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  1. #1
    Formerly "Totem"
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    Default Walmart Carabiners on a Hennessy Hammock

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrBjKbCH-7I

    Fast forward to 0:27 to see a kid with no remaining dignity.
    up over the hills, theres nothing to fear
    theres a pub across the way with whisky and beer
    its a lengthy journey on the way up to the top
    but it ain't so bad if you have a great big bottle o'scotch

  2. #2
    PCT, Sheltowee, Pinhoti, LT , BMT, AT, SHT, CDT, TRT 10-K's Avatar
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    OMG!! Unbelievable!!!!!!!!

    I am going to confess, right here and right now - in front of God and everybody....

    I did EXACTLY the same thing with a Wal-Mart carabiner on the FT this weekend.

    Do you think I'm not glad no one was there to see it?

  3. #3
    Formerly "Totem"
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    I ordered some nano carabiners but they're in UPS-Limbo. I was impatient and making videos explaining to my family what the hell I do out in the woods.

    I happened to catch this magical moment, which won't make the final cut. But I figure I'd let you guys see me make an ass of myself.
    up over the hills, theres nothing to fear
    theres a pub across the way with whisky and beer
    its a lengthy journey on the way up to the top
    but it ain't so bad if you have a great big bottle o'scotch

  4. #4

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    Default

    Maybe you are, but if not, you two need to be on Hammock Forums "educating" numbskulls there who continually are clueless about the physics of forces on horizontal riggings.

    Glad no one was hurt!

    RainMan

    .
    [I]ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: ... Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit....[/I]. Numbers 35

    [url]www.MeetUp.com/NashvilleBackpacker[/url]

    .

  5. #5

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    Walmart carbiners are great for key chains, securing waterbottle to pack, bear bagging. Rock climbing, hammock hanging or anyother time you are secure yourself vertically....not so good.
    Love people and use things; never the reverse.

    Mt. Katahdin would be a lot quicker to climb if its darn access trail didn't start all the way down in Georgia.

  6. #6
    Registered User GGS2's Avatar
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    Better go to REI or MEC or someplace that has a clue and learn what 'biners are all about before trusting them with your life, or your thick skull. Also note that the forces in a hammock hang are about 2 - 4 times greater than the supported weight. Depends on the hang angle: flatter means more force. Completely flat means nothing will support that force = infinite. Vertical means just the simple weight (1X). If the angle of the rope at the tree is about 30* from horizontal, the force is about doubled. You have to have rope that will stand twice the supported weight. If you try to hang flatter than this, the force will rise fast. But luckily, it will stretch out the ropes and fabric so things will hang lower anyway. Not good for the hammock, or rigging, or the trees. The same goes for the biners. What you need are proper technical biners rated for your weight. Since you are not doing fixed protection on the face of the Eiger, you don't need special locking gates or anything fancy. Just good 'biners rated for human support. Equipment 'biners are not suitable under any conditions. They are meant for holding stuff for packing. Or for key chains.

    Glad you didn't break anything more than your pride, and the dumb WalMart 'biner.

  7. #7
    Formerly "Totem"
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    Quote Originally Posted by GGS2 View Post
    Better go to REI or MEC or someplace that has a clue and learn what 'biners are all about before trusting them with your life, or your thick skull. Also note that the forces in a hammock hang are about 2 - 4 times greater than the supported weight. Depends on the hang angle: flatter means more force. Completely flat means nothing will support that force = infinite. Vertical means just the simple weight (1X). If the angle of the rope at the tree is about 30* from horizontal, the force is about doubled. You have to have rope that will stand twice the supported weight. If you try to hang flatter than this, the force will rise fast. But luckily, it will stretch out the ropes and fabric so things will hang lower anyway. Not good for the hammock, or rigging, or the trees. The same goes for the biners. What you need are proper technical biners rated for your weight. Since you are not doing fixed protection on the face of the Eiger, you don't need special locking gates or anything fancy. Just good 'biners rated for human support. Equipment 'biners are not suitable under any conditions. They are meant for holding stuff for packing. Or for key chains.

    Glad you didn't break anything more than your pride, and the dumb WalMart 'biner.
    I said in the 3rd post that I already have Nano Biners on the way but that I got impatient :-P I knew this stood a high chance of failure (and actually, the walmart biners had supported me in the past, but I guess the tensioning was different this time, and I had a bigger breakfast
    up over the hills, theres nothing to fear
    theres a pub across the way with whisky and beer
    its a lengthy journey on the way up to the top
    but it ain't so bad if you have a great big bottle o'scotch

  8. #8
    PCT, Sheltowee, Pinhoti, LT , BMT, AT, SHT, CDT, TRT 10-K's Avatar
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    And I really was clueless and thought they would work. Shows what I know..

    I have since been educated and it will not happen again.

  9. #9
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    Is knot tying a lost art?
    Roland


  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Roland View Post
    Is knot tying a lost art?
    seems likely to me that it is...
    Take almost nothing I say seriously--if it seems to make no sense what so ever it's probably meant as a joke....but do treat your water!

  11. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by 10-K View Post
    And I really was clueless and thought they would work. Shows what I know..

    I have since been educated and it will not happen again.
    Was that not in the instructions?

    If not, IMHO, the hammock sellers ought have a warning in the instuctions to buy climbing grade and not key chain grade carabiners.

    Just my two cents.
    Love people and use things; never the reverse.

    Mt. Katahdin would be a lot quicker to climb if its darn access trail didn't start all the way down in Georgia.

