🤯 I just recently become interested in hammock camping and have been overloading my brain on the gear required only to find this and realize I can make most of my own stuff probably of better quality for cheaper. Shame this channel is so underrated. Just subscribed and liked and will be sharing with my friends who are starting out like me
Thank you for this! Your instructions made it super easy. This may be the single most beneficial accessory to a hammock. I only had a 17’ piece of Amsteel. But it worked perfect with my 10’ hammock suspended from tripod stands made from Conduit and fence top rail.
That's great to hear. I find it relaxing now and usually have some amsteel by the couch at night. But you have the concept now and can make it your own.
Thanks for the tutorial! I've been looking for something larger than 7/64 and I can't find them. Now, thanks to you; I can make them myself! THANKS!!! Really, thanks for the video!
It is really a big whoopie sling and once you get it you rarely adjust it in my opinion. Some of my hammocks I have replaced with a fixed ridgelines and reused the adjustable on other hammocks or made something else out of them. go2marine.com has really good pricing and fast shipping on amsteel too. Have fun and get a bunch. I have a nice selection of colors. Get at least 25 feet of each.
Very cool instruction video Nature Calls chuckle I was swapping out my fixed ridge line for the adjustable ridge line that BIAS Butt In A Sling provided, chuckle I thought they just sent me an extra one but after a closer look the light bulb came on, gearing up for the weekend, this is where sag is a good thing. Thanks Bruce! atb Don
Don Milligan Cool, I would love to see what they do if you ever film it. Also I would love to know how long your hammock is, how tall you are and what length ridgeline you end up with. Happy hanging, you going out soon?
Nature Calls Hey Bruce the funny thing was as I was watching your video I was swapping it out, I had plans for last weekend they didn't work out so I am hoping to leave straight from work for the hills this Friday, will try to work on my video skills and try to add more info, no promises. I am 5'7" and the hammock is 11" with about 9' ridgeline, I base-lined the adjustable line and marked it to the fixed line they supplied so I'm looking forward to playing with the adjustments a bit, hope to get a better night sleep.
Well I must say my first foray here went pretty well. I ended up modifying the design. I didn't want to use so much rope. So I moved the whoopie sling to the the other end other side of the rope. This meant I wasn't able to do the locked Brummel knot. So instead I just made a loop and berried the end 10 inches. we'll see if it holds when I get to use it. Thank you for the tutorial.
And I learned why it isn't done the modified way I did it, It can slip. I'm changing out all my rigging on my hammock. While I'm at it, I'm going to do this proper this time. I'm also ditching the whoopie slings from each end to the tree strap. They were fun and neat but ultimetly just an unneeded step to a quick setup. I'll be sticking with extra long tree straps with a cinch buckle. For the time being I am keeping my Amsteel continuous loops for gather the ends and having an attachment point. On my cinch buckle I have small contious loops with a whoopie hook for easily conecting and disconnecting to my suspension/tree straps. This way I can easily throw on my bug net.
Skipped the soft shackles. Used bull hitches for whoopie slings to continuous loops. Ridgeline eyelet bull hitched around a sling eyelet and did my adjustable loop through the other sling's eyelet. I also used less cordage for 8-11' adjustability.
@@naturecallsoutdoors I can't knock you for that. Those biners come in handy! I always carry extras with me, but I like keeping them out of my hammock's stuff sack for some reason.
Thanks, and it has lasted a while. Still how I do it today too. I have upped to the 3/8 amsteel now though. Works great if you are in bad weather and need to get set up fast. Yes my babies, I have 2 and they love to hang.
Wondering why you're giving ~10' of adjustability by coming all he way back to the locked brummel end. Seems to me that it would be impossible to ever use all of the adjustment length, under any condition. Is there a specific reason to have more than 2-4 feet for the whoopie sling adjustment end? Just curious here... I'd want to save as much amsteel as possible, without handicapping the functionality of the ridge line project.
Definitely could do lots of variations. This was the thinking back a few years ago, but really you only need one side to adjust and could do more adjusting using the tree straps. I find where I go, I still make my whoopie slings this way as I have huge trees and it helps to have as much as possible at times, I also am able if it need to drop my sleeping system in whole and bring it back up to perfect with the two long ones. But if you are trying to save the string for another project I think you could either go to 8 or 10 feet for the slings, or do as you are thinking make the sling smaller. Have fun. Great question
some of the best amsteel tutorials here! you are the master of giving instructions in the middle of a busy household. I think a whoopie would make a nice deluxe/gift ridgeline. but i dont think that its practical for most people to have a ridgeline that costs more than the hammock or use that much cordage. so i just want to point out (for gram/volume/money weenies) that a much shorter piece of paracord or 1mm amsteel with a friction knot will do the same thing even if it doesnt have the same fit and finish. I am curious what you use your small amsteel scraps for. Do ou have any deas? Mine are starting to collect but I cant find anything to make with a few inches.
