UCR, is there a correct way?

[LowTech]

I've been using a UCR as my hammock suspension and I've used it both ways, w/ the main line attached to the tree hugger and the hammock hanging on the shuttle and the reverse.
Sometimes I think too much and laying in the hammock going over the physics in my head got me wondering if one way was better than the other and why.
I know we have some physics nerds on here that could take this thought process way farther than I could , so I'd like to hear some thoughts on whether one method is better and why.

[rmcrow2]

I've been using a UCR as my hammock suspension and I've used it both ways, w/ the main line attached to the tree hugger and the hammock hanging on the shuttle and the reverse.
Sometimes I think too much and laying in the hammock going over the physics in my head got me wondering if one way was better than the other and why.
I know we have some physics nerds on here that could take this thought process way farther than I could , so I'd like to hear some thoughts on whether one method is better and why.

When your hammock is hanging off of the shuttle it is harder to accidentally release tension and plummet to the ground.

$0.02 from somebody who gave up ucr's because I continually tug the shuttle the wrong way and release all my tension when I mean to guarantee it's tight.

我宁愿在山上。

[LowTech]

One of the times I hung from it I had this thought that gravity is kind of working against the non-attached eye on the shuttle by wanting to pull it down when you actually want it to be held against the pull of the hammock and gravity. I also couldn't think of an easy way to keep it pulled up by some other force. I do have the eye wrapped around the main line so not that, more something in addition.
So I flipped it over and attached the shuttle to the hugger and my hammock to the end of the main line. Now w/ the unweighted eye of the shuttle downward I can add some weight to it (camp shoes, small bag of gear, etc) that would help keep the shuttle stretched out.
It also seemed to make adjusting it easier as I'm holding the main line w/ the hammock on it and pulling it through the shuttle the direction it needs to go.

Of course too much thinking had me questioning whether it's designed to work that way.
I do throw a slippery half hitch on the line everytime . . . because . . . why not.

[Phantom Grappler]

I’ve never had a UCR, all me wondering and guessing
Some things that reduce chances of UCR failing and lowering you to the ground.
Have an adequate length of bury
Milk the bury
Use a small diameter cord at far end of bury tied in a prusik or klemheist to help prevent any motion from loosening bury

Outer part of bury or sheath 7/64 amsteel
Inner part of bury or core 1/8 amsteel!!!
Hard to splice, but it can be done—and your UCR will have a death grip, hanging on for dear life…never letting go

Quick field fix, if your UCR lets you down while on a camp out.
Set UCR and hammock suspension close to desired height
Milk bury
Tie bury in a tight overhand knot, tightening overhand knot and milk bury again on both sides of overhand knot.

If you cant or don’t want to disconnect hammock from suspension
Set hammock close to desired height
Milk bury
Tie marlin spike hitch in bury
Tighten MSH and milk bury again on both sides of MSH

The toggle used in this application must be strong and crushproof (no twigs)
Also toggle must be smooth, not sharp so it’s ends do not cut your tarp.
For toggle, you could use a carabiner or a spoon or even some wadded up rope or strap or a stinky sock rolled real tight

Also after setting UCR and milking bury, there will be loose amsteel hanging down at bury exit. You can tie a slip knot in loose amsteel about an inch from bury exit. A slip knot, not to be confused with a slipped half hitch!
If UCR slips, it will slip only that one inch—the slipknot is too fat to travel through bury!

Good luck

If I got paid to tell lies
It just wouldn’t be as much fun

[nanok]

physics wise, it's the same, as gravity is inconsequential here, to keep the tail tensioned (you need other means to ensure that, unless you're okay to hang something as you mentioned)

i consider bury to the hammock and main line to the treestrap the "correct" way for a very simple reason: the adjustment stays at the hammock, where i want it. on longer hangs, this becomes significant (longer also means higher up the tree, to maintain a reasonable angle).

to maintain tension on the tail, i either use a good quality friction hitch (VT, or blake), or (lately) a rigid piece that will bend the tail part of the bury (this is extremely effective, and much nicer imho that the friction hitch), for both these solutions gravity is irrelevant. i quickly discarded the idea of hanging something heavy on the tail, too many logistical questions: if it rains, do i mind if that thing i hung there gets wet (cause the tarp will likely not cover it), the shoes are not an option, i want them by me so i am not forced to walk barefoot unless i want to (in the middle of the night...), how heavy should the object be, how much will it bounce when getting in and out, arggghh, just no

[nanok]

(a bit offtopic, but maybe it helps)

here's a few pics i took for the other thread where i explained how to _totally_ slip-proof a ucr just by bending it a little.

the carabinner is not my favourite method, but it's something you will very likely have handy, and very easy to test. the abused one in the pic is a crappy keychain aluminum carabinner, maybe 4mm thick or so. the s-hook is way overkill, but makes for good photography to demonstrate the principle (it's steel and about 8mm thick iirc, quite heavy. for practical use, i just use 4 or 5 mm s-hooks, that are maybe 2cm long or so. they don't need to be strong, just rigid enough. this method is, in my testing so far, the most reliable and the least fidly to use (maybe not as light or compact as a friction hitch made of atwood microcord, but oh well)

IMG_20210614_200105.jpg-ucr-binner-small.jpg

IMG_20210623_200040.jpg-ucr-shook-small.jpg

IMG_20210623_195923.jpg-ucr-shook-small.jpg

[cmoulder]

IMLO (in my limited opinion) direction doesn't matter, but it matters greatly that the unloaded end of the bury always remains under tension. But that's "UCR 101" and if you're already hanging on them you know that.

I've hung on UCRs only a few nights, just for the experience, and have absolutely no gripes about how well they work. I merely prefer the simplicity of basic straps and knots.

[rmcrow2]

Just a random question that came to my head during lunch time.
If you have to slide the shuttle adjust it and then tie a knot to prevent it from sliding.
Sounds kind of like you're pretty much tying directly to your continuous loop anyway, just with extra steps?

As I said I'd stopped using them and just went to other things as I am incompetent.


我宁愿在山上。

[Shug]

I use mine with with the tail towards the hammock. Always seems weird to me any other way. I use a prussic and cord to hold the tension.
Shug

[nanok]

Just a random question that came to my head during lunch time.
If you have to slide the shuttle adjust it and then tie a knot to prevent it from sliding.
Sounds kind of like you're pretty much tying directly to your continuous loop anyway, just with extra steps?

As I said I'd stopped using them and just went to other things as I am incompetent.


我宁愿在山上。

you're correct, and that's why that's not how they are supposed to work. they must "just work" (without any knot tieing required at each adjustment), and they do (can) work that way, if they don't, i'd agree with you it's quite pointless.