Livin’ Large ~ Horizontally
I think adjustability is very important, especially when you are new to hammocks. Tweaking your hang to get the right comfort, height, angle, etc can make a huge difference and could cause someone to think hammocks are not for them if adjustability is lacking.
Carabiner seems to be rated for climbing and if so should hold just fine. Having said that, I don't think the carabiner is necessary and just adds weight. On the other hand, if the carabiner is used, it could be simply clipped to the loop at the end of the tree strap with no marlin spike hitch required.
An alternative knot, if the Taut- line slips, might be a trucker hitch or round bend with two slippery half- hitches. These are easily and quickly untied (if tied in a slippery configuration) and re- adjusted.
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--Scott <><
"I fish because I love to; because I love the environs where trout are found, which are invariably beautiful... because, in a world where most men seem to spend their lives doing things they hate, my fishing is at once an endless source of delight and an act of small rebellion; because trout do not lie or cheat and cannot be bought or bribed or impressed by power, but respond only to quietude and humility and endless patience...." --Robert Traver
The horse isn’t dead yet. IF the marlin Spike hitch is tied correctly you can safely use a carabiner AND have the security that your loop is not going to slide off a knot when you unweight the hammock - like if you have to get up in the middle of the night for some reason.
When I first saw that Hennessy knot I thought, “No way”. There is just too much adjustment - unless you use the same trees every time - in refining the distance/height. A quick YouTube search showed a method using two rings at each end (attached to the tree with webbing) to pinch the line. It’s an easy pull to adjust and you can finish with a half hitch to lock it off for more security.
Later, I followed a video that showed how to replace the supplied line with a continuous loop. I initially went for a whoopee sling but quickly lost my enthusiasm (still fun to build for adjustable ridge lines) when I saw how much distance overhead they required- almost requiring trees to be two further feet apart than with other methods. That, and adjusting the bury in cold and freezing rain wasn’t fun.
If you replace that support line with a continuous loop and put a ring on the loop, you can easily switch out different suspension systems attached to the ring - try whoopies, webbing, daisy chain or back to single line.
In order to see what few have seen, you must go where few have gone. And DO what few have done.
Wellp, as you all suspected the taut line didn't hold under tension. MSH did it's job with no issues though. I tried a fixed loop and becket hitch and wasn't too jazzed about it so the search continues! I started to look into the descender ring approach but found too many people having issues with damaged cords. I think I'll try the method ultra zim posted in a thread that had a timely resurrection and if that fails just bite the bullet and get some whoopies. Thanks for the help all!
I just tried the Munter Hitch backed up with two slippery half hitches and it held just fine. If you really like the Hennessy rope system and are leary of rope damage, it is easily replaced and inexpensive. I image the ropes would last at least a year of hanging if not more.
Livin’ Large ~ Horizontally
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