I can get
    I have a Hennessey and hang in my back yard, but planning the AT in 2028 and starting to lighten up the gear. Haven't got the "eye" yet b/c I hang between the same two trees in the back yard, so ty for that advice. I will just stick with beetle buckles this summer and maybe next summer switch them out if I'm not in love with them. I have his flyz on my tarp and have the hang of those now (i think) but I didn't know if I can use any of the flyz, wasps or anything else for the hammock or if all of those were just for tarps. I'll learn. Tx. again, appreciate it.
    Psalm 118:24 This is the day the Lord has made! I will rejoice and be glad!

  5. #5
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Location
    Nazareth, PA
    Hammock
    Chameleon/Ridgerunner/Raven
    Tarp
    OMW/HG Cuben
    Insulation
    Ghost P/Ridge Reap
    Suspension
    Whoopies
    Posts
    287
    I actually started using a Becket Hitch system, but I agree that beetle buckles are easy. Changing suspension options down the road is fairly easy and cheap to do. I would start with ease of use first.

  6. #6
    Us5Camp's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Location
    Garage Logic, MN
    Hammock
    Chameleon, Netless
    Tarp
    UGQ WD12, WB ThFly
    Insulation
    UGQ , HG, WB
    Suspension
    Dutch, Turtle Ties
    Posts
    301
    Quote Originally Posted by ATGIRL2028 View Post
    I'm going to buy a Chameleon this weekend and saw the options for the suspension were the beetle buckles and the whoopie sling. I've decided beetle buckle is a better option, but didn't know if there was a lighter way to suspend this hammock (other than whoopies). I'm a dutch fan and I know he has a ton of bling but wasn't sure if someone else has hung their Chameleon with one of Dutch's other options....what was it and how did it work?
    Currently using Beetle Buckles.. have no complaints... Bought Turtle Tie setup to try.. have not had a chance yet.
    Started w/ whoopie-hook setup from Ductch... I don't take it to the field anymore as the Bettle buckle (or Turtle Tie) setup allows hanging between tighter tree spacing than whoopies.

  7. #7
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Portland, OR
    Posts
    1,302
    Images
    3
    A simple strap tied to continuous loop is going to be the lightest option I think, but you should start off with the buckle first. As noted it’s a trivial move to make when you are ready.

  8. #8
    cmc4free's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Location
    Illinois
    Posts
    2,160
    Images
    188
    Quote Originally Posted by Us5Camp View Post
    ... the Beetle Buckle setup allows hanging between tighter tree spacing than whoopies.
    This highlights one of the biggest benefits of the Beetle Buckle, IMO. I don't think there's any other suspension (that is easily separated from the hammock, which is my preference) that allows a tighter tree spacing than the Beetle Buckles. The hammock CL's attach directly to the horns of the buckle, and the strap can be cinched so that the buckle is basically right up against the tree. If you find yourself in a place that doesn't have optimally spaced trees to choose from, this can be a real advantage.

    Other than that, you have a lot of time ahead to practice the becket hitch or similar hardware free-attachments. Those are the lightest, of course. Who knows what innovations in materials or design could happen between now and 2028, but for now, you could use the same straps you choose for the Beetle Buckles and get familiar with the becket hitch, J-bend, or Lapp hitch. When you really want to lighten your suspension, you could go hardware-free and swap those straps out for some 1.9 Kevlar (or Warbonnet Dynaweave, or RSBTR Venom, or Dutch Spider Web 1.5 ... but all those will bunch up more than the Kevlar, which makes them less kind to the trees unless you really take your time to flatten them out). Just know that none of those really lightweight strap options will work well with the buckles. They will slip.

  9. #9
    Senior Member soul embrace's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Bama
    Hammock
    Dream Hammock Sparrow : SLD
    Tarp
    HG : SLD
    Insulation
    HG : SLD : WB
    Posts
    1,362
    Quote Originally Posted by cmc4free View Post
    This highlights one of the biggest benefits of the Beetle Buckle, IMO. I don't think there's any other suspension (that is easily separated from the hammock, which is my preference) that allows a tighter tree spacing than the Beetle Buckles. The hammock CL's attach directly to the horns of the buckle, and the strap can be cinched so that the buckle is basically right up against the tree. If you find yourself in a place that doesn't have optimally spaced trees to choose from, this can be a real advantage.
    the turtle ties (https://www.fugal-innovations.com/product/turtle-tie/) is same as the beetle buckles but different design and for me I found that the turtle ties were easier to adjust. was not a fan of the beetle buckles
    There's magic in the woods,
    if you know where to look for it.
    -Pete's Dragon

  10. #10
    cmc4free's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Location
    Illinois
    Posts
    2,160
    Images
    188
    Quote Originally Posted by soul embrace View Post
    the turtle ties (https://www.fugal-innovations.com/product/turtle-tie/) is same as the beetle buckles but different design and for me I found that the turtle ties were easier to adjust. was not a fan of the beetle buckles
    I've never used those, having long since quenched my thirst for hardware by the time they came out. Can you use webbing in place of the blue amsteel shown below? If so, then I can see how you'd get them equally close to a tree as the buckle. If not, then I fail to see how you'd get a turtle to within an inch or so of the tree trunk, since you'd need to join amsteel to tree hugger, and then add the turtle to the Amsteel. I'm not knocking the usefulness of the turtles and I think they look cool. They just came out after I had lost interest in adding any new hardware bits to my kit.

    Last edited by cmc4free; 03-16-2020 at 17:52.

  • + New Posts
  • Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

    Similar Threads

    1. FS: DUTCHWARE CHAMELEON HAMMOCK WITH SUSPENSION
      By Old Man in forum [SOLD/WITHDRAWN] Items no longer available
      Replies: 8
      Last Post: 10-29-2019, 15:38
    2. Replies: 4
      Last Post: 08-19-2018, 17:27
    3. FS: Black DutchWare Chameleon 25% discount with net and cover and accessories, no suspension
      By HandyRandy in forum [SOLD/WITHDRAWN] Items no longer available
      Replies: 4
      Last Post: 10-19-2017, 22:08
    4. FS: Complete Chameleon + Beetle Buckle Suspension -Burnt Orange Hexon 1.6 -Brilliant Blue Top Cover
      By rickmurph in forum [SOLD/WITHDRAWN] Items no longer available
      Replies: 5
      Last Post: 08-26-2017, 14:20
    5. Replies: 76
      Last Post: 06-17-2017, 06:49

    Bookmarks

    Posting Permissions

    • You may not post new threads
    • You may not post replies
    • You may not post attachments
    • You may not edit your posts
    •