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  1. #1
    Senior Member ibgary's Avatar
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    The pole option.

    I'll start off by giving credit to VaraVild, his YouTube video, The Single Tree Hammock Option, is where this started for me. That was several yrs ago. I didn't really understand how it worked, so I tried setting up a replica in the back yard using a Kelty tarp pole, and a tree. I tied off the pole with two lines at a roughly 60-70 degree angle, to solid anchors. It held me fine.
    I thought it was cool, but didn't use it. I guess I didnt trust it enough to try it in the wild. Eventually I took the pole on a trip to Great Sand Dunes N.P. I tried using it there without success. I'm still not sure why it didn't work, but it caused me to play with the setup again when I returned home. I tried using tent stakes for the tie-outs rather than fence posts. Realizing that most soil was not a secure as my grass covered lawn, lead me to using dog bones to improve the anchors holding power. Now rather than 1 stake per line I had 2, 4 or more depending on how many dogbones I wanted to use. That change greatly increased my confidence in the system.
    I took the pole on a few car camping trips and used it several times with success. Last spring was the first time I took it on a motorcycle trip. With experience using it and confidence it would work, I found I was picking campsites that previously would not have gotten a second look. All I needed was 1 good tree, or a shade structure in the camp ground. I also found that with the bike I didn't even need to stake out the lines. I could position the bike and anchor the pole to the front and back wheels. By the end of the summer I was using the pole about 50% of the time. It is very nice to have so many more options on where to camp. If I took 2 poles I guess I could setup almost anywhere.
    This Feb, 2021, I went out to spend some time kayaking with my son on the lower Colorado River. I took the pole and the hammock. The pole bent, probably because I had become overly confident and wasn't looking at the position of the pole when I tested the setup. The pole needs to be vertical. Side loading to left or right can flex the pole. I normally look at that and then reposition the pole to vertical. The pole is now stronger and shorter. It is still adjustable between about 5 & 6 ft, but the default will be about 5 ft, or where I want the foot end of my hammock set. The pole will also be about 12 or 18 inches past the foot of the hammock and the tie-up point for the tarp. By being stronger and shorter (it was about 8 ft) I expect this to be my go to setup.
    Obviously I can still use trees, but I don't need 2 trees at the right distance apart. I can also orient the hammock to what I want based on wind direction, what I want to see, fire ring etc.
    Learning to use the pole and the hammock is part of the joy of hammock camping. I like to try new things. Hammocks, tarps, poles and different setups are all part of that. Nothing wrong with tents. My wife uses her tent/cot setup and is very happy with it. She has it set up in half the time it takes me. She's wiping down her bike or sitting in her chair with a cold beer before I'm done, but I'm in no hurry, were camping. If I was in a hurry I wouldn't bring an alcohol stove or ride a bike.

    Sent from my couch

  2. #2
    Senior Member Pop_Eye's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ibgary View Post
    I'll start off by giving credit to VaraVild, his YouTube video, The Single Tree Hammock Option, is where this started for me.
    I saw that same video as well when I got my first hammock. Tried it a half a dozen times and failed every time!

    Quote Originally Posted by ibgary View Post
    I tried using tent stakes for the tie-outs rather than fence posts. Realizing that most soil was not a secure as my grass covered lawn, lead me to using dog bones to improve the anchors holding power. Now rather than 1 stake per line I had 2, 4 or more depending on how many dogbones I wanted to use. That change greatly increased my confidence in the system.
    Can you post a pic of what you mean by dogbones and how you use multiple dogbones for securing the pole?

    Quote Originally Posted by ibgary View Post
    Last spring was the first time I took it on a motorcycle trip. With experience using it and confidence it would work, I found I was picking campsites that previously would not have gotten a second look. All I needed was 1 good tree, or a shade structure in the camp ground. I also found that with the bike I didn't even need to stake out the lines. I could position the bike and anchor the pole to the front and back wheels. By the end of the summer I was using the pole about 50% of the time. It is very nice to have so many more options on where to camp. I
    I am curious as to how you did this. A picture speaks a thousand words. I ride an FJR and and will be hammock camping this year. I would be interested to see how you did this.

    Thanks!

  3. #3
    Senior Member ibgary's Avatar
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    Happy to be of help. Pic 1 is what I call a dogbone, pic 2 is the DB attached to the pole tieout, pic 3 is with more DBs added to increase load distribution.
    The dogbones are made from zing it which is rated at a few hundred lbs. If you want I can mail you some for 1$ each plus postage. Just send me your address and tell me how long you want them. I'm in Colorado, where are you?
    The pics are on the counter the back yard is under snow.

    Sent from my couch

  4. #4
    Senior Member oldbiker's Avatar
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    Built a 2 pole set up several years ago. Worked good in solid ground but not good in soft or Sandy soil. Tried to post pictures but couldn't. There is some of it in my profile pictures. I used aircraft cable & screw in pegs. Amsterdam ridge line. Poles were shower Curtin rods I picked up on clearance & cut drilled, fitted & pinned in I think 18" sections

  5. #5
    Senior Member Pop_Eye's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ibgary View Post
    Happy to be of help. Pic 1 is what I call a dogbone, pic 2 is the DB attached to the pole tieout, pic 3 is with more DBs added to increase load distribution.
    The dogbones are made from zing it which is rated at a few hundred lbs. If you want I can mail you some for 1$ each plus postage. Just send me your address and tell me how long you want them. I'm in Colorado, where are you?
    The pics are on the counter the back yard is under snow.

    Sent from my couch
    Thanks. Now I get what you mean about dogbones and how you use them. Again a picture speaks volumes. I’ve spliced eyelets in lash it, zing it and amsteel for a number of projects. Using multiple stakes with distributed dogbones seems like a good load distribution system.

    I’m in Michigan, but I have ridden my moto from here to the Colorado Rockies before. Lots of excellent riding and beautiful landscapes. The coolest thing was riding to grab dinner in Estes Park and looking over in the next lane to see a small herd of elk just wander through the town like they owned it!

    Good times.

  6. #6
    Senior Member ibgary's Avatar
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    I'm glad that helped. I suggest you get a strong adjustable tent pole to work with. Check Army Navy surplus store. I'm still using the Kelty pole, but its about the minimal stiffness I would use.
    Finding one good tree for the hammock is easy. Finding two the right distance apart takes some looking. I have gone through and left many campgrounds. Although they had trees in most sites having the right two trees was often hard to find.
    Estas Park is just up the road from me, about 30-40 minutes away.

    Sent from my couch

  7. #7
    robv60's Avatar
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    I did this setup quite some years ago and it worked good as long as the ground was DRY. Shortly after setting mine up, I got a big rain and the 18" spikes I was using pulled right out of the ground. I never tried the multiple spike option, as I immediately moved on to an A-Frame type support that I then can tie off to a sturdy object like my nearby shed or a tree base that may be too far away to tie the other end to otherwise. otherwise. I should try the multiple spike setup to see how it works to make my setup more portable.

  8. #8
    LowTech's Avatar
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    If you just run the dogbone through the loop in the guylines, instead of doing a larks head, it will help equalize the pull on the stakes.
    I've used this method alot and even came up w/ a way to equalize better between three stakes.

    "Sent w/o me knowing"

  9. #9
    Senior Member ibgary's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LowTech View Post
    If you just run the dogbone through the loop in the guylines, instead of doing a larks head, it will help equalize the pull on the stakes.
    I've used this method alot and even came up w/ a way to equalize better between three stakes.

    "Sent w/o me knowing"
    I use the larks head rather than looping it through because if a stake comes out, the dog bone can go through the loop and the anchor would fail.

    Sent from my couch

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