hammock straps getting wet

[titanium_hiker]

I've always been concerned about this, but I see pictures of tarps that don't seem to extend much more than the end of the hammock. At first I thought: "eww... wet straps wrapped up against my hammock, not fun sleeping" and then I realized that I have snake skins/ hammock tubes (home made) and that the webbing doesn't touch my hammock even when I roll it all up in the webbing to compress it.

I guess I could run the tubes up over the webbing when deployed.

thoughts on wet weather hammocking?

titanium_hiker

[titanium_hiker]

oh yeah- I'm not talking about tree huggers. I'm a speer-type user, so substitute "strap" and "webbing" for "cord" or "rope" if you like.



TH

[Just Jeff]

I haven't noticed it to be an issue. My straps and Spectra don't absorb water, so coupled with the python skins the quantity of water wasn't enough to worry me. I haven't been thru a hurricane or thru two weeks of extended rain, though - maybe others have a better perspective on that.

[bearbag hanger]

The straps I use don't seem to absorb water and hasn't been a issue. A problem I did have during my 50 mile hike in Maine this year, where it rained pretty much all day every day, is water filled up one of the python skins during the night and dumped water all over my hammock as I was packing it up one morning. Guess I'll have to check them before rolling things up from now on.

[Just Jeff]

Do you use a drip string?

[bearbag hanger]

Do you use a drip string?

Sort of, in the past the python skins seemed to perform that function quite well. They'd get wet on the outside, but never had one fill up with water before. I've never really hiked in that much rain before. Not even during my thru hike two years ago. Guess I'll have to start using them now.

[Chriss]

I've always been concerned about this, but I see pictures of tarps that don't seem to extend much more than the end of the hammock. At first I thought: "eww... wet straps wrapped up against my hammock, not fun sleeping" and then I realized that I have snake skins/ hammock tubes (home made) and that the webbing doesn't touch my hammock even when I roll it all up in the webbing to compress it.

I guess I could run the tubes up over the webbing when deployed.

thoughts on wet weather hammocking?

titanium_hiker

Here in the UK my hammock got very wet until I modified the way the webbing connects. The water always wicked on my DD Hammock when it rained, so I applied a mod using Carabiners to stop the water wicking and keep me dry. I've uploaded a video to youtube should you want to see how I made the mod. And yes the mod worked very well. My tarp and webbing had been rained on, hard all night.

I am using 4 carabiners which are high quality Black Diamond Hotwire Carabiners. They cost me 6.99 GBP each over here in the UK. I didn't want to use the cheaper ones as I am quite a heavy chap I guess these will last me a lifetime. Anyway the video shows the setup in my wet garden. You wouldn't beleive the rubbish weather we have been having over here. A trip to the lake district (Keswick - Derwent) over the bank holiday weekend just gone and getting a very wet hammock encouraged me to make this mod. Hope this helps.... OH and please don't laugh at the ladder setup in the Garden, as I was short of a close by tree at one end.

Chris

Here is the link :- http://youtu.be/1NG5X6cSMyw

[gunner76]

I use straps and use a drip string.

[russb]

depending on your setup, it may be easy to disconnect the straps to pack separately if they are wet. I do this if I am packing up and the straps are wet just because I don't want any moisture to transfer to my hammock or quits while they are in my pack. note: I use straps and cinch buckles.

[T-Rx]

I use straps and use a drip string.

+1 on this set up. It has kept me dry so far.

[BigHodag]

I use Slap Strap Micros and the extra strap hangs down and works as a drip string. Water never makes it down to the hammock.

I run my tarp over a separate line that has two small moveable drip strings.

I've hung through several storms and always woke up dry. I did have some rain blow ontothe hammock cords in NY this past summer damping the top of the hammock material, but the hammock around me remained dry. Plus I'm laying on a solid foam pad, so its all good. I use a heavier 8X10 Walmart tarp pitched steep in rain storms.

This is my hammock and tarp this June, the morning after a heavy rain at Ten Mile campground near Bulls Bridge CT. I rigged the side up so I could enjoy the Housatonic River.

http://www.trailgallery.com/photos/1...021_681558.jpg

Had a large dry spot on the ground around my pack. Stepped out of the hammock onto dry dirt and pine needles.

[Deadeye]

I use straps and use a drip string.

+2 on drip strings, and my tarp is packed in snake skins, which I bunch up on the straps. Skins filling has never been an issue yet, but I guess I'll have to be more careful jsut in case.

[kayak karl]

my 12' straps are 1" seatbelt webbing. they don't hold water and i have never had water pass the descending rings.

[ocourse]

My old Hennessey straps do hold some water, but it has never been a problem at all. No drip string or anything like that, either.

[Country Roads]

I use Dutch Whoopies hooks on my whoopies slings. They act as a drip point. So far, have not had water come beyond them. I use mesh skins on my tarp, so they get wet, but that is not a problem (I pack the tarp on the outside of the pack). Before switching to the whoopie hooks, I used a drip cord tied tightly around the whoopie sling, just under the edge of the tarp. I don't use a full length under-the-tarp ridge line on my tarp, but if I did, I would probably use drip cords on that too.