Are our suspensions systems safe

[fly fisher]

My suspension is 7/64ths Amsteel with 1" webbing. It easily supports my 200 pound load with plenty of safety factor. I'm not losing any sleep worrying whether or not my suspension is going to fail.

I feel the weakest point of my system is the hammock fabric & construction. I've seen several hammocks fail for various reasons.

Inspect your system. And, don't hang any higher than you're willing to fall.

Pleasant dreams,

fly fisher

[Ratdog]

My day hike hammock has an all amsteel suspension in 7/64ths. Easy to throw in a cargo pocket when going for a walk.

The daily use hammock has 1/8th amsteel or webbing. Having used all of these setups with several 300lb+ hangers for more than a year, including daily use for some, I would say you are good to go but since it is all about relaxing, go with what puts your mind at ease.

[MrClean417]

I sleep in mine every night. I worry about the eyehooks and wall, never about that skinny rope.

Frankly, I'm not that worried about the wall.

Long as you hang by the knot and not the toggle, you'll have a pleasant nights sleep without a sudden awakening.

[Tlcseven]

I've been using the harbor freight straps. They failed when combined with the metal buckles I got from dutch. Buckles are still fine, the straps failed. And it was only when using my two person couples hammock (three tree set up). I think those straps were rated under the load of the two of us combined but I thought with three corners I would be ok. Something about the way the buckles pinched the strap. I went back to descending rings with the strap and I haven't had any problems. I gues it is time to buy some real strap material.

[dirtwheels]

As it has been referenced here before...

[tddockery2]

I use self made 1/8 amsteel whoopies/Atlas straps as well, and just make a habit of hanging no higher than needed to clear my lower gear hammock and/or my bug net. Have used this setup for 3 years now - (knocking on wood) no problems as yet.

I figure if the 'breaking strength' is 1500lbs+ (arbitrary number used for example), then I am well within the safe limits of daily use of the line at under 1/6th it's value.

I have to agree with the other posts as well though - no hanging over cliffs/fire pits/etc.

Cheers'

Dan

[nothermark]

There is a cadre of folks here more concerned with weight and bulk than safety. They do all kinds of things. There is another cadre that reminds them that "if it did not break" does not mean "it's safe". The good news is that you get to pick the cadre you want to be in. I use 1/8 for my whoopee's but prefer straps. ;-)

[CeeVee]

Some of the fabrics and cordage discussed here seem to have a sailing analog. How often are they replaced in that context? Every season? When they fail? Some time between the two?

[dammfast]

I think I would be more worried about the fabric of the hammock body than the suspension. I have read more posts about the body letting go than the suspension.

[DemostiX]

Does that mean I expect to fall if I use ---carefully -- some 400 lb rated line for whoopie slings or soft-shackles? No, and I'd rather use them than sleep on the ground.

But, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see them break if I fell on the hammock -- which, BTW, has stretch and mass, and therefor greater resilience to shock of a fall. And there are failure modes that have little to do with breaking strength. That key sticking out of your pocket, with pressure, can cause failure of a 2.8oz fabric-weight hammock as easily as the sharp edge of a buckle can cut into and contribute to failure of a strong strap of line.

Critical to the safe use of the line used here is that it can readily snap if dynamically loaded beyond its breaking strength. For more on this, find out about the different kinds of line that arborists, climbers, and cavers use, the difference between stuff for static vs dynamic loads.

Not paying so much attention lately, but there were some who insisted on the value of saving a few ounces from their 200--300 lb bodies and gear loads. Weight of line is about proportional to strength, and those few ounces are the penalty to using 7/64" instead of Dynaglide, or 1/8" instead of 7/64" if you are husky, or hike and hang with forgetful fellas who might ask to borrow some suspension parts to replace what they left behind at the last campsite. I'm partial, for safety reasons, to seeing the penalty against the total load. Others insist on seeing the penalty as a fraction of the minimum weight for just that component. For scale: 5 quarters weigh about an ounce.

As for "I'm still here" replies: Well if you weren't we wouldn't hear from you. That kind of reporting is called survivorship bias.