20220827_185750.jpg 20220212_140524.jpg
Spreader bar and 3 trees for comparison.
20220827_185750.jpg 20220212_140524.jpg
Spreader bar and 3 trees for comparison.
trial and error is going to do you just fine. however, I think I noticed that when i focus on getting both head-ends matched up (to line up the buckles for the spreader bar) that it usually is about where it needs to be.
keep in mind something else: when i first went to use this setup, i didn’t realize that having one set of beetle buckles/straps meant that only the head ends would get to use them. i used both straps with the beetle buckles on the head ends (one for each hammock), and a different set of straps on the foot end, since i didn’t have two sets of beetle buckles and straps at the time.
you probably wouldn’t need me to tell you to bring a second set of straps for the foot ends, but it only dawned on me after i started setting up for the first time, even though it’s extremely obvious.
Update on the Beetle Buckles and spreader bar setup:
I really love this setup! This will be a game changer for me when camping with my wife and/or young sons, as it will allow us to sleep under the same rain fly. Certainly yoking two hammocks together does mean transfer of movement between the two hammocks, but it is really not that bad in my opinion. I have found the biggest trick to be the elevator effect when one person climbs in and out of the hammock-- when the other person climbs out, you go down, and when they get in, you go back up. There is a little bit of trial and error that comes with figuring out how high to hang each hammock when they are empty so that when both hammocks are occupied they hang at a similar level. This requires hanging the hammock with the heavier person slightly higher, and hanging both hammocks high enough so that when only one is occupied, it does not hang low enough that it touches the ground.
Another note is that the rain fly needs to be large enough to cover both hammocks, and I also found it is important to hang the rain fly high enough that the edge of the spreader bar is not poking it, especially when climbing in and out of the hammocks, which can cause the bar to turn more up-and-down than side-to-side.
Overall, I am very happy with this addition, and I think it works well. I hope this thread is helpful to anyone else who is considering this method.
i’m glad it worked out! i think you’ve got good advice there.
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