Minimal straps??

[obxcola]

Actually the basic idea is TeeDee's. I just thought of the scrunchees to hold the sticks. The line loop with scrunchees is only to hold the sticks in place while a 7/64ths or even 2mm dynaglide ucr or whoopie is wrapped around the tree in place of a strap.

The sticks are there to keep the cord from damaging the tree.

It'll work easily and along with a whoopie sling or ucr makes a VERY light suspension but it takes some time to gather and break the sticks and thread them into the little scrunchees. It's not that it's hard or particularly tedious or tricky; it's just that you have to gather the sticks and etc instead of just throwing a strap around the tree.

I'm on this thread checking the latest news on straps! so much for a clever chap indeed

[Hangin' Burrito]

Switching all my straps out with Paul's eventually. He's got black and camo ..

.........did you say camo? I'm checking that out!!!

EDIT: strike that, he is using elastic to hold the bandolier. my bad.

But conceivably, you could substitute a length of amsteel, with a series of hairties on it.

testing awaits..

I shall test it today. Test report to follow shortly.

[TinaLouise]

I use Mule tape (approx 1/2" wide). When I wrap it around the tree, I wrap a couple of times and wrap so that I'm going beside each wrap, not on top of, so the wrapping looks wider than 1/2". I've cut my mule tape into to lengths of about 6' for one and about 9' for the other. That way if I come across a really large tree, I've got one strap longer that can be used. Trees in my area that I'm mostly tieing to are either some type of oak or a big ol sappy pine. My back yard is all live oak trees and I hang from them constantly. No damage!!!

TinaLouise

[Graybeard]

Minimizing weight by addressing the tree attachment can be quite effective but reducing the width of the tree hugger is not the best place to start. The function of the hugger is to reduce the pressure (pounds per square inch) on the bark. Other aspects being equal, changing from 1" wide strapping to 1/2" wide strapping will double the pressure. Changing to strapping that is only half as thick but still the same width won't change the pressure at all. But in both cases the weight will drop in half--and so will the strength. (The thinner but wider strapping may be easier to pack however.)

Frequently, the best way to reduce the weight of tree huggers is by reducing length. My rule of thumb is that a hugger need not be longer than twice the diameter of the largest tree I'm likely to encounter. When I do encounter that tree, the hugger won't reach all the way around. That leaves me with a choice. (I like choices.) I can search for another tree or I can make up the shortfall with suspension line and, if I think it's necessary depending on the structure of the bark, I can prop the suspension line away from the tree with wood scrounged from the forest floor.

Some time in the near future I hope to switch from 1" wide huggers to 2" wide huggers made from seat-belt webbing and expect to save weight in so doing.

[SteelerNation]

I got one of these from Autozone (actually they come in 4 packs):

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/cat...uestid=2620507



I've taken the long end strap out and pulled the stitching out of the ends. Then I cut it into half which makes two straps about 5' long. Then I heat treated them to prevent unraveling and created a loop one one of each straps which makes them about 4.5' long.

They weigh 21 grams each. The material has a burst strength of 900 pounds. I use them with my dynaglide whoopie slings that weigh 5 grams each and use a toggle made from an Easton Scout aluminum arrow at 1 gram each. So for 27 total grams per side I've got my UL suspension.

As far as I can tell the material is polyester. It doesn't seem to stretch. I made my wife's suspension a couple of years back with two of these since she wanted an all strap system. So far no issues.

Man, I so love this forum! Decided to go the whoopie sling route to save some weight. Found a pack of six-foot straps at Sam's Club for less than $10. When I cut the strap off of the ratchet (it was an automatically ratcheting strap), I still have 5 feet of usable length, and when I sawed through the weld on the end hook, I was able to unthread the hook from the strap, saving the loop.

Also went and got the scout arrow at ****'s for under $4 and cut it into 1.5 inch lengths.

I didn't do quite as good as you did, as my straps each weigh in at 28 grams, but my toggle isn't showing up at all , so I'm looking at 28 grams/side so far. I'll be able to post the total weight when my slings come in.

SN

[pig.slayer]

Maybe I'm wrong, but you use a length of amsteel or dynaglide, 5' long, with closed eyes at both ends, Install a series of hair ties, for holding the sticks. I believe the example given was just that, an example. It could be acomplished as I described.

Make a bandolier with the elastic hair ties, on amsteel. The sticks will share the load and not harm the tree, at least thats my understanding.

I've tried the 2mm dynaglide thing. It's very fiddly and you need to place a stopper knot under the MSH because it will slip overnight.
I have a friend that I gave some too that weigh's a little more than me, I think about 85kgs. He ended up on the deck as the dynaglide broke at the MSH.
For whoopies etc, I think the dynaglide is great (as long as your not too heavy) for tree straps, Just use light webbing.

[SteelerNation]

Going to try the dynaglide whoopies on my hammock chair but stick with the amsteel on my hammock just to be safe. I go in the 180's and don't want an aggressive turn-over to put me on the deck

By the way, didn't mention it but the webbing is one inch,

SN