I agree with you on all your points. I got out one of my hammocks the other day and the ridgeline was a mixture of guylines and paracord just knotted all together to achieve the sag just fine. Lately I just finished an all 1/8th amsteel setup as I get asked by guys that are 350lbs plus and I really like it. I am not that concerned with weight though, I will just up my training if I think I need to get stronger. I do use my scraps all the time. I will take a piece around 8-10 inches long and do a simple knot and larks head it on somewhere. My truck bed, my canoes and kayaks, outside of the backpack....super useful. Give them as gifts.
Just wondering what the purpose of the soft shackle is, it looks like the suspension rope could go straight onto the continuous loop of the hammock end and the ridgeline attached to at that join. I'm also wondering why some folks attach their ridgeline down where the material of the hammock is, as opposed to up where the soft shackle is. Also, do you use a soft shackle instead of a carabiner to reduce weight?
All great questions A Jay and I asked them all myself. I have done the straight to gathered end and bypassed the soft shackle and it works fine and of course reduces the weight a bit. And yes the soft shackle is to replace the carabiner. For a while I was all about weight and getting rid of all metal components. Personally I like to mess around with my gear a lot, maybe just that I do TH-cam, and experiment a lot. Changing out the different components and trying different things. Also I have had some failures in the field and like that I can part it out to fix. Right now though I don't do the channel end anymore, rather a modified sheet bend so I can mess with hammock length. And I have start to put carabiners back in the mix as I really like to be able to quickly hang things like my pack or camera gear. I don't really think where the ridgeline attaches is a very big deal, as long as you acheive the right sag for you. I have been experimenting with suspension tension and depending on what I am doing I may put a lot more tension on the ridgeline which changes where you attach it. A lot of fun to mess around with, until you are flat on the ground. My favorite right now is using the 1/8th amsteel for the whoopies, sheet bend, and soft shackles with a 7/64th ridgeline. I push me distances a lot and need a stronger suspension rather than the 7/64th only. All fun. Hope that helps, but more just may be insights into what I mess with. Take care, Bruce
Yes I asked the question about where to attach hammock ridgeline on hammock forum and they said the same, it doesn't make much of a difference. The only thing is if you're using a bugnet over the ridgeline, then you can raise the bugnet higher if the ridgeline is higher up on the carabiners. Which can be helpful with a short hammock where the ridgeline is low and the bugnet is in one's face. But with the longer hammocks above 10', not so much of a problem. In hammock forum they tend to not use many hammocks below 11'. I know in the commercial side to hammocks they're very short, but with the cottage vendor side they make em pretty long. Most of the experienced hangers at hammock forum don't use hammocks below 11', and a great many go to 12'. I myself ordered a 12' one which is still on it's way from the US. I've also ordered a 220 gram asym tarp which has a 14' ridgeline, only $70. That's from the same place I go the hammock, SLD. And as you said on your DIY tarp video, that's about the price we pay just for materials. However obviously these vendors get their material much cheaper: www.simplylightdesigns.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/22_40/products_id/81 Next I need an underquilt, but I don't want to go with the SLD underquilt as it's a bit too heavy for me. I'm going lightweight. It's a pretty inexpensive UQ so that may have something to do with it's weight, although SLD's hammocks and tarps are light and cheap. I looked at the weights of the filler vs the material for SLD's UQ, and compared it to the Warbonnet UQ which are more expensive but lightweight, and I saw that the heavier weight of SLD's UQ is coming from the fabric. The filler only accounts for a small percentage of the weight of an UQ. Here is SLD's UQ. It's a good price but just too heavy for what I want. I'll probably end up paying a bit more for a lighter weight one from WarBonnet or something. The difference in weight of a full-length UQ is about 600 grams for the SLD UQ, and I think about 200 - 300 grams for the WarBonnet UQ. So a fair difference. I'm only after a summer UQ but that will barely affect the weight as most of the weight seems to be in the fabric and not the filler. www.simplylightdesigns.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/68/products_id/436 I was thinking of making my own, but I'm a bit adverse to sewing machines and don't have access to one. Unless you're doing a few jobs, I don't think it's worth buying one. I have been looking into hand sewing as an alternative option to using a sewing machine. I looked at a DIY UQ tutorial and it seems a bit more complex than a hammock. Do you think ripstop lends itself to hand sewing? I was looking at the backstitch for hemming ripstop, I thought the running stitch seemed a bit too weak. But I know next to nothing about sewing materials and sewing stitches.
