http://www.arrowhead-equipment.com/whats-happening-now-at-ahe/the-dope-on-rope


That should help to give you the main info on the types of ropes used for hammock camping and their applications. As geneaut mentioned zing it/lash it (same stuff) is great for things like tarp lines, and any utility uses around camp...non-load bearing. Amsteel is often used in suspension components that need to hold weight. 100 feet of zing versus 100 feet of amsteel will be drastically different sized piles of rope with a noticeable weight difference.