2 Hammocks, 2 Trees, 2 Spreader bars- Testing phase

[magic354]

Hi Everyone,

I'm playing around with an idea at the moment. Having been following a couple of posts on the use of hiking poles as spreader bars I decided I wanted to give it a go, but I don't have any hiking poles, so I dug out a couple of steel tent king poles (basically just half inch steel pipping) and started playing around.

I have threading a length of paracord through the piping twice, and secured it with a double fishermans knot and a tautline hitch to maintain tension on the line, I then added one prusik knot to each end with a small length of paracord to tie off to the hammock suspension. The distance between the knots is 22 inches. After initial testing results seem promising, I want to try it with someone in each hammock now (I didn't have anyone to borrow today!).

I'll upload a few pictures, let me know what y'all think.

Cheers,
Tom.


The bar:

2014-05-08 22.26.36.jpg


Just tied onto the hammock suspension with a square knot for testing:

2014-05-08 20.46.24.jpg


Sorry its a bit dark, I was losing light- Just to give you an idea of the spread distance:

2014-05-08 20.47.11.jpg

[Timberrr]

How do you propose to overcome the seesaw effect?
A person gets in hammock A and they will swing low, close to the ground (if not actually on the ground) and hammock B will be high in the air.
When the hanger in B gets in, if he weighs more than hanger A then A gets an exciting ride to the top of the rig will B goes to the bottom (or to the ground).
If A weighs exactly the same as B, and they each get in their hammock at exactly the same time then it should work. ...until some one gets out to pee.

The solution my wife and I favor is to choose wide trees that allow us to hang one hammock on either side of the trunk. Or a tree with branches on either side that we can hang from. We also have been known to set up a Turtle Dog Stand next to the hammock in the tree.

If you come up with a solution to the seesaw effect, I would be very interested to see it. Good luck!! And remember the first rule while experimenting: Don't hang higher than you're willing to fall.
Cheers.

[Timberrr]

Here's a look at one of my attempts. It sort of worked but it was clunky and didn't work well. One of these days I'll refine it and see if I can make it work.

https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...mocks-Too-Cool

I think the best approach is to pick big trees. If they're not available then still hang from either side and use a spreader bar to keep the hammocks from rubbing and bumping.

[Gresh]

I wonder if guylines from the ends of the spreader bars would be enough to negate the seesaw effect?

Or, you know...both people get in their hammocks real fast at the same time.

[magic354]

I wonder if guylines from the ends of the spreader bars would be enough to negate the seesaw effect?

Or, you know...both people get in their hammocks real fast at the same time.

I think both people jumping into their hammocks at the same time is the best way to move forward! Although your guyline comment is a good one. I have seen people who simply use guylines to pull the hammocks apart and tie off to other trees, completely negating the need of spreader bars.

[magic354]

Timberrr, I think you're onto a winner, I really like your idea, so much so I modified my setup and took it for a whirl this afternoon, I've some a few pictures to show you. Similar sort of deal with the paracord, this time i had the cord looped through the poles three times and at each end it secured the tension with a couple of half hitches, then added some loops using figure-8s (to thread the webbing through and get the 'spread') and then a bowline at the end to tie off to the tree to help stabilise it. Hopefully the pictures will explain better:

Me in one hammock, showing how much the other hammock raises:

2014-05-09 17.18.58.jpg

Showing the 'spread':

2014-05-09 17.22.58.jpg

The lashing and end supports:

2014-05-09 17.22.42.jpg

Generally I would say it was much more stable than having the spreader on the end of the hammocks, and I think this is the best way to move forward.

What I'm thinking is to have length of steel tubing, with two eye bolts, one in each end, somehow attached/ screwed in. You could use 1 inch webbing to lash it to the tree and then pass the tree huggers for each hammock through the eye bolts at either end, this would mean a majority of the force is being exerted along the length of the pole and not the webbing.

[CamoDeafie82]

Did an overnight with the SO last night at the Coast; we did two hammocks; two bars, two trees, AND probably significantly, two suspensions....Im heavier than she is by 160 pounds and we DID have the see saw effect, BUT it was non issue while sleeping...just the getting up and in which made for an interesting night lol. What I did was to use two of the black Mini Spreader Bar pockets, and two of my newly made tent pole pockets which I made in order to put on my small tarp for opening up the space; and 4 sections of the Stansports A frame tent poles; the top and bottom sections, no middles (the normal tent pole assembly is 3 piece, with bottom having cap, top having pin); Also, this enabled me to be able to slide the bars up and down as I see fit if I needed it to be wider or closer together.

[Maverick Gear]

what if you had another strap around base of each tree with opposite tie points to you bars
photo.jpg

[Timberrr]

Here's another conversation on the subject you might find interesting.

https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...Hanging-Double

and another

https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...t-your-engines!!

You may have noticed by now that this is a sort of holy grail you're looking for.

[magic354]

Hi everyone,

Sorry for the delay in replying, I'm currently sitting university exams, so unfortunately hammocking has had to take a back seat.

Maverick Gear, I think you've come up with a really good concept, having the support straps/webbing going above and below the spreader bar should, in theory, restrict the bar pivoting around the lashing that attaches the bar to the tree. Hmmmmm.

Definitely need to get out and test these new ideas, I'll get back to you post exams!

Cheers,
Tom.