Hammock Suspension Question

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McGruff

Member
Hi. I'm planning to make my own hammock as part of a lightweight tarp & hammock set up and I was hoping that someone can help me out with the design.

Two whoopies and a hammock ridge line seems to be a common way to hang.

What I'd like to do is make the whoopies & ridge line all in one ie adjustable loops at either end of one long cord. The hammock would hang off this on prusik knots.

The advantage of this over a fixed ridge line is that I can adjust the sag quickly and easily. I'm new to dangling and on my first few trips I'll need to figure out what's most comfortable.

I'm also planning a 3.45m hammock which will be a tight fit under a DD 3x3 tarp (should sag to 2.7/2.8m I think). Being able to shorten the ridge line on the fly could help fit under some types of tarp pitches.
 
Last edited:

sunndog

Full Member
May 23, 2014
3,561
477
derbyshire
you can make a seperate ridgline adjustable. I'v used what i think commonly just called 'the adjustable knot' (must have a proper name) for years

Although nowadays i tend to just set my ridgline at 80-85% hammock length and call it done
 

Nice65

Brilliant!
Apr 16, 2009
6,438
2,859
W.Sussex
As an ex tree climber, I can tell you prussiks can slip when wet.

I have them on the ends of my tarp to adjust the tension of the tarp on the ridgeline, but wouldn't trust them to hold my weight on paracord or whatever thinner cord you're using. You can put an extra turn in them to form (for want of a better word), a 6 finger grip, but I still don't think that would be a reliable hammock suspension.

Mind you, I don't really like the whoopies either, especially with the toggle knot. I just use the tree hugger tapes and double rings, slippy hitch method. When I'm going to bed, I'm going to bed, I don't want to faff around.
 

bopdude

Full Member
Feb 19, 2013
3,000
215
58
Stockton on Tees
You could use loop aliens instead of prussiks, I've only been messing with them but they are good, others are more experienced with them and there's plenty on YouTube

Sent from my SM-N910F using Tapatalk
 

Barney Rubble

Settler
Sep 16, 2013
552
280
Rochester, Kent
youtube.com
I wouldn't worry so much about making it fit under the 3x3 tarp in the square configuration. Just set-up the tarp in the diamond configuration, it gives you a tarp length on the ridgeline of approx 4.2m meaning you'll have stacks of room to ensure you're hammock is covered. That's the configuration I use each and every time I camp in the hammock.

As with the comments above, not sure I'd want to go with a continuous whoopie sling/hammock ridgeline. Not least because I'd imagine a prussik will have trouble gripping amsteel even when dry. It is possible to make/buy adjustable hammock ridgelines which are made from amsteel. Mat at UKHammocks used to advertise them on his website, not sure why he took them off but I'm sure he'd still make them up if you ask.

Personally I use 2mm dyneema cord for my hammock ridgeline. This doesn't stretch and is probably much lighter than amsteel. I've got it set-up with a 4 loop taut line hitch meaning it's nice and secure but I can also adjust the sag pretty easily (I rarely adjust it though because I like the way it hangs on the current sag, very comfy!!!).
 

PDA1

Settler
Feb 3, 2011
646
5
Framingham, MA USA
Hammock forums has a single line suspension sticky in the suspension forum. Lots of ideas there. I doubt that prussiks would work on Amsteel, too slippery.
 

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