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  1. #1
    chansta's Avatar
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    tree spacing question

    My typical spacing is about 7 to 8 paces (natural steps) between trees. For this, I hang my 11 foot hammock with whipped ends using tree straps from dutch. No problem.

    But what if I wanted 2 trees which were just a tad further apart? How does one get the straps high enough if they are but of average height?

  2. #2

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    A few things I've done:

    Often times the roots are higher on one side of the tree than the other. Standing on theme could get you high enough.
    Use your trekking poles to "shimmy" the straps higher on the tree. My pal 5T has a Y-Shaped attachment on one of his poles that he says makes this much easier.
    Another thing you can do in a pinch is to hang your foot end closer to the tree on the side you can get the straps highest. Most experts say to have the hammock centered between the trees so this may be a last-ditch option. Good luck!

  3. #3
    Senior Member MikekiM's Avatar
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    Yep... trekking pole to push the strap up the tree. Hook the strap with pole basket to pull it down.
    Yes, my pack weighs 70lbs, but it's all light weight gear....
    Bob's brother-in-law

  4. #4
    all secure in sector 7 Shug's Avatar
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    Hike with a very tall friend!
    I jest....sorta.
    Yeah, use a hiking pole or find a sturdy limb in the woods or even something to stand on like a log or such. Even a little shimmy up the tree is doable.
    Carry forth and hammock on.....
    Shug
    Whooooo Buddy)))) All Secure in Sector Seven

  5. #5
    dakotaross's Avatar
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    Hammock ridge line to set the sag. It’s still more ideal to hang at 30 degrees but not a necessity with a structural ridge line.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    "I wonder if anyone else has an ear so tuned and sharpened as I have, to detect the music, not of the spheres, but of earth, subtleties of major and minor chord that the wind strikes upon the tree branches. Have you ever heard the earth breathe... ?"
    - Kate Chopin

  6. #6
    Senior Member WV's Avatar
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    That's the point of a structural ridgeline. It keeps the hammock hanging at a 30 degree angle (or whatever you set by changing the length of the ridgeline). The main lines to the trees may be at a lower angle, and thus under more tension, but it's never as much as the alarmists claim ("approaches infinity as you get closer to 0 degrees!") because you'd need a winch to tighten the suspension lines down to less than 15 degrees. That hammock gets too heavy for mere mortals to lift. At 15 degrees, the tension on the main suspension lines just doubles, which amsteel can handle. The tension on the ridge line and the hammock suspension lines (hammock to main suspension line) stays the same as hanging without a ridgeline at 30 degrees.

    This is mostly academic. The difference between between a structural ridgeline and what I call "an indicator ridgeline" is often misunderstood because it's widely ignored. Both work, but they do different jobs, so it can be helpful to know what you're about. Have a caution when you try it approach infinity; it's very far away. Much easier to shinny (a finite distance) up a tree.

    For a short translation of the foregoing, see dakataross's post; it's accurate.

    I use a structural ridgeline on my hammock because I am a creature of habit, and I want it to feel the same as it did the night before. In addition to helping with trees that are a bit farther apart, it also makes it easier to hang on a slope if the trees aren't at the same level. Without a ridge line you can find yourself shinnying ten feet up on the downhill tree.
    Last edited by WV; 04-07-2020 at 22:04.

  7. #7
    SilvrSurfr's Avatar
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    I'm a bit more scientific than "seven or eight paces (natural steps)." All of my hammocks have structural ridgelines, and I know from experience that I like 13 to 15 feet between trees (15 ft. if I can get it).

    My hiking boots are approximately 12.5 inches long (I'm a size 12), so I walk 12 precise paces (heel to toe) and I know that's about 12.5 feet (12.5 inches x 12 paces =150, divided by 12 inches equals 12.5 feet). Then I add another foot or two if possible.

    I've been using the Hammock Hang Calculator so long that I don't even need to use it anymore.

    http://theultimatehang.com/hammock-hang-calculator/

    If I'm hanging between trees that are 15 ft. apart, the Hammock Hang Calculator tells me I need to hang my straps 70 inches (5.8 feet) off the ground. With my 15 ft. target distance, I can usually find trees that will accommodate a hang without too much stress on the structural ridgeline, trees, or anything else. And I know if my distance is shorter, I'll go shorter than 5.8 feet, and if it's longer, I will go longer. The longest distance I hang between trees is usually 18 ft., though I have on occasion, hung from trees 20, even 25 ft. apart. You need a long suspension for that, but it can be done!
    "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." Ralph Waldo Emerson

  8. #8
    Senior Member MikekiM's Avatar
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    7- 8 comfortable paces is about right.

    Outstretched trekking poles that almost touch the trees is about right.

    Head end strap at about face height

    Foot end strap is about as high as I can reach, maybe a little higher.

    As long as I am able to get in and I am up off the ground far enough that no critters are scrubbing against butt at night, it's about right.

    SRL does the rest.

    Last thing I want to do on the trail is math. Right up there with using my cell phone.
    Yes, my pack weighs 70lbs, but it's all light weight gear....
    Bob's brother-in-law

  9. #9
    Senior Member OneClick's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SilvrSurfr View Post
    I'm a bit more scientific than "seven or eight paces (natural steps)." All of my hammocks have structural ridgelines, and I know from experience that I like 13 to 15 feet between trees (15 ft. if I can get it).
    That's about perfect. I do 5 full steps (3' each). If the last step is a bit short, I go for it (13' works as a minimum for me)

  10. #10
    cougarmeat's Avatar
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    if you are going to have trekking poles, maybe you could measure at the distance with them fully extended and held out to your sides. That might be close to 15 feet (if you are tall-ish, you may not even need to fully extend them) and you can estimate a little plus or minus from the two trees.
    In order to see what few have seen, you must go where few have gone. And DO what few have done.

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