Thinking about going hammock..my big question:

[Morning Glory]

I've been looking into getting a hammock instead of a new tent. My biggest concern (this may sound silly) is how well it holds it's place on the trees. Sorry, this may be really stupid question, but I have a concern of the thing not attaching firmly to the trees, and sliding down to the ground once I get in the thing. I'm a fairly big guy....around 240 lbs. Is this something I should be concerned about? I'm really not very familiar on how these things attach to a tree. Also, because of my size (6', 240lbs), would there be a particular hammock that would be recommended? I notice that Hennessy has a couple that are rated to 250 lbs., but I'm wondering if I would be pushing it in using one of those.

[jlb2012]

As to the hammock sliding down trees - this has only happened to me once and it was a case of the tree slanting away from the hammock - my workaround was to loop the tree hugger strap one round turn around the tree then tie the rope - all other times I just loop the strap around the tree so that it is easy to move up and down after being tied.

As to size of hammock - I use a HH Explorer Deluxe Asym since I weigh more than 250 and I am 6'2" - the only disadvantage of the Explorer is that the JRB 8x8 tarp only just barely covers the length of the ridge line - I wish it covered a longer diagonal.

[T-BACK]

I weigh 250 and am 6' 4". I have never had a hammock slide down a tree. I have made a hammock stand of Ed Speer's design out of water pipe. Even on this smooth surface my hammocks don't side. I have used webbing and even rope with the same results. I have used a HH ASYM for over a year, A homemade hammock for about a month, and even occasionally a Speer Hammock sized for my wife. I don't think that your weight will be a problem. Be forewarned that you will never want to sleep on the ground again!

T-BACK

[Kerosene]

This isn't a weight issue as much as simply making sure your tree huggers are being used correctly on two trees of reasonable diameter (not too thin or thick) and at the right height. You'll have more of an issue of the hammock bottom getting lower to the ground than you'd like once you get in since you didn't tie it up high enough.

[Just Jeff]

I've never had a problem with the hammock slipping...and you don't even need to tie it tightly between the trees. If I'm on rough-barked trees, I tie it loose enough to pull it out and slide it up higher without untying the knot, and it still doesn't slide down when I get in.

If you're concerned about the weight, the Speer 8.5C is rated to 350 lbs ( http://www.speerhammocks.com/Products/PRODUCTLINK2.htm ), and Hennessy makes the Explorer Delux and Safari Delux, both rated to 350 lbs ( http://www.hennessyhammock.com/catalogue.htm ).

Sounds like some folks above think you'll be safe in a model rated for 250 lbs...that opens up nearly all of the camping hammocks available. Only the ultralight ones generally have a cutoff at 200 lbs or below.

[Seeker]

i'll second and third and fourth what's already been written... never had a tree hugger slide down on me, and i've hung on both rough and smooth trees... i use the HH UL Asym, rated to 200 lbs, but you should be fine in any of Hennessy's stuff rated for your weight... don't think any of it would slip...

and no, your question wasn't dumb... if you can't ask here, where can you ask? most everyone here is nice and helpful...

[SteveJ]

I've been looking into getting a hammock instead of a new tent. My biggest concern (this may sound silly) is how well it holds it's place on the trees. Sorry, this may be really stupid question, but I have a concern of the thing not attaching firmly to the trees, and sliding down to the ground once I get in the thing. I'm a fairly big guy....around 240 lbs. Is this something I should be concerned about? I'm really not very familiar on how these things attach to a tree. Also, because of my size (6', 240lbs), would there be a particular hammock that would be recommended? I notice that Hennessy has a couple that are rated to 250 lbs., but I'm wondering if I would be pushing it in using one of those.Bearfoot, I weight 220 - and use the HH bp ul, which is rated to 200. I talked with Tom Hennessey about this - they upgraded the ropes (may have added a couple of ounces to the hammock), and assured me that the ul would be fine for me. the only time I've had the tree huggers slip is when I loosely tied one end first, then the other - and forgot to go back and make sure the first one was tight - a group of scouts got a good laugh out of this one....