  12. #12

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    Don't those Wal Mart biners say "NOT FOR SUPPORTING WEIGHT" all over them? I don't even trust hanging my gear with that stuff. But I rappel and rock climb so usually have the real deal with me anyway.

    Get you some 50Kn biners and you'll be good to go! LOL!

  13. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by scottdennis View Post
    Don't those Wal Mart biners say "NOT FOR SUPPORTING WEIGHT" all over them? I don't even trust hanging my gear with that stuff. But I rappel and rock climb so usually have the real deal with me anyway.
    Some do...some don't. I got two really crappy ones that came with a really cheap backpack that aren't labeled that way. And the other ones, say "not for climbing use" which should probably clue you not for hamacks either.
    Love people and use things; never the reverse.

    Mt. Katahdin would be a lot quicker to climb if its darn access trail didn't start all the way down in Georgia.

  14. #14
    Registered User Seeker's Avatar
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by JustaTouron View Post
    Was that not in the instructions?

    If not, IMHO, the hammock sellers ought have a warning in the instuctions to buy climbing grade and not key chain grade carabiners.

    Just my two cents.
    to the best of my knowledge, the hammock instructions don't mention that you even CAN use biners for hanging... and some things just go without saying... this is one of them. stuff like this keeps lawyers employed...
    Take a course in good water and air; and in the eternal youth of Nature you may renew your own. Go quietly, alone; no harm will befall you. John Muir

  15. #15
    Registered User climber2377's Avatar
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    Default

    they dont say to use caribeaners, its a lashing through the webbing strap.
    "some rise, some fall, SOME CLIMB to get to Terrapin"

  16. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by Roland View Post
    Is knot tying a lost art?
    I'm sure it isn't. Carabiners make good drip rings, and they make it easy (for me, at least) to put my sleeping bag over my hammock.
    As I live, declares the Lord God, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn back from his way and live. Ezekiel 33:11

  17. #17

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    Just because:
    I use simple tiedown straps with a spring loaded buckle from Lowe's to hang my hammock (with the carabiners). They are rated at "100 lbs. max". I weigh 220. No problems in the past 6 uses (all over soft ground just in case).
    So, according to the physics, if the rating on the webbing is correct, I'm in violation of some sort of logical "law". ?? Hmmm......
    As I live, declares the Lord God, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn back from his way and live. Ezekiel 33:11

  18. #18

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    Quote Originally Posted by Seeker View Post
    to the best of my knowledge, the hammock instructions don't mention that you even CAN use biners for hanging... and some things just go without saying... this is one of them. stuff like this keeps lawyers employed...

    I have a jar of peanut butter that has a warning telling me it may contain nuts. My iron has a warning telling me not to iron my clothes while wearing them. The hair drying has a warning not use while in the tub.

    I would dare say a recommendation regarding using climbing grade biners is no more obvious.
    Love people and use things; never the reverse.

    Mt. Katahdin would be a lot quicker to climb if its darn access trail didn't start all the way down in Georgia.

  19. #19
    Registered User GGS2's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tinker View Post
    Just because:
    I use simple tiedown straps with a spring loaded buckle from Lowe's to hang my hammock (with the carabiners). They are rated at "100 lbs. max". I weigh 220. No problems in the past 6 uses (all over soft ground just in case).
    So, according to the physics, if the rating on the webbing is correct, I'm in violation of some sort of logical "law". ?? Hmmm......
    No, not a law. Just at risk of catastrophic failure someday. There are many ways to rate the safe load on a rope or tackle. Usually, this is an overproof system of some sort, meaning that the gear is tested to failure some number of times, and then the lowest failure, or some statistical measure of the tests is used to determine a most probable failure rating, and the recommendation is set at some fraction of that, perhaps 50% or less. In climbing gear ratings, and safety gear, this determination is very conservative, meaning that the risk of failure at the rated stress is very low, and overstressed gear is not expected to fail at several times the rated stress. However, gear, especially ropes, which has been loaded to over proof stress is then derated. So old ropes are not used for primary protection after an event like a fall or abrasive use. However, hammock hanging rigging is not ordinarily subject to kinetic loads (as in arresting a fall), and the most probable overload failure would come as a result of abrasion of the woven jacket, or fibre breakage at knots and bends. So a hammock rig is probably safe at more than the rated stress of climbing harness, for example. It would be quite reasonable to use old climbing rope in a hammock rig. But if the hammock rig shows signs of abrasion or fibre breakage, it is probably time to replace it.

    Your 100# tie downs supporting you at 220# means that half your weight is supported at each end, times 2 for the angle of hang = 220# at each end. The strap also has an angle of stress multiplier of maybe 2X. That means we're up to maybe 440# stress on the webbing, but there are two legs to the webbing support, so back to 220# stress. That is a rough estimate of the load, so you are maybe 120% overloaded for that material, depending on the exact angles, loads, etc, and considering the extra stress at the buckles, knots or loop terminations. I don't know what the standard is for the load rating, but over 100% overload is maybe a bit much for a tie down. It is not completely surprising that you haven't fallen down yet. Whether you will fall down in the middle of a trip is another matter. The reason this is not a simple one to one calculation is the geometry of the hang system. So YMMV. By the way, that calls for about a 2Kn stress ring or biner. That's a small fraction of a 50Kn climbing biner rating. Also gives an idea of how overbuilt climbing gear is.

  20. #20

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    These are the lightest "hammock-rated" carabiners. I've used them for 30+ nights with no issues. And yes, I know how to tie all manner of knots, including that stupid Hennessy lash.

    http://www.treklightgear.com/catalog...-Pair-7p15.htm

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