Great information and love all the logic behind what you are doing. Sounds like you are in Europe? If you are, I remember that up in like Norway they do a ton with down. I wonder if you could get a great deal on some 900 fill from there? I am not a big Alibaba fan, but they also have some good deals on down. They seem to be thought of not as bad by the Euro-crowd. I actually think a running stitch would do fine, and maybe you could find a light taffeta fabric. It doesn't need to be ripstop, and if you handle it nicely the taffeta and running stitch should be fine. Some of my UQs that I have made are with the .67oz fabric and I just pack them nicely. Other than that they sit still and don't really get much abuse.
I'm in Newcastle, Australia. I actually wanted to correct what I said about the fill being lighter than the fabric. Upon further research I don't think that's true, something you probably already know. I think I was assuming the weight per oz was the total weight of the fill. I'm actually wanting to go ultralight, and things get more expensive with UQ and TQs when going UL, and you can't just choose any old fabric. I'd like my UQ and TQ to both top out at 400 grams for each item. I was also looking at the 0.67 oz stuff, that's what I will need to use. As I'm camping in summer weather, I might be able to use a cheap and nasty option for a while until I can afford a proper ultralight UQ and TQ. I have a really light 400-gram blanket-thing I could rig up with shock cord for an UQ. Probably the most economical way I've seen for a proper UQ and TQ is the DIY rigs from ripstopbytheroll, and they offer the 0.66 oz membrane taffeta with Climashield insulation for a pretty good price. The only thing I don't like about those is there isn't a channel for shock cord up the long side, which I think is better for fit. I'll show you the link of this DIY option in case you haven't seen it: ripstopbytheroll.com/collections/diy-quilt-blanket-kits Do you think with this DIY underquilt, that you could do a channel up the long sides as well as the ends? I'm looking at Climashield or Thinsulate for my fill instead of down because I hear the synthetic insulation keeps dry better in the wet. This is because I'm going for tropical jungle environment. I only need thin insulation as I'm only camping down to about 60 degrees. I asked Jared from SLD for a quote for an UL underquilt and top quilt, and it comes out at $170 each, plus $20 shipping. It's a bit too expensive, In fact for a little cheaper I could get something better from UGQ. But still not as cheap as the ripstopbyroll DIY option. With that option, I could get both UQ and TQ within my budget, in .066 membrane taffeta, with 2.5 oz Climashield insulation, which is good for my summer camping in tropical jungle. But it doesn't have channels up the long sides, bummer. At least I can use the DIY TQ even if I don't go with their UQ. The good thing about their TQ as well, is it's oversized, so not too small. 108 inch x 60 inch. Some of the cheaper top quilts are 48 inches wide, which is not wide enough, particularly for the shoulders.
I use ripstopbytheroll all the time and they are a great resource. I also have a bunch of thinsulate and primaloft that I experimented with a few years ago. The thinsulate from what I found, is really better for something that is formed close, like boots or gloves, something like primaloft or climashield would be a better choice. I also have made a bunch of quilts with down I scavenged from coats and things from a thrift store, don't use pillow feathers. But since you are in a very humid area the use of synthetics is probably a good idea. We are fairly humid here in Seattle, and I would bet if I were out for a week or longer the feathers would begin to gather moisture. Really though, especially with fabric from ripstopbytheroll, the fabric is treated with DWR, and really doesn't get wet, or enough to make a big difference. But for the temps you are talking about, the 2.5oz Climashield will work great. Here is a link where I am doing channels, th-cam.com/video/TIXw4-xWWBo/w-d-xo.htmlm8s , really easy. On the ends since they don't need to be adjusted very much, maybe a bit when calibrating, I just did the fold over. On the long ends I did the one inch grosgrain and it makes a nice moveable channel, but then again, a simple foldover would work, just need to coax it a bit more. But once you get it set you shouldn't need to move it and you will save weight by not using the grosgrain.
I will get 50 feet and use 25 for two whoopie slings, then the other half for the adjustable ridgeline, and use about 16 feet for the ridgeline, basically around 10 feet, then doubled back and threaded through. I find I am usually increasing my sag, to about 9 feet for my normal width hammocks lately. Then the rest can be used for shackles or continuous loops.
There are a few ways I do it. Lately I have at least one lightweight carabiner on one end, if not both. I have found it really nice to have the ability to clip on gear like my backpack easily. I also make Soft Shackles, Texas Bushcraft has a great how-to video. Or you could do a larkshead knot to one of the other components.
