UCR suspension - hammock+tarp

[Frawg]

I've been seeing a lot of interesting things posted lately and have found a way to steal some great ideas from several people here. Bottom line, I think may have actually found my "final" suspension configuration.

Here's the overview (Note the Lash-it tarp line dangling from the tree strap) and the whole setup with the tarp deployed:


Here are some details:

The hammock end is gathered and "whipped" with a modified double sheet bend using a loop of 7/64 Amsteel Blue formed with a lanyard knot (AKA diamond knot, as in the loop shackle / nacrabiner). This terminal loop can be slipped over a toggle or captured using a fixed eye & scarab as described by TeeDee and TiredFeet, or even secured with a (double?) becket hitch. BTW, the black elastic is just for securing the coiled up ridge line. The ridge line has toggles at each end, deployed through the hammock's (very taut) end loop.


However, opie's modified loop shackle with the sliding bury and blood knot really caught my eye so I commandeered his idea and terminated my UCR with a bury-based eye** that securely captures the lanyard knot from the hammock. No scarab needed! Not as fast to (dis)connect as a toggle, but it's pretty cool.


I use a doubled over piece of slingshot rubber to grip the touchy end of the UCR. It works pretty well. Slows down the adjustment process a bit, but that's no big deal - takes me 15 seconds instead of 5 to set it right.


At the tree end I secure the fixed eye of the UCR with a backwards loaded slippery becket hitch that Q_x posted. I was much surprised at how well this knot holds, and how easily it releases. It's an exploding knot, and tugging on the slippery rip cord instantly pops everything loose from the tree It also lets me place the tarp line connection right at the tree, so I don't need to run a separate line around the tree for the tarp ridge line. Loading the hammock has little effect on the tarp suspension and tensioned guy lines readily take up the slight bit of slack that develops. Second image shows the setup with the tarp deployed.


All in all, I feel pretty satisfied with this configuration and will stay with it for a while... at least until the next new thing comes along.

** Edit: forgot to mention that the sliding bury has a lock in it about 3" down from the eye, followed by another inch of bury. It's basically a locked brummel with the lock moved down toward the tail of the bury. The lock is important for safety's sake.


Many thanks to all for the great ideas you share here so freely!

[gargoyle]

Thanks Frawg, always good to see your "finalized" items.

Beware the slippery beckett at group hangs with practical jokers

(I was glad to find out my marlin spike is secure at a recent hang)

[Frawg]

Thanks Frawg, always good to see your "finalized" items.

Thanks, gargoyle!

Beware the slippery beckett at group hangs with practical jokers

(I was glad to find out my marlin spike is secure at a recent hang)

Heh heh... looks like I'm in the market for a lightweight combination padlock / marlinspike.

[angrysparrow]

Nice arrangement, Frawg! I especially like the single hugger that holds both hammock and tarp....very minimalist (elegant).

Why the toggles on the ridgeline? A fixed (non-removable) ridgeline seems like it wouldn't be a drawback for your setup.

[opie]

Looks good!!

[amac]

Frawg,
Wow. You've been doing a lot of tinkering. Great pics. You do a real good job of explaining and showing what you've come up with. I'm glad to see that you stayed with the UCR. I think I'm going to have to adopt some of the ideas that are in your system.

[Frawg]

Thanks, guys!

AS, if I were about 6" shorter I'd probably stick with a fixed ridgeline. My problem is that the ridgeline is right at eye level when I sit in the hammock to lounge -- I have to duck all the time when switching between leaning back and leaning forward.

Cheers!

[amac]

Frawg, I really like the "backwards loaded slippery becket hitch". I was playing with it a little and found I couldn't get the webbing nice and snug around the tree. When I tightened up the becket hitch, the webbing had about 1-2 inches of space. How'd you get it nice and snug?

[Frawg]

Frawg, I really like the "backwards loaded slippery becket hitch". I was playing with it a little and found I couldn't get the webbing nice and snug around the tree. When I tightened up the becket hitch, the webbing had about 1-2 inches of space. How'd you get it nice and snug?

I have that happen sometimes, too, and things don't fully tighten up until you load the line by getting into the hammock.

It's easier done than said, I think. I start with about 1-1/2 to 2 inches (40 - 50 cm) of space between the strap's fixed eye (on the left in my pic) and the initial bight at the other end of the strap. I'll then tie the knot and see how close the UCR's fixed eye ends up compared to what I'd visualized. If too loose or too tight, I'll undo the knot and repeat the process with the initial bight displaced left or right as necessary to correct the error. After doing it a few times, you get a feel for how much space you initially need between the strap's fixed loop and the initial bight at the other end of the strap, where you start the knot.

You've probably realized that you can let the fixed eye end of the strap fall free while you tie the knot, since the UCR has already been threaded through that eye. The eye is captive at that point and is easy to retrieve after the knot is tied. That lets you tie the knot in a comfortable position, then reposition the whole thing on the tree afterwards.

Hope that's not too fuzzy; I need to rethink how to describe that better. Let me know how it goes.

[amac]

Frawg, After taking a closer look at your pic, I see what I did wrong. I'm thinking you have come up with the definitive technique of attaching a suspension cord to tree-huggers.