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  1. #1
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    Best/safest portable stand for two people and a youngster

    Hello all,
    A few years back my wife and I built a turtle dog stand that we have used alongside our pop-up camper for daytime hangouts at the campground. Together, we total about 300 lbs and we use an ENO doublenest. Both the hammock and the stand have held our weight so far. HOWEVER, stability is a little iffy. I've done my best to anchor down the stands but we have had times where the whole setup came down. This could be uneven land, improper setup, etc.

    Our daughter was recently born and although she won't be introduced to the hammock for a while...I am now especially worried about the stability of this setup due to the fence top rail that could fall on her.

    Also, it is an easy fix but the fence top rail (even split in two sections) was JUST too long to fit the length of my pickup bed.


    I am now looking for something that will be equally as portable (trying to avoid heavy 2x4 setups) but safer. I would like to keep the cost in the $50-75 range if possible and I need to incorporate a newly purchased 12ft tarp. I really like the tensa4 route, especially the aluminum/painters pole option. However, I see that the painters poles can only support somewhere around 225lbs. I can go the fence rail option which will likely hold the necessary weight at the expense of a heavier setup. I am still trying to gauge how stable this option truly is...

    EDIT: I am seeing that tensahedron failures typically collapse on itself? That might not be ideal, especially if I go with the fence rails.

    What suggestions do you have??

    Thank you in advance!
    Last edited by Archy88; 07-21-2020 at 13:44.

  2. #2
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    Best/safest portable stand for two people and a youngster

    Quote Originally Posted by Archy88 View Post
    Hello all,
    A few years back my wife and I built a turtle dog stand that we have used alongside our pop-up camper for daytime hangouts at the campground. Together, we total about 300 lbs and we use an ENO doublenest. Both the hammock and the stand have held our weight so far. HOWEVER, stability is a little iffy. I've done my best to anchor down the stands but we have had times where the whole setup came down. This could be uneven land, improper setup, etc.

    Our daughter was recently born and although she won't be introduced to the hammock for a while...I am now especially worried about the stability of this setup due to the fence top rail that could fall on her.

    Also, it is an easy fix but the fence top rail (even split in two sections) was JUST too long to fit the length of my pickup bed.


    I am now looking for something that will be equally as portable (trying to avoid heavy 2x4 setups) but safer. I would like to keep the cost in the $50-75 range if possible and I need to incorporate a newly purchased 12ft tarp. I really like the tensa4 route, especially the aluminum/painters pole option. However, I see that the painters poles can only support somewhere around 225lbs. I can go the fence rail option which will likely hold the necessary weight at the expense of a heavier setup. I am still trying to gauge how stable this option truly is...

    EDIT: I am seeing that tensahedron failures typically collapse on itself? That might not be ideal, especially if I go with the fence rails.

    What suggestions do you have??

    Thank you in advance!
    Tensahedrons are extremely stable when you anchor both ends. This is because the 2 very wide feet (typically 6’ or so) are directly in the middle, near the center of mass, so very well planted unlike narrower tripods off to the sides, each foot weighted only a third as much as the tensahedon’s. The center of gravity is also lower, lacking a top bar. Slopes have no effect when the stand is oriented so the feet are level, 2 feet able to find the level on any grade.

    The possibility of anchoring only one end is useful in various tricky hanging scenarios and is sort of a neat trick, but virtually all of the taco/mousetrap stories come from single-anchor stunts gone wrong. More rarely an anchor fails and the stand collapses, but there’s nothing heavy overhead to fall on occupants, and it’s a pretty gentle spill that sort of rolls you instead of a straight plonk, usually about as traumatic as tipping over in a chair.

    Our site has several DIY plans within your budget, lighter, more compact, and cheaper than similarly strong turtledogs: https://www.tensaoutdoor.com/make-yo...ahedron-stand/ .


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Last edited by Latherdome; 07-21-2020 at 16:46.
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    Tensa Outdoor, LLC, maker of the Tensa4, Tensa Solo, and Tensa Trekking Treez hammock stands: http://tensaoutdoor.com/

  3. #3
    Senior Member jeff-oh's Avatar
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    Is one of your requirements to have multiple people in one hammock? A collapsible version of the Tenahedron stand is rather simple and inexpensive. Mine fits into an old folding camp chair bag. But I would only trust it for one person. IMG_2166.jpg

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by jeff-oh View Post
    Is one of your requirements to have multiple people in one hammock? A collapsible version of the Tenahedron stand is rather simple and inexpensive. Mine fits into an old folding camp chair bag. But I would only trust it for one person. IMG_2166.jpg
    For 2 or more people I’d just go with larger diameter steel than the 3/4” EMT you’re using. Right?


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    Tensa Outdoor, LLC, maker of the Tensa4, Tensa Solo, and Tensa Trekking Treez hammock stands: http://tensaoutdoor.com/

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Latherdome View Post
    but there’s nothing overhead to fall on occupants, and it’s a pretty gentle spill that sort of rolls you instead of a straight plonk, usually about as traumatic as tipping over in a chair.
    An image/video search is what lead me to initially like this design versus my turtle dog. I did chuckle about your description of the fall...kidding aside, this is very important.
    Also, worth noting that I have ended up at your website numerous times to check out the DIY information. As you have likely heard time and time again...I think it is amazing that you are still supporting the DIY community with a commercial product on the market.


    Quote Originally Posted by jeff-oh View Post
    Is one of your requirements to have multiple people in one hammock? A collapsible version of the Tenahedron stand is rather simple and inexpensive. Mine fits into an old folding camp chair bag. But I would only trust it for one person.
    I have been digging into your posts too and I appreciate your input here as well.

    We did pick up a second hammock last year to use around the house. I think I would like to keep my options open to support the weight of two people but maybe I do need to start thinking about packing 2+ stands. The downside is I am working on the accessories for the first hammock still...so the second will be rather exposed! (The bug net has been great and I am excited to try out the new tarp that should be arriving today)

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Latherdome View Post
    For 2 or more people I’d just go with larger diameter steel than the 3/4” EMT you’re using. Right?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    This was also my assumption. But that is all it is...an assumption.

    I'm already carrying a fence top rail for the turtle dog plus 6 2x2's so I'm not really opposed to this. Obviously I do prefer the packed size of a chair bag...so I guess i'll leave it up to the wife with what route she prefers. At the very least I am excited to get some experienced input to make sure we keep everybody safe and happy!

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  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by joe_guilbeau View Post
    At the very least that might make it more sturdy as the entire thing won't likely come down. Plus the top rail mod looks like it is likely mounted/hanging better than my S hook. Definitely something to consider.

  9. #9
    Senior Member Baka Dasai's Avatar
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    Has anybody used a tensa for a tandem hang with a spreader bar?

    My partner and I together weigh about 320, so we'd be under the weight limit. But would we fit within the tensa poles? Perhaps a DIY version with longer (and stronger) poles might work?

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Baka Dasai View Post
    Has anybody used a tensa for a tandem hang with a spreader bar?

    My partner and I together weigh about 320, so we'd be under the weight limit. But would we fit within the tensa poles? Perhaps a DIY version with longer (and stronger) poles might work?
    Pretty confident it won’t work with Tensa4: clearance not there. Maybe with a bigger DIY...

    If you have 1 tree or similar support like a vehicle you can split Tensa4 into 2 inverted Vs and hang 2 that way, as described in Tips & Tricks of current docs.
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    Tensa Outdoor, LLC, maker of the Tensa4, Tensa Solo, and Tensa Trekking Treez hammock stands: http://tensaoutdoor.com/

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