This looks like exactly what I need for my hammock! Thank you! How is amsteel different than paracord? Where would I get the amsteel that you are using?
Paracord is designed to stretch so it yanks less on the dude hanging below, and stretch is really an enemy when it comes to hammock suspension. You want it pretty static so when you set it, it stays put. I have done stretchy options and you eventually end up sleeping on the ground. I get my amsteel mainly from go2marine.com , but you can get it from ripstopbytheroll.com or dutchware.com or makeyourgear.com . I just ordered some 1/8 amsteel to play with as it is double the break strength and if it is a minuscule increase on weight may be a great option. Video soon.
Thank you! I got 50' 1/8 amsteel from dutchwear. I am looking to make this adjustable ridgeline, but have a Grand Trunk Skeeter Beeter Pro with a fixed bug net... I saw your video on modifying that hammock and was going to modify it as you had, but realized that wouldn't work exactly the same with this adjustable ridgeline... Do you have any suggestions? I suppose I could make an extension that would be fixed to the inside of the net and then use a soft shackle as you did in this video. Thank you for your help!
And in the how to part, you make a FIXED ridgeline, but with the hammock, you use an adjustable ridgeline. I'm confused... Could you please help? Do you have any recommendations for putting the adjustable in the Skeeter Beeter bug net? Thank you
I get what you are saying Eric. I will do a video on the solution that you may really like better doing a UCR this week. Did you make it already? If you have then you may need to make an little extension through the bug net. But I can address how I would do it in the Skeeter Beeter this week.
Thank you! I see how you make it adjustable now. I got 1/8" amsteel, so it's impossible to bury the ends, it's too thick. I did modify the design by just inserting the open end through the middle, though I'm not sure if it will hold any weight... I look forward to the video! Thanks!
I'm 6ft tall, used 16-17 feet of amsteel, and ended up with about 8.5' adjustable Ridgeline - I hope this will be okay for my 12 foot hammock I am making - seems like its way too short
Yes that will be a little short. Take the adjustable out and actually set up the hammock then hook on the static side and then string it through double back and see how much adjustment you need then do the bury. For you I would make it adjust from say 105 inches to 125. So that should only need about 14-15 feet
@@naturecallsoutdoors I don't think I understand, you think I should only need 14-15 feet to make the adjustable ridgeline for the 12 foot hammock? I ended up using it and did end up tightening it a bit. I think I need to spend a while in the hammock to see what I actually like and maybe make drastic adjustments in how short or long that ridge line is to feel the differences
Hi Lynn. There are quite a few great vendors like Dutchware, Dream Hammock, and Warbonnet that make 11 footers. I do make hammocks for people though if you like how I do it. Send me a DM. I usually do it for the cost of material basically. If you want an integrated bugnet, I would say go with the above.
Amazing Video. I've been hearing about the Amsteel a lot over the last couple week, but have yet to make it happen. I am looking to purchase soon, however, I need to know the overall length of cordage for my ridgeline and suspension. In the video, you started with 50'. About how much did you cut off of the 50'? Will I need 50' just for the ridgeline? Please let me know an approximate length for me to use for it. Once again, great video. Thanks for the info.
+MrDinkydoodle I get 25 feet for the whoopie slings, then cut that in half. The resulting 2 pieces make 2 six foot whoopies perfectly. Now for a ridgeline, say for an 11 foot hammock you will need about 10 feet just for the ridgeline to get the approximate sag. Then about 4-5 feet to double it back to make the adjustable, whoopie part. I guess it really depends on whether you really need it adjustable. In the beginning of having a ridgeline I just used utility cordage and just retied it until I was happy. Now I have the adjustable but really never adjust it anymore for my personal hammock as I have it figured out. So that may be the way to go too. Always fun to have Amsteel around though. I have some I am working with right now. Making some continuous loops and soft shackle and things. So I would get 2 25 foot lengths and that should get you everything you need and some to play with. I have it in different colors too that comes in handy as well. Have fun.
+Nature Calls Thank you for getting back so soon. So, if I get 75', I will get enough to make whoopie slings, ridgeline, and extra to tinker with. Thank you again for getting back to me, and helping me get an idea of length needed. I look forward to seeing more videos. Be safe, and "hang" in there. (Bad pun, I know, lol.)
I just use a rectangle. The fabric starts off 12 feet long, then the width varies depending on what fabric I choose. The xl fabrics have been great, but I have had good luck with the standard 58" as well. I get the fabric mainly from ripstopbytheroll. I haven't made an asym like Hennessy as yet. Someday maybe, but haven't had the need. Hope that helps.
