Im going to attempt this at my work; we also have a nice pergola and a couple trees, but I wonder if I will attract their ire for fear of liability... hm, guess I'll find out!Originally Posted by Randonneur
Im going to attempt this at my work; we also have a nice pergola and a couple trees, but I wonder if I will attract their ire for fear of liability... hm, guess I'll find out!
The OG urban Hanger / Swinger is the Amazing Spider Man. I suppose I would hang a hammock in a city park with trees on a short term basis while picnicking but not overnight camping, as I would fear getting stabbed/mugged overnight in certain cities! YMMV
Twice I got to meet Bend’s Finest (police) while recreating in a neighborhood park.
The first time was not associated wth hammocks per say, but emphasizes the “interest” your unothodox activity can generate. New Hampshere was having a ham radio event celebrating Alan Shepard’s birthday. If you worked the special station in NH, you were mailed a certificate. I put up a small vertical antenna and had portable gear. Because of all the radio operators trying to make contact, the organizers were calling for contacts state by state. So I was waiting for Oregon. Wouldn’t you know it - just as they asked for Oregon, up walks a city cop - called by the neighbors - to ask me what I was doing. I was so ready to tell him, “Just hold on a minute.” but figured that would be a bad career move. So I missed my window while explaining it was a temporary, portable, ham radio setup. It was the last time they called for Oregon that day. But because it was a weekend event, I found a more isolated spot the next day and made my contact.
With repect to hammocks - the second time I was “stopped”, I had loaded my boxes of gear in the jeep and pulled over near a cluster of trees to set up tarp and hammock - making sure I had all the stakes, guy lines, ridge lines, etc. for a “first time this season” trip. The good neighbors must of thought I was setting up a homeless camp because sure enough, as I’m putting finishing touches on the “Camp”, up drives the city police again to ask, “What are you doing?”. I asked the officer if he’d ever been camping and realized he had forgotten something back home. I pointed out the car, my box or two of camping gear, and the very nice hammock and tarp in porch mode. He said I had every right to enjoy the park like anyone else, wished me a good day and was on his way.
So even though what you are doing is perfectly legal, don’t be surprised if you have an unexpected “visit” because people imagine a (homeless) hammock settlement developing in their neighborhood.
In order to see what few have seen, you must go where few have gone. And DO what few have done.
As long as you are near your vehicle to carry it, these work well and have no chance of breaking suddenly and snapping your back when you hit the ground. As happened to me when younger. Extremely sturdy parts that do not break. 550 pound weight limit, so works well on double tubby hammocks if that's a need.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
algoma steel stand.jpg
They assemble and disassemble quickly. There are few parts and none lightweight or iffy, as in some current portable contraptions. They fit on uneven or sloped ground or any other surface solid surface. They don't mess up the surface. If you want a tarp overhead, you can attach longer thin electrical conduit or bamboo extensions to the end pieces for more height. Velcro tape straps or 2" gaffer tape. Easily movable to follow or avoid the sun overhead. Or droppings from trees.
I have three of them. I shortened one on the bottom tube so as to fit better in my living room in winter.
Maybe I made a mistake, but if those end supports are 15 feet apart, and you have a hammock that is only 10 ft long, the hammock calculator suggest a suspension height of 70 inches. But the specs on that stand say it’s only 44 inches high. You’d have to use an angle of around 15 degrees to get your suspension that low. And 200 lbs in the hammock would put about 390 lbs on the material/stitching.
But that is if you want to be 18 inches off the ground. Because “in the air” is in the air, whether it be 3 inches or 30 inches, I suppose just inches off the ground is good enough.
In order to see what few have seen, you must go where few have gone. And DO what few have done.
I just measured the Algoma stand and the end hook attachments are 53 inches off the ground, and about 168 inches apart when you're in the hammock. The end angle pieces have some loose movement at the base connection so move together a little, but are more than secure and sturdy. So I'm about 5 inches off the ground. 112" ridgeline. And a 200 pound hanger doesn't exceed 200 pounds of tension on each end. I'm 146 so its even less. Nothing magic about 18 inches above the ground that I can fathom other than being more chair-like. On trees I usually am that high or higher. But realistically, when you're 1 inch off the ground, everything feels the same when you're sleeping or wide awake as if you're ten feet up, other than the visuals. It's still the joy of hammock feel.
> It's still the joy of hammock feel.
Absolutely.
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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