Trip Report A rude awakening

[spandit]

My preferred hammock spot has trees that are a bit more widely spaced than ideal so I have to put my straps up high and there's a lot of tension on the whoopie slings as they're still pretty flat. With it being so hot in the UK at the moment, I decided to hang last night but didn't set up until late. For some reason, I was hanging really low but was just off the ground - I have a bit of a bad back so couldn't reach much higher to get the straps better situated. My hammock ripped as I was getting in, which is annoying but it was where one of the insect net straps attaches to the net so I can fix it, I expect.

Slept fairly well until I abruptly landed on the ground at 4.30am. Fortunately it was only a tiny descent so I wasn't hurt but I was wondering what had failed. Thought I might be able to get back to sleep but I only had a down underquilt beneath me and once compressed on the ground it gave little padding or warmth, so I found the zip and managed to extract myself.

The subsequent inspection found my tree strap had snapped. They're the ones that came with the hammock but sturdy enough, I'd thought. I use climbing rated carabiners to join my whoopies to them but it went at the knot I'd used to attach them. I've since found a much better knot to use and I think there's enough strap left that I could sew a loop back up again.

Came back inside and made a coffee then slept for 2 hours in a nice comfy bed!

 

[Tengu]

There are lots of reasons to avoid hammocks; this is the first of them.

At least you were low down so you didnt get hurt.

 

[PoppyD]

I love hammocks. The floor is all hard and lumpy and cold.

 

[Tengu]

Aye, thats why I have a camp bed...

 

[Toddy]

.....and an incredibly comfortable down mat My days of scraping out a hollow for shoulders and hips are long past.

Seriously, I know the hammock lovers really do appreciate them, but I reckon I could do myself a real mischief if I couped out of mine.

@spandit
Pleased to hear that your own drop to the floor was a short one.

 

[dwardo]

I love hammocks. The floor is all hard and lumpy and cold.

Your age you should be able to sleep on a bog of rocks and still wake fresh in the morning Welcome to the forum.

Used to hammock but now appreciate the slower morning routing whilst making a brew from my ground dwelling. Whilst still in my sleeping bag

 

[MikeLA]

Tried using a hammock not for me! Like to move around too much. Found them too restrictive

 

[Danceswithhelicopters]

Does a knot in a strap not weaken it? Also, what make as I've had hammocks for years and even a Lidl one is still going strong.

Love the early morning sleep persistence!

 

[Woody girl]

You can't beat a hammock for comfort. I must admit, having to get out for the first brew is a pain but worth it for a good night's sleep, and no achey bones.
Sleeping on the floor is not something I enjoy, even with the best mat going. I always end up comming off it unless it's a double air bed.
I can't be bothered with all the blowing up and letting down, and trying to stuff it back in a bag.
Camp beds are too heavy, and bulky and I've been known to roll off them too.
I stay put in a hammock, no matter how much I move about . No rocks or bumps, a decent underquilt...sorted. I'm with you Poppy. Hammocks rock! (Especialy when it's windy )

 

[PoppyD]

Yay. I’m only little so I can’t hump around a camp bed. I like to be light and fast. No one carries my stuff for me anymore Growing up sucks.

 

[Broch]

How old is the strap? When new those straps will take 100's of kg (I've actually towed a vehicle with one in an emergency - not to be recommended though) but, once they've had rain and sunshine on them a few years you can break them by just pulling on them. I swap mine every few years.

 

[windz1000r]

as broch mentioned webbing does rot over time.
ive managed to snap a 20ton webbing recoveery strap that was a few years old pulling less than a ton.
i can put you in touch with a good place for webbing if you need any replacements

 

[Woody girl]

Yay. I’m only little so I can’t hump around a camp bed. I like to be light and fast. No one carries my stuff for me anymore Growing up sucks.

Yep, getting old sucks too , when you find you can't carry all the stuff you now need to be comfy anymore, and that you need twice as much stuff to be comfy .
You are twice as heavy than you used to be, and fast is only in dream mode!!

 

[spandit]

It might have been the age of the strap but I think it was mainly due to there being a knot around the carabiner and the straps being too low (thus making me having to tighten the hammock too much to get it off the ground at all). I've fixed the strap and moved it up higher but I need to sew the hammock up before using it again

I'm also going to see if the down quilt will fit inside the sleeping mat pocket without compressing too much as it will be better in the wind, if I can sew some Velcro to it to hold it in place