Hammock + 550cord = fail?

MustardMan said:
Again, I want to repeat that climbing webbing is less than ideal for hammock suspension. While climbers consider webbing to be a "static" component of the system, in fact nylon webbing does have some stretch to it. For hanging a hammock, you want the least stretchy material possible. Dyneema, spectra, or polyester webbing are the way to go.

If you have to settle for nylon, it's better than nothing, but you might have to adjust your hammock after you've laid in it for a while, to compensate for the webbing stretching. Nylon doesn't "hold" the stretch, so this might be something that needs to be repeated every time you hang.
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Nylon webbing is used for anchors in climbing, it's not too stretchy ... not sure that it would be a concern. Dyneema, spectra, technora are indeed better, but raw, high-tensile strength materials such as the ones aforementioned DO NOT hold knots very well. In climbing, they are usually sewn into slings because of this. However, a decent climbing shop will sell high-quality Technora or Spectra cordage with a polyester sheath. Personally, I think cordage would be easier to deal with than webbing.

This one is rated to 5000 lbs and it's only 5mm in diameter. I have about 20' of this stuff and it's pretty awesome and very light given it's insane strength.

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_...older_id=2534374302691499&bmUID=1270708870318
 
Strapworks sells 1" seatbelt webbing in custom lengths with a loop sewn in each side.

If you want to use tree huggers with lighter support line, get a 5' or 6' strap and cut it in half. To use strapping for the support and to go around the tree, do the same thing to a 30' strap.

A 30' strap with a loop on each end is $14. Shipping to Melbourne via USPS is $27.75.

http://www.strapworks.com/Strapworks_Simple_Sling_p/hss1s.htm
 
I agree with flat webbing. Better for trees and normally stronger. Suprising, the vector forces on hammock anchors are much greater than you might think. Imagine if your hammock was so tight that it was completely flat (horizontal = 180 deg) and you weigh 200 lbs. When you lay on the hammock the angles change to 150 degrees because it sags slightly. With vector forces, the amount exerted on each tree is now almost double (385 lbs) because of the extreme angle pulling, not only down, but laterally. If you weight 300 lbs, you could exceed the strength of military grade 550 cord. Keep in mind that most paracord is not mil spec.

Now if you use any type of knot to secure you paracord that will decrease the strength of the cordage by 33% (on average, depending on which knot you use). If the cordage happens to be wet, now you are looking at maybe another 20% decrease in strength.
 
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550 cord will support your weight, but will stretch once wet. You will be lying on the ground by the time morning comes. Also, 550 cord is heavy compared to other suspension methods, such as webbing or AmSteel Blue 1/8" line.

A hammock needs to be suspended correctly in order to be comfortable. Too loose or stretched too tight and you'll end up lying too folded up or too flat.
 
What kind of hammock are we talking about here? If it's a decent hammock, it may be using good suspension already. Just because it looks weak, doesn't mean it is. AmSteel Blue 1/8" just looks like thin-ass plain old braided synthetic rope that you could buy at the hardware store for $.10/foot.

Another good tip is to terminate your cord with heat shrink tubing; it makes a very clean and user-friendly termination.
 
I agree that using 550 cord is a bad idea. Personally, I use double braided nylon ( or polyester) rope for my ENO double nest. Last night, between my wife,my son and myself we had about 420 lbs in mine with no issues at all for over an hour. That was swinging pretty good too ( how else you gonna keep a 2 yr old in a hammock for over an hour?). If you want to buy some rope you can get it from cbknot.com. I use this stuff for all kinds of stuff ( rope halters, dog leashes, tow rope for pulling cars) with never a worry. It's rated at over 2k lbs on the 1/4" ( 6mm) diameter and it just goes up from there to over 7K by the time you get to 1/2" ( 12mm).

Amsteel blue ( which has been suggested) is good stuff but pretty much any double braid will do just as good for this purpose and in my opinion double braids are much easier to splice than a 12 strand single braid. I do like that the amsteel blue is rated at 8600 lbs on 1/4" line though. You could take your hammock down and use it to uproot stumps with your tractor if you needed, but I think it might be overkill. Plus it can only be ordered in 600 ft rolls ( from this site) where the other stuff can be purchased in one ft increments.

By the way, if you get some double braid, It helps to put two eye splices in. A big on one one end and a small one on the other. Wrap around the tree, run small through big using a sheet bend to secure ( so the rope doesn't tighten and scar the tree) and then hook your hammock to the small eye splice.

