I just ordered a Tensa4 and then saw this post. I don't have a bridge hammock as I'm 6'8"... but ordered a 12' from Dream Hammocks. I wonder if you could use one of the replacement tubing sections from Tensa (and drill new holes for it) and the Tensa connectors to increase the length of the triangles (is this what they're called?). Todd from Tensa mentioned that tall hangers have issues sometimes finding the right diagonal lay for tall people and they hit the poles.
My biggest concern is overall strength, PVC just doesn't seem strong enough to me.
Tensa4 Connector
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Tensa4 Replacement Poles
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I also have a 12 foot Gathered End hammock and can use my Tensa 4 with no modifications. The problem with the bridge hammock is the "bridles" (for want of a better word) on the ends make the hammock much longer than the stand accommodates without jumping through some minor hoops.
"God never sends us anything we can't handle. Sometimes I wish He didn't trust me so much." - Mother Teresa.
Dog bones. You can order shorter ones, but I’ve heard you sacrifice some stability. My wife and son have Ridgerunners, so we’ll find out soon.
I’m really excited for the stand to arrive, glad to hear it should accommodate my new hammock without modification.
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wookiedrool, It’s not stability you need to worry about with shorter dogbones on the Ridge Runner. It’s that the shorter the dog bones, the more compression force in imparted to the spreader bars. There have been reports of them breaking if that goes to extremes. Where is the “extreme” - there are probably several factors at play. I’m sure there is some safety allowance in the engineering of those components but consider your next course of action if you get it wrong. …
Once upon a time, the city decided to test a new irrigation canal culvert they contracted out. Note the word “test”. In their wisdom, they had no Plan-B if the test failed. About 4 AM, the entire neighborhood was flooded as thousand of gallons poured forth from the canal and failed culvert. To his credit, the contractor went around and assured everyone insurance would quickly cover the damage. Then the lawyers got involved. The City wanted to blame the contractor but his attorney said the city had signed off on the work and they were the ones who opened the (water) gate and didn’t monitor the flow. But that’s another story.
Point is - if you are going to walk in a direction that has “spreader bar failure” at the end of it. you just need to consider what your course of action will be if you reach that end sooner than expected.
In order to see what few have seen, you must go where few have gone. And DO what few have done.
Since you and your wife both hang, Take a look at the Tensa web page Todd shows how to hang two hammocks from one tree with o "split" Tensa 4 stand. It's rare for me to not find a single tree that could work.
"God never sends us anything we can't handle. Sometimes I wish He didn't trust me so much." - Mother Teresa.
Also, look at my picture a few posts earlier- post #21- for 1 example of using just 1/2 of a DIY tensa with a tree. And with a WB bridge. Works like a charm,all the room in the world. I did not disconnect the head end feet from the foot end feet(is there a better way of wording that?) for this test. The head end and foot end of the stand is still connected at the feet, with the unused 1/2 just laying on the ground. But if I start doing this on a regular basis, or want to hang 2 hammocks from 1 tree, I will separate the head end from the foot end bars.
BTW, I have 2 stakes in the ground right at the feet(thru the metal wire loops I connect the bars with) to keep the bar from scooting towards the tree when in the hammock. I'm not sure if it is needed.
"God never sends us anything we can't handle. Sometimes I wish He didn't trust me so much." - Mother Teresa.
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