I have messed around with all types and have videos. I do have a spare made of lash it. It is all in the horizontal forces from what I understand, and that force can increase so quickly with hang angle, tree distance and weight. I personally hang all my stuff on my suspension like my backpack, camera gear and whatever else I have. I carry a lot of camera stuff. So lately I have been making my suspensions out of 1/8 and I could never create enough force to break that and I only sacrifice a couple more ounces. Look up my zing-it suspension video. It can be done.
I wasn't suggesting using Lash It for suspension! That would be very risky. I was just referring to ridgelines, which are subject to very little force. That's why sellers such as Dutchware use Lash It for their ridgelines but 7/64 for whoopie slings. However, if you're hanging a lot of weight directly from the ridgeline and not the suspension that would make sense.
If i am guessing correctly, the ridgeline is subject to a great deal of force when the hang angle is substantially different than it would be. In such cases, the ridgeline is basicaly taking all the weight of the hammock. I think.
Good video Bruce . I've got 25 feet of 7/64 ordered for ridge line, if that turns out ok I'm going to make w slings for suspension . What size diameter amsteel would I need for that? Thanks
I use 7/64 for everything now. Maybe I just have fat fingers and little patience though. I have tried the zing-it and it works, but the effort was too much for me to do it again. I like the zing it though for lots of other things. I haven't tried anything bigger as yet. I would like to get some of Dutch's glow braidable soon. I use the standard stuff and it is awesome at night when a flashlight hits it and I don't think it is too much more expensive. www.makeyourgear.com/rolled-goods/rope/25-feet-of-reflect-it/
All of those style have huge break strength. Amsteel 7/64 is 1600lbs and zing-it is 500lbs. I haven't worried with either. There is some dynamics that add stress but I have had no issues. I have zing-it for a couple ridgelines and they show nothing wrong at all after a couple seasons with various people under them. It is great that you make your own though I think. The whoopies take a lot of abuse. I am also a sailor and we use it all the time on the sails that produce a ton more stress, way more than hammocks. Great to see your gear someday.
+Nature Calls wow 1600 lbs on rope that small. I'm getting into backpacking late in my life, 61 approaching fast. It has always appealed to me I just never had friends that liked that sort of stuff and my wife is to scared of bears Lost my best friend to cancer a year ago and decided then I was going to do somethings I've always wanted to do even if I had to do them alone. Thanks for all the good info.
Yep, and really, I don't adjust mine very much anyway. Once I find the sweet spot, that is where it stays. Only if I let someone else use that hammock would I adjust it really. Personally, I have gone to a zing-it ridgeline and even though it is adjustable, a string knotted on each end would be perfectly fine.
Question how much overall length of amsteel do I need to do a 134 inch hammock Want the adjustable woopie for sure After 83% it's a 111.22 Just want to make sure I have enough amsteel left to do this tonight
Most marine supply carry it. I get mine from go2marine.com so depending on where you live I bet you can find a marine oriented close or online. I also get some from ripstopbytheroll.com or dutchweargear.com
***** Thanks for watching. I love this stuff. It is super strong and lightweight. I have never had any of it fail at all. I can't say the same for the components I replace with it. Get some and have some fun.
This is a great tutorial! Would you be willing to add this make and details to www.makeoutdoorgear.com ? We're looking at organising and helping outdoor enthusiasts find gear they want to make and improve whilst helping makers promote their TH-cam channels and personal websites.
And I learned from someone that did beautiful measurements. I make so many now that if I am close it is going to work. I have high regard for my instructors for how nice they did it for sure
🤯 I just recently become interested in hammock camping and have been overloading my brain on the gear required only to find this and realize I can make most of my own stuff probably of better quality for cheaper. Shame this channel is so underrated. Just subscribed and liked and will be sharing with my friends who are starting out like me
Thank you for this! Your instructions made it super easy. This may be the single most beneficial accessory to a hammock. I only had a 17’ piece of Amsteel. But it worked perfect with my 10’ hammock suspended from tripod stands made from Conduit and fence top rail.
Great job on the video, very clear training. Congrats on following your projects. Keep it up.
Thanks Hector. I appreciate the watch and comment. Happy hanging.
Just finished following your instructions. Getting a good piece of wire is really important I realise in retrospect. Thanks for the tutorial.
That's great to hear. I find it relaxing now and usually have some amsteel by the couch at night. But you have the concept now and can make it your own.
