Abandon Tree Straps?

**SlowBro** · 10-12-2011, 17:51

Recently Tinny at minibulldesigns has posted some video on hanging with out using tree straps- just the whoopies wrapped around the tree. He maintains that straps are hammock "Dogma" and are not needed when hanging a hammock in the usual way. When challenged he posted another video with an "experiment" showing that his 180 body only generated 160 pounds of force on one end of the hammock. He claims this could not hurt the trees. In his final video test today he strung the hammock as straight across as he could get it and only generated about 210 pounds of force. He was careful to note that you didn't have to have it super taught to string it straight.

So if you are in the 180 lb range and hang your hammock properly at about 30 degrees is it ok to not use tree straps. ( I calculated his 160 lb's of force put about 50 lb psi on the tree. Is that enough to hurt the tree?

Discussion anyone......?

**ShadowAlpha** · 10-12-2011, 17:53

I use amsteel tree straps & dynaglide whoopies to the hammock. I'm 115lbs

**backpackingZombie** · 10-12-2011, 17:57

That method won't win many fans in the NPS. Many people/locations are against hammocks because they feel a cord wrapped around the tree will do it damage, that is until you discuss tree straps and sometimes they feel safer and let you hang. I think whether or not it does damage is a moot point since the idea of suspending a human body around a tree using only a thin cord just sounds like it would damage the tree.

**Acer** · 10-12-2011, 17:59

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.

**slowhike** · 10-12-2011, 18:01

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.

**Roadtorque** · 10-12-2011, 18:01

I dont think my tree straps weigh enough to bother leaving them at home...just in case it helps the tree

**DivaB** · 10-12-2011, 18:04

I'm not sure how some of the parks would feel about this. It's just easier to educate the Rangers and such by using the tree slaps. They have seen damage from ropes (cord) and would probably and justifiably have that same worry about amsteel. We're trying to win our way to the trees and I'm not so sure that this is the way of doing it. Just my 2 cents worth, only 2 cents.

**dedominick** · 10-12-2011, 18:06

I literally just hung up a hammock w/o straps having the same thought that started this. I was also thinking that if you used a piece of tubular webbing, perhaps 2-3 ft long, with the whoopie strung through it (hence the necessity for "tubular")it may disperse the weight a bit better. Anyway, kinda spooky how timely this was. Thanks all.

**Hickery** · 10-12-2011, 18:06

I agree with slowhike.We need to protect and not harm what we hang from.

**slowhike** · 10-12-2011, 18:07

Trees can often times take a lot of abuse.

But damage opens the door for problems the tree might not survive. That's why land managers are so protective of trees.
We won't win friends in the public forest by damaging the trees we hang from.