Last time I used the dog bone I carried it was just to extend a guy line so I could tie off to a sapling in porch mode. Time before that I used it as a water break.
Last time I used the dog bone I carried it was just to extend a guy line so I could tie off to a sapling in porch mode. Time before that I used it as a water break.
Yes, my pack weighs 70lbs, but it's all light weight gear....
Bob's brother-in-law
I figure if you have a 20ft hang from two 24" diameter trees, you can probably swing it with 12' straps ---- seems like a pretty long hang with decent size trees to me. I have the 15' straps and a few weeks ago was looking for strap end mgmt solutions ----- but I am starting to care less about it.
According to Hammock Calculator, using average settings, that 20ft span requires the suspension to be a little over 8 ft high in the tree - a bit of a stretch for some of us. I’ve read about pushing the suspension up with a stick or some such. But I like things were I can reach them. For one thing, I may be able to push the line up, but I might be more difficult to “push” it down. I’m thinking of the bark an a big-ol-Ponderosa Pine. It tends to grab warp arounds and not want to let it go.
In order to see what few have seen, you must go where few have gone. And DO what few have done.
I’ve pushed the straps up with a trekking pole more than a few times. Always thought about how I would get it down but never seems to be a problem.
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Yes, my pack weighs 70lbs, but it's all light weight gear....
Bob's brother-in-law
24" diameter trees would convert to about 6.25' circumference, leaving 5.75' free for attachment to hammock (without extensions).Originally Posted by LearnedHat
If one uses a 10' hammock with short CLs, that would be cutting it very close on length, especially if using a no-hardware connection (knot/hitch).
Recently I had this happen in an area that had plenty of trees but was on a slope, so not a bunch of other choices, and this spot was on a slight slope and was otherwise quite workable. I brought along my set of dyed Kevlar straps, which are a bit under 10' in length but have some Evo loops semi-permanently attached which gave me approx 1' additional on each end, and a 3' dog bone. Even so, one tree was fairly large and the other was very large.
It ended up being a close call, but one thing that helped was using a knot that didn't require much additional webbing to tie, which is my regular Lapp Hitch. I don't think there is anything else that uses so little material, even in a slipped configuration.
Although the pic below shows it tied to my den doorknob, this is exactly what it looked like tied to the hammock CL. Absolutely no slippage... used many times with total confidence.
lapp_hitch_short_knot_small.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
I think I used 12 or 15ers for my at and PCT thrus
Never an issue out East. Out west I had a few times where the trees were just so **** wide it ate up most of my strap. This was only really an issue a few times, and I still found a spot, it just wasn’t an idea pitch. Plus I set up in haste due to a storm rolling in.
99 times out of 100 you can always fix the problem by walking for another few minutes.
I’d say try the shorter straps out, it’s fun to try new things. Conversely, if we’re not counting grams to get to UL, what’s 3 feet of webbing? Or maybe compromise and try one 15’ and one 10er and see how you like it?
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