Thanks for the tutorial! I've been looking for something larger than 7/64 and I can't find them. Now, thanks to you; I can make them myself! THANKS!!! Really, thanks for the video!
momselayor I get all my amsteel from go2marine.com They have a huge variety. Thanks for watching
Thanks, checking them out now!
Wow! That was cool stuff! I will have to watch that a few more times for sure! Well done Bruce!
Windham Woodcraft I will make a video on all of the components that is going into your setup. Fun stuff for sure
Awesome brother! I'm getting excited!
Really neat video. Like the adjustable ridgeline concept. Will definitely be using this on my first hammock.
It is really a big whoopie sling and once you get it you rarely adjust it in my opinion. Some of my hammocks I have replaced with a fixed ridgelines and reused the adjustable on other hammocks or made something else out of them. go2marine.com has really good pricing and fast shipping on amsteel too. Have fun and get a bunch. I have a nice selection of colors. Get at least 25 feet of each.
Very cool instruction video Nature Calls chuckle I was swapping out my fixed ridge line for the adjustable ridge line that BIAS Butt In A Sling provided, chuckle I thought they just sent me an extra one but after a closer look the light bulb came on, gearing up for the weekend, this is where sag is a good thing. Thanks Bruce! atb Don
Don Milligan Cool, I would love to see what they do if you ever film it. Also I would love to know how long your hammock is, how tall you are and what length ridgeline you end up with. Happy hanging, you going out soon?
Nature Calls Hey Bruce the funny thing was as I was watching your video I was swapping it out, I had plans for last weekend they didn't work out so I am hoping to leave straight from work for the hills this Friday, will try to work on my video skills and try to add more info, no promises.
I am 5'7" and the hammock is 11" with about 9' ridgeline, I base-lined the adjustable line and marked it to the fixed line they supplied so I'm looking forward to playing with the adjustments a bit, hope to get a better night sleep.
I always wondered how that was done. Thanks!
Super cool, I use Zing-It for my ridge line. I like this version way better. Thanks for sharing!
Tapering the tail before burying it will make a stronger splice. Rope tends to break at points where its width changes..
Well I must say my first foray here went pretty well. I ended up modifying the design. I didn't want to use so much rope. So I moved the whoopie sling to the the other end other side of the rope. This meant I wasn't able to do the locked Brummel knot. So instead I just made a loop and berried the end 10 inches. we'll see if it holds when I get to use it. Thank you for the tutorial.
And I learned why it isn't done the modified way I did it, It can slip. I'm changing out all my rigging on my hammock. While I'm at it, I'm going to do this proper this time. I'm also ditching the whoopie slings from each end to the tree strap. They were fun and neat but ultimetly just an unneeded step to a quick setup. I'll be sticking with extra long tree straps with a cinch buckle. For the time being I am keeping my Amsteel continuous loops for gather the ends and having an attachment point. On my cinch buckle I have small contious loops with a whoopie hook for easily conecting and disconnecting to my suspension/tree straps. This way I can easily throw on my bug net.
Completely mad skills Bruce! Awesome tutorial man!
Donny Pavolini Outdoors Thanks Donny. It is really neat stuff. I think you would love incorporating it into your gear.
It's a pretty sure bet I would Bruce!
Thats really cool how that amsteel works.
39camper Isn't it? I have been changing out all my metal gear with it.
Skipped the soft shackles. Used bull hitches for whoopie slings to continuous loops. Ridgeline eyelet bull hitched around a sling eyelet and did my adjustable loop through the other sling's eyelet.
I also used less cordage for 8-11' adjustability.
Also, if you don't have the proper splicing tools, a fat knitting needle really helps spread the braid for burrying.
Cool I will have to try that out. The funny thing for me is I am adding carabiners back in as I like to hook my pack and stuff to it.
@@naturecallsoutdoors I can't knock you for that. Those biners come in handy! I always carry extras with me, but I like keeping them out of my hammock's stuff sack for some reason.
Btw, thanks for the vid. It really inspired me to start making my own.
What an amazing video! So glad I ran into you! Thank you!
Thanks John. I am sure you are just like me and like to figure things out. I have a good supply of this cord all the time now. Very handy.
Great video, easy to follow.
Lovely black lab at the end too ☺
Thanks, and it has lasted a while. Still how I do it today too. I have upped to the 3/8 amsteel now though. Works great if you are in bad weather and need to get set up fast. Yes my babies, I have 2 and they love to hang.
I have watched all your videos, just wondering though how you built your hammock stand.
This is so cool Bruce! I've never seen this before. Thanks for the demo. - Chris
inspireAson I think you would love this stuff. Ultra lightweight, no metal and stays flexible in cold and super strong. Might need to send you some.