[Youngblood]

Bearfoot,

It is not as big of an issue as you are imagining it to be. There are several different techniques for attaching hammocks to trees, some of them use a somewhat loose loop and others actually cinch around the tree. They all work okay on trees with some friction on the bark but on slick poles or something of that nature you need to do something a little different to keep it from sliding down when you weight your hammock. Once you get a little experience with hammocks it really isn't much of an issue.

I noticed you are in east Tennessee. There is a hammock campers get together in a couple of weeks in Hot Springs, NC, which is in western NC in a small town that the AT goes right through. You could learn a lot about hammocks, meet some interesting folks and make a few new friends if you could make it. Here is a link with some info: http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=9970 . Can't make any promises, but most of the folks going post on the yahoo hammock camping group and if you were interesting in a particular model of hammock you could post over there (as well as here) and maybe find someone who is going that has a spare hammock that you could try out... hammock campers are typically friendly folks, often have more than one hammock and understand that folks don't know what hammocks are all about unless they can actually try one. It should give you a chance to see some different hammocks, the stuff folks use with them and an opportunity to ask questions about it all.

Youngblood

[Just Jeff]

I definitely second Youngblood's comments on the Hot Springs get-together...not only was it great to meet the folks I talk to on the internet, but as he said you'll get to try out lots of products that are only available online. Last time they had the SPE there (before it was being sold), and JRB had the new Weathershield (along with the rest of their gear). Ed Speer even let Marta borrow a PeaPod for the night. And there were a few examples of the homemade hammock stands, too.

Pics of the April hangout here: http://www.geocities.com/jwj32542/HikingPictures.html and of several of the hangouts in the Photos section of the Yahoo hammockcamping group.

[neo]

As to the hammock sliding down trees - this has only happened to me once and it was a case of the tree slanting away from the hammock - my workaround was to loop the tree hugger strap one round turn around the tree then tie the rope - all other times I just loop the strap around the tree so that it is easy to move up and down after being tied.

As to size of hammock - I use a HH Explorer Deluxe Asym since I weigh more than 250 and I am 6'2" - the only disadvantage of the Explorer is that the JRB 8x8 tarp only just barely covers the length of the ridge line - I wish it covered a longer diagonal.
get a 10x10 silnylon tarp from dancing light gear,19oz AND 89.00 BUCKS
:cool: neo
http://www.trailquest.net/dlgctarps.html

[tlbj6142]

Hennessey hammocks assume an additional 30# (or is it 40#) will be in/on the hammock besides you body weight. So, if the hammock is rated at 200#, you can put 230# in it.

[titanium_hiker]

wow- what an endorsement for going ultralight! (and the hiker wieght loss challenge!)

lol.

so, I guess if it is rated at 240, it will hold up to 270.

titanium

[Morning Glory]

Thanks for all of the great replies! I'm really thinking the HH Expedition Asym might be the best choice for me. The price is unbelievable on it ($119.00)...I really couldn't get a tent for that price. Now I'm actually really excited to try one out. I saw them at traildays, but never did try one. I don't know if I'll be able to get down to Hot Springs or not. I think they have them at Mahoney's though (our local outfitter).

[Crash]

Make sure you've learned to do the knot. Its easy after a few practices. Go to The Sgt.'s site : http://hikinghq.net/gear/hennessey_assym_hammock2.html#Tip%208
Make sure you can do it in the dark or low light. Its a figure 8 knot.

[planner]

Another good picture of the HH knot is here:

Hennessey Knot (http://www.thruhikes.net/forums/article.php?p=33&postcount=1)

[dougmeredith]

Make sure you've learned to do the knot. Its easy after a few practices. Go to The Sgt.'s site : http://hikinghq.net/gear/hennessey_assym_hammock2.html#Tip%208
Make sure you can do it in the dark or low light. Its a figure 8 knot.
I don't think it is a figure eight knot. That is a specific name for a specific knot. What is shown at the above link is a simple lashing finished off with two half hitches.

Doug

[Footslogger]

That's one of the best illustrations I've seen yet. Easy to follow ...

'Slogger