Hope this helps
David
 
Go down to your nearest marine/boat shop or home depot type and by some 3/8" yellow polypro line.
Why over complicate things?

Oh, and don't use paracord :)
 
We used to jerry rig parachute material with 550 chord all the time, as long as you aren't stupid with how you use it it'll hold you. If there's any question you could always braid it or double up.
 
when me and my fellow scouts first started making our hammocks, we used (cheap) paracord. it broke pretty quickly.

I tried to work out the stresses in such a system during a physics class. basically, if the cord is running at full strength, it can just about hold a mid-sized 16 year old, if the angles are just right.

since any knots reduce the strength, I would suggest trying climbing accessory cord, or good tubular webbing strap.
 
Hey guys, AHE guy from Arrowhead Equipment here. Been getting a number of hits on my site from Mustardmans post above and just figured I would drop in and say hey, and see if I can help with any questions at all.

For those not familirar with me and AHE I carry a number of backpacking and camping products, much of which is aimed at hammock camping, not all of it though. We have a few kinds of webbing, amsteel, whoopie slings (a cool adjustable system made from amsteel) Cinch buckles and a number of other hammock suspension systems as well. I spend most of my forum time at Hammock Forums--where I know Mustardman from. Like him I have a extensive climbing and backpacking background and can echo the sentiment that climbing materials (webbing and cord) are far from the best materials to use for a hammock suspension.

Hope to be able to help with any questions you may have about hammocks and suspensions for them.
 
phaserrifle said:
when me and my fellow scouts first started making our hammocks, we used (cheap) paracord. it broke pretty quickly.

I tried to work out the stresses in such a system during a physics class. basically, if the cord is running at full strength, it can just about hold a mid-sized 16 year old, if the angles are just right.

since any knots reduce the strength, I would suggest trying climbing accessory cord, or good tubular webbing strap.
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That is a good point - the rule of thumb is any knot that you add to a rope will decrease its strength by 1/3 (33%). A wet rope (unless you are using treated rope such as used for ice climbing) will also degrade the strength of your rope (maybe 20% or so).
 
Hand of Cod, where did you get your paracord anyway? I've been looking for some and can't find a damn thing.
 
Well I went camping last night and thought I'd give the paracord set up a whirl to see if I like hammock camping in general. It help just fine after some pretty serious stretching. I rigged it so I was only hanging about 10" from the ground - in case it snapped.

Very peaceful and very comfortable. I think I could get into this!

Took some crappy pics on my phone - next time I'll bring the 50D.
IMG_0221.jpg


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I have not been camping in years and it seams that my back knows that. Now that I am all into scouts with my boy (just bridged to Webelos) I will be spending two weeks at camp with him and want to get out even more alone with him. I just got an ENO Doublenest, rated for 400 lbs, so two people or me at 6'2 300 lbs and I am digging it. When I got it I went to Harbor Freight and found 2 inch X 6.5 toe straps with looped ends for $10 each and they rock. If I were going to try paracord (which I am not) I would at lease braid three strands). The straps are just so damn easy. Now I am looking to pick up a good sil tarp- George
 
If memory serves, the 550 in 550 cord is work working load, not breaking strength. Thus, if someone has proper 550 cord (not the cheap stuff) then using it for a hammock should be no problem.
 
STAGE 2 said:
If memory serves, the 550 in 550 cord is work working load, not breaking strength. Thus, if someone has proper 550 cord (not the cheap stuff) then using it for a hammock should be no problem.
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You are sort of right, it's working load for a static load. However, the 550 lbs working load limit goes out the window with a dynamic ( moving ) load. You may be able to use 550 cord for your hammock or you may not, for the price of suitable lines why gamble?

David
 
STAGE 2 said:
If memory serves, the 550 in 550 cord is work working load, not breaking strength. Thus, if someone has proper 550 cord (not the cheap stuff) then using it for a hammock should be no problem.
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The problem with trying to guess at these things is when you miss important details :D

Or forget to read the thread before commenting :rolleyes:


The primary issue with paracord is that it stretches. A lot. It might stretch enough to break, and it might not, but even if it DOESN'T break, it will still suck for a hammock suspension. You want low-stretch for a hammock suspension - polypro, spectra, dyneema, amsteel, polyester webbing, etc.

Generic nylon cord, paracord, nylon climbing webbing, climbing rope are all crap choices for a hammock because they stretch too much.
 
Nice Setup HandofCod, Don't forget to make up some tree huggers to save the supports being ringbarked.
 
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