The Boatswain Mates in the Navy would be the go to guys for this stuff!!!
My daughter just became Seaman so I will hit her up. She knows a few I am sure
@@naturecallsoutdoors If she is aboard a ship chances are good. Go Navy!!
Wondering why you're giving ~10' of adjustability by coming all he way back to the locked brummel end. Seems to me that it would be impossible to ever use all of the adjustment length, under any condition. Is there a specific reason to have more than 2-4 feet for the whoopie sling adjustment end? Just curious here... I'd want to save as much amsteel as possible, without handicapping the functionality of the ridge line project.
Definitely could do lots of variations. This was the thinking back a few years ago, but really you only need one side to adjust and could do more adjusting using the tree straps. I find where I go, I still make my whoopie slings this way as I have huge trees and it helps to have as much as possible at times, I also am able if it need to drop my sleeping system in whole and bring it back up to perfect with the two long ones. But if you are trying to save the string for another project I think you could either go to 8 or 10 feet for the slings, or do as you are thinking make the sling smaller. Have fun. Great question
some of the best amsteel tutorials here! you are the master of giving instructions in the middle of a busy household.
I think a whoopie would make a nice deluxe/gift ridgeline. but i dont think that its practical for most people to have a ridgeline that costs more than the hammock or use that much cordage. so i just want to point out (for gram/volume/money weenies) that a much shorter piece of paracord or 1mm amsteel with a friction knot will do the same thing even if it doesnt have the same fit and finish.
I am curious what you use your small amsteel scraps for. Do ou have any deas? Mine are starting to collect but I cant find anything to make with a few inches.
I agree with you on all your points. I got out one of my hammocks the other day and the ridgeline was a mixture of guylines and paracord just knotted all together to achieve the sag just fine. Lately I just finished an all 1/8th amsteel setup as I get asked by guys that are 350lbs plus and I really like it. I am not that concerned with weight though, I will just up my training if I think I need to get stronger.
I do use my scraps all the time. I will take a piece around 8-10 inches long and do a simple knot and larks head it on somewhere. My truck bed, my canoes and kayaks, outside of the backpack....super useful. Give them as gifts.
7/64 inch is approx 3mm if like me you were wondering...
Thanks. I should move to metric a little faster
Is there any difference atween this anda whoopee sling?er the same thing?
Very cool!
Thanks for the video Bruce
Eat Carbs Thanks, we need to go out and hang this summer and see if you like it again.
Yes.. we should do that :)
Is there a way to make it a single line ridgeline going across the hammock?
Great video! Thanks!
Just wondering what the purpose of the soft shackle is, it looks like the suspension rope could go straight onto the continuous loop of the hammock end and the ridgeline attached to at that join.
I'm also wondering why some folks attach their ridgeline down where the material of the hammock is, as opposed to up where the soft shackle is.
Also, do you use a soft shackle instead of a carabiner to reduce weight?
All great questions A Jay and I asked them all myself. I have done the straight to gathered end and bypassed the soft shackle and it works fine and of course reduces the weight a bit. And yes the soft shackle is to replace the carabiner. For a while I was all about weight and getting rid of all metal components. Personally I like to mess around with my gear a lot, maybe just that I do TH-cam, and experiment a lot. Changing out the different components and trying different things. Also I have had some failures in the field and like that I can part it out to fix. Right now though I don't do the channel end anymore, rather a modified sheet bend so I can mess with hammock length. And I have start to put carabiners back in the mix as I really like to be able to quickly hang things like my pack or camera gear. I don't really think where the ridgeline attaches is a very big deal, as long as you acheive the right sag for you. I have been experimenting with suspension tension and depending on what I am doing I may put a lot more tension on the ridgeline which changes where you attach it. A lot of fun to mess around with, until you are flat on the ground. My favorite right now is using the 1/8th amsteel for the whoopies, sheet bend, and soft shackles with a 7/64th ridgeline. I push me distances a lot and need a stronger suspension rather than the 7/64th only. All fun. Hope that helps, but more just may be insights into what I mess with. Take care, Bruce
Yes I asked the question about where to attach hammock ridgeline on hammock forum and they said the same, it doesn't make much of a difference. The only thing is if you're using a bugnet over the ridgeline, then you can raise the bugnet higher if the ridgeline is higher up on the carabiners. Which can be helpful with a short hammock where the ridgeline is low and the bugnet is in one's face. But with the longer hammocks above 10', not so much of a problem.
