I had time over the weekend and swmbo available to take some piccies so I thought you may like to see how I set up my hammock. There are many ways to skin a rabbit after all
.
Essentially it is the way Uncle Ray sets up his eco-system with one minor addition I have found helps. (Obviously I have added this as I don't have the experience to not need it)
I have only shown the hammock setup to make things clearer but I would normally set up my tarp and ridge line first then set up under that.
When I first got the hammock I set it up with 2 2" straps around the trees connected with two screwgate karabiners and 2 lengths of 1" tape to connect to the hammock. It worked but was a fiddle to setup (nothing a third hand wouldn't fix of course) and gradually I developed this setup. It all fits into a drybag and is all connected together ready for use so makes setup very quick - I reckon under 2 mins now
Normally I would not lay it out like this on the ground, it is just to show you the entire setup. Once i have set up the tarp I clip the open drybag to my ridgeline to keep it off the ground and tie the straps to the trees before taking the hammock out. That way it is clean and dry off the ground.
This is the setup - hammock with 1" straps connected to it via 2" metal rings
a close-up of the tarp / ring / strap setup (note the poor stitching by myself - not a worry as this is not load bearing in any way!)
Step 1
Tie the first strap to the tree using an evenk knot (shown in steps)
I'm sure there are better demos out there but it is hard to show in stills!
Step 2
Do the same with the other strap to the other tree
Step 3
holding the ring, tuck the strap back through it to form a loop
once you have pulled sufficient strap through the ring pinch the strap to the ring with your thumb
pass the end you have been feeding through over the strap to the tree to form a loop and tuck through
pull more or less tight then pass another loop through the loop produced and pull tight - this will lock off the knot
This is pretty much the 'eco-system' way up to this point - my addition is the next step
I have made a guide rope with 2 clips one tied to each end
The length is adjustable so once you have found the ideal 'dangle' you like on your hammock you can lock it off and the easily reproduce it in the future. This is a std catch 22 situation - you need to have set up the hammock once in a way you like to get the length but once you have it is easy to get the same setup every time
Step 4
Clip one end of the guide rope to one ring
now clip the other end to the other ring
Step 5
Repeating step 3 pull the loop through till the guide rope is horizontal and taught - your hammock will have the perfect sag at this point
and tie off as before
This should give you a setup that looks similar to this (guide line is just visible)
now remove the guide line, it's job is done!
Finally hank up the excess straps if necessary to keep out the way and tidy
Finally Step 6
Relax!
Having written this and read it through it seems VERY complicated but honestly it really isn't!
.Essentially it is the way Uncle Ray sets up his eco-system with one minor addition I have found helps. (Obviously I have added this as I don't have the experience to not need it)
I have only shown the hammock setup to make things clearer but I would normally set up my tarp and ridge line first then set up under that.
When I first got the hammock I set it up with 2 2" straps around the trees connected with two screwgate karabiners and 2 lengths of 1" tape to connect to the hammock. It worked but was a fiddle to setup (nothing a third hand wouldn't fix of course) and gradually I developed this setup. It all fits into a drybag and is all connected together ready for use so makes setup very quick - I reckon under 2 mins now
Normally I would not lay it out like this on the ground, it is just to show you the entire setup. Once i have set up the tarp I clip the open drybag to my ridgeline to keep it off the ground and tie the straps to the trees before taking the hammock out. That way it is clean and dry off the ground.
This is the setup - hammock with 1" straps connected to it via 2" metal rings
a close-up of the tarp / ring / strap setup (note the poor stitching by myself - not a worry as this is not load bearing in any way!
)
Step 1
Tie the first strap to the tree using an evenk knot (shown in steps)
I'm sure there are better demos out there but it is hard to show in stills!
Step 2
Do the same with the other strap to the other tree
Step 3
holding the ring, tuck the strap back through it to form a loop
once you have pulled sufficient strap through the ring pinch the strap to the ring with your thumb
pass the end you have been feeding through over the strap to the tree to form a loop and tuck through
pull more or less tight then pass another loop through the loop produced and pull tight - this will lock off the knot
This is pretty much the 'eco-system' way up to this point - my addition is the next step
I have made a guide rope with 2 clips one tied to each end
The length is adjustable so once you have found the ideal 'dangle' you like on your hammock you can lock it off and the easily reproduce it in the future. This is a std catch 22 situation - you need to have set up the hammock once in a way you like to get the length but once you have it is easy to get the same setup every time
Step 4
Clip one end of the guide rope to one ring
now clip the other end to the other ring
Step 5
Repeating step 3 pull the loop through till the guide rope is horizontal and taught - your hammock will have the perfect sag at this point
and tie off as before
This should give you a setup that looks similar to this (guide line is just visible)
now remove the guide line, it's job is done!
Finally hank up the excess straps if necessary to keep out the way and tidy
Finally Step 6
Relax!
Having written this and read it through it seems VERY complicated
but honestly it really isn't!
lol - you are jibeing me right!? 
