Bring a tape measure to do some testing. Find two trees that have only 13' clear between them. You'll have to use marlin spikes in the straps and set them right next to the tree. Then hook your whoopies over the spike and shorten them almost all the way (but leave enough of a loop to get a couple of fingers into). Finally adjust the whoopies to get a 30* angle (FROM HORIZONTAL). Then post a picture for us.
Mike
"Life is a Project!"
After watching that vid, I can see why Snow Ape has a problem. He's not using a marlin spike hitch or anything to shorten the tree straps. Therefore, he's truly got to wrap the webbing around the tree as the only way to shorten the webbing, and even then it's probably too long.Originally Posted by adkphoto
Dutch's all-in-one suspension works differently. You wrap the webbing around the tree, then feed the webbing (and larksheaded whoopie) through the sewn loop at the end of the webbing. Clip Whoopie hook onto your continuous loop, adjust whoopies, and you're done. I've been using his system for a year with 4-ft. tree huggers with no problems.
I can see how 10 ft. tree straps would be a pain in the butt and majorly unwieldy (note: I started with 8 ft. tree straps before deciding that 4 ft. was all I needed in the Northeast). With my 4 ft. straps, if the tree diameter is too great, I just larkshead a continuous loop onto the sewn loop to extend the tree hugger.
Like you, Snow Ape, I thought longer tree huggers had to be better, right? However, that's not necessarily true, as you have discovered. You're cranking your whoopies so tight trying to compensate for overly long tree huggers.
If you were using a marlin spike hitch and toggle (or even a Dutch buckle), you'd have much more flexibility. You could make the tree hugger as short as you want based on where you place the MSH or Dutch buckle.
Here's a vid on the Dutch buckle where you see it placed very close to the tree (same would apply to MSH). Your attachment point for the whoopie sling is probably much further away from the tree with your system.
So consider shorter tree huggers with your system, or get another system.
Alright, so I set everything up this morning but... no camera. That being said, I think Silver surfer may be right regarding managing the tree huggers. Additionally I didn't admittedly make an honest enough effort to get that nice 30 degree hang. I made sure this morning it was close and found I didn't have to "crank it" like I had. I do think this would be easier to manage if I had elected the shorter whoopies and huggers...
+1 on the dutch stuff though... I had seen plenty folks as advocates for them over the past year, and I visited the website, but until I watched a couple of youtube videos on how they work, it didn't click... they're pretty slick!
Thanks all for the help!
Snow-Ape, I'm not sure who's all in one system you have. We don't make one with either 10' tree huggers or 10' whoopie slings. If the webbing portion is too long for you, you can tie a marlin spike hitch in the webbing and instead of using a gobble, place your carabiner where the toggle would go. Then, after running the webbing around the tree, just clip the carabiner to the body of the webbing (pic attached). If it is our system, you can send it back to us to have the webbing shorted. PM me for details.
Who sells 10' whoopies?? Most I've seen Are 5 or 6 '. 10' whoopies are long enough to wrap around trees. Ok ok like others say and like I've done with ditches 6' whoopies I double back the tree straps making them 3' instead of 6' when trees are small. The other way is to put the loop where your suspension connects to the whoopies at the center part of where the tree is facing your hammock and wrap it around and slid the two loops so they face your hammock I like my way better. I use a marlin spike with a biner however so it's a little diff than permanently larks heading your whoopie to the strap.
+1
I utilize the All-In-One suspension also (8' tree huggers + 6' whoopies) and had the same problem as Snow Ape this past weekend. The tree circumference was too large to get two wraps of the tree huggers but with only one wrap of the tree huggers AND the whoppie shortened as much as possible, my suspension was too long.
The marklin spike hitch described above easily solves this problem.... just may not be intuitive if someone hasn't seen it done before.
No one needs 10 ft in whoopies 8' is already pushing it. I say 6' is good enough. Marlin Spike and the larks head are knots that a hanger should try to memorize by memory
Bacon and Camping makes me happy.
"When life gives you lemons throw them back"
Me
I camp in bear country and I am a bear Burrito.
I hang between posts in on my porch that are a little close together. When I need to make the whoopies shorter than they go I double them over. Not quite as easy but it works. I've even looped them 3 times before as well at a different house. I use carabiners at each end instead of the marlin spike though which make that an option.
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