Abandon Tree Straps?

[vtrek]

That picture is awesome Slowhike! Where did you see that?

[OutandBack]

My issue isn't with his experimentation. It's really his disrespectful attitude. He can do what he wants and he will. But that lemming comment amongst other things... I dont know. Seems rude to me.

Raul, I didn't hear Tinny say "Those HF.net lemmings" some have just assumed that. He might be getting his info from the HH site.

There are several post on this thread and others that have called him by name and posted derogatory statements.
Now who's really the rude ones?

I look forward to JustJeff's return.

But, again, this is coming from a pompous monkey... because sleeping in a recreational vehicle isn't camping

Yeah and I love Clif Bars but it doesn't stop me from watching your videos and picking up a tip or two.

OP, I apologize for my off topic statements.
-O&B

[bhinson]

I have seen trees with 1 inch cable wrapped around them and they grow over it, I have seen lots of trees with barbed wire in them and fencing and they grow threw it, nails, spikes, you name it, lots of saw mills saw thru steel and ruin lots of blades,,Trees are pretty resilient. I think for the most however, to appease all the enviromentals, the national parks people, the state parks people, and to promote hammock hanging as a safe and enviromental friendly way of backpacking and to take away any doubt whatso ever,,,we are better off to use a tree strap. Its a small weight penality that we should have to pay to promote our sport of hanging. Just my 2 cents.

I think this is well sai and well put
And the best argument so far for tree staps
Other than ease of use

[slowhike]

and slowhike, id like to add a small counterpoint to the pine being a "tough" tree. in my experience when straps are used on pine, which has what i like to call "flaky bark" it tends to cut into it and even can entice sap out. it is a tough bark, but it just seems the straps can get in between the "chunks" and pop off them. just what ive seen, YMMV of course. lol

No problem what so ever. I'm hoping to hear different personal experiance with different tree types.
Matter of fact, I questioned myself on putting pine trees in that catagory just because I've seen the same thing you described(and I try to avoid pines when I can because of that sap).
My suggestions on tree types were just that... suggestions, hoping to get some discussion started on what other hammockers have personally seen. Counterpoints are good

That picture is awesome Slowhike! Where did you see that?

Someone else posted it a while back. Not sure who though.
I kept it just for this kind of discussion on trees.

[Owl]

I just got down watching the "follow up" video.

After the "Just say it, 'I was wrong'" comments, I'm convinced...I won't return to his videos, nor would I consider purchasing anything from him (I've gotten the impression that he's a cottage provider of stoves?).

Wrong...not wrong...I don't care for the 'tude.

Sorry...but sheesh.

[sr1355]

Tinny should stick to stove building until he learns a little more about hammocks
I (& many others) have seen it first hand. It will vary depending on tree type, etc, but lines & rope will cut into & even through the cambium layer of the tree bark.
No ifs, and, or buts about it.

I agree, last week in the Winds I had a tarp ridge line cut completely into the bark of a pine tree, not sure what type of pine it was as the bark almost looked like birch. After that I place several sticks between the ridge line and the trees I hung from. Seemed to solve the problem, if it had been hammock suspension I'm sure the damage would have been more....

[SmokeBait]

I abandon tree straps now and then... leave them right on the tree, pack everything else up and walk away! Now I carry extras.

That's EXACTLY what I thought this tread was going to be about. To all those who have found my straps still in place on the trees, please take good care of them for me

I'm going to stick with using tree straps (huggers). The oak trees here probably don't care either way but the soft cedars do.

Like the others have said, Tinny makes great stoves and has some great videos. I can appreciate how he's trying to make things lighter and easier to use. Things in Maine may be different than things here in Missouri.

[default]

i have a great idea.

since it seems that the videos have riled up some people, offended others, and left bad tastes in some, why dont we ALL

stop watching it. stop giving it undue attention, and just go outside and hang, using best practices?

problem solved. no stress, and we can do what we all love. no worries about him or the video anymore, or what anyone else says in this thread for or against.

at this point, everyone has formed opinions on him, the videos and how to hang "in the best manner" so no point in going back and forth anymore. i read the comments he posted under the video and its obvious he doesnt care or is willing to try another way, so lets let it go.

[FLRider]

Tinkering with things and trying different methods is always a good thing. Personally, I'm glad that Tinny is thinking "outside the box" on, well, everything hammock related. Whether he finds new and better ways to do things will have to be seen. Either way, the process itself gives a better understanding of why things work the way they do, which can only lead to a greater pool of knowledge for everyone.

What isn't such a great thing, in my opinion, though, is playing to a public perception that this is anything other than experimenting--and possibly in a manner that could damage the reception of hammocking amongst the LNT community.

Unfortunately, much of the acceptance of hammock camping (as with anything non-mainstream) is in perception rather than knowledge. "Oh, I saw this guy on YouTube who said he wasn't going to use tree straps. That means nobody who hammock camps is going to use tree straps. They're going to hurt the trees, and so I won't let them hang in the state park," is, unfortunately, a possible response. Not saying that it will happen, or even that it is likely to happen, but why not play the odds?

Me, I'm going to stick to tree straps for the foreseeable future, both for perception issues and my own peace-of-mind. Hopefully, the learning curve on hammocks for Tinny will work its way around to this as well.

Still, I must say that I'm curious to see what he eventually comes up with.

[KMACK]

I use tree straps. I dont watch Tinny's videos (and have'nt for some time now). Its that simple.