In hammock forum they tend to not use many hammocks below 11'. I know in the commercial side to hammocks they're very short, but with the cottage vendor side they make em pretty long. Most of the experienced hangers at hammock forum don't use hammocks below 11', and a great many go to 12'. I myself ordered a 12' one which is still on it's way from the US. I've also ordered a 220 gram asym tarp which has a 14' ridgeline, only $70. That's from the same place I go the hammock, SLD. And as you said on your DIY tarp video, that's about the price we pay just for materials. However obviously these vendors get their material much cheaper:
www.simplylightdesigns.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/22_40/products_id/81
Next I need an underquilt, but I don't want to go with the SLD underquilt as it's a bit too heavy for me. I'm going lightweight. It's a pretty inexpensive UQ so that may have something to do with it's weight, although SLD's hammocks and tarps are light and cheap.
I looked at the weights of the filler vs the material for SLD's UQ, and compared it to the Warbonnet UQ which are more expensive but lightweight, and I saw that the heavier weight of SLD's UQ is coming from the fabric. The filler only accounts for a small percentage of the weight of an UQ.
Here is SLD's UQ. It's a good price but just too heavy for what I want. I'll probably end up paying a bit more for a lighter weight one from WarBonnet or something. The difference in weight of a full-length UQ is about 600 grams for the SLD UQ, and I think about 200 - 300 grams for the WarBonnet UQ. So a fair difference. I'm only after a summer UQ but that will barely affect the weight as most of the weight seems to be in the fabric and not the filler.
www.simplylightdesigns.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/68/products_id/436
I was thinking of making my own, but I'm a bit adverse to sewing machines and don't have access to one. Unless you're doing a few jobs, I don't think it's worth buying one. I have been looking into hand sewing as an alternative option to using a sewing machine. I looked at a DIY UQ tutorial and it seems a bit more complex than a hammock.
Do you think ripstop lends itself to hand sewing? I was looking at the backstitch for hemming ripstop, I thought the running stitch seemed a bit too weak. But I know next to nothing about sewing materials and sewing stitches.
Great information and love all the logic behind what you are doing. Sounds like you are in Europe? If you are, I remember that up in like Norway they do a ton with down. I wonder if you could get a great deal on some 900 fill from there? I am not a big Alibaba fan, but they also have some good deals on down. They seem to be thought of not as bad by the Euro-crowd.
I actually think a running stitch would do fine, and maybe you could find a light taffeta fabric. It doesn't need to be ripstop, and if you handle it nicely the taffeta and running stitch should be fine. Some of my UQs that I have made are with the .67oz fabric and I just pack them nicely. Other than that they sit still and don't really get much abuse.
I'm in Newcastle, Australia. I actually wanted to correct what I said about the fill being lighter than the fabric. Upon further research I don't think that's true, something you probably already know. I think I was assuming the weight per oz was the total weight of the fill.
I'm actually wanting to go ultralight, and things get more expensive with UQ and TQs when going UL, and you can't just choose any old fabric. I'd like my UQ and TQ to both top out at 400 grams for each item. I was also looking at the 0.67 oz stuff, that's what I will need to use.
As I'm camping in summer weather, I might be able to use a cheap and nasty option for a while until I can afford a proper ultralight UQ and TQ. I have a really light 400-gram blanket-thing I could rig up with shock cord for an UQ. Probably the most economical way I've seen for a proper UQ and TQ is the DIY rigs from ripstopbytheroll, and they offer the 0.66 oz membrane taffeta with Climashield insulation for a pretty good price. The only thing I don't like about those is there isn't a channel for shock cord up the long side, which I think is better for fit. I'll show you the link of this DIY option in case you haven't seen it:
ripstopbytheroll.com/collections/diy-quilt-blanket-kits
Do you think with this DIY underquilt, that you could do a channel up the long sides as well as the ends?
I'm looking at Climashield or Thinsulate for my fill instead of down because I hear the synthetic insulation keeps dry better in the wet. This is because I'm going for tropical jungle environment. I only need thin insulation as I'm only camping down to about 60 degrees.
I asked Jared from SLD for a quote for an UL underquilt and top quilt, and it comes out at $170 each, plus $20 shipping. It's a bit too expensive, In fact for a little cheaper I could get something better from UGQ. But still not as cheap as the ripstopbyroll DIY option. With that option, I could get both UQ and TQ within my budget, in .066 membrane taffeta, with 2.5 oz Climashield insulation, which is good for my summer camping in tropical jungle. But it doesn't have channels up the long sides, bummer.
At least I can use the DIY TQ even if I don't go with their UQ. The good thing about their TQ as well, is it's oversized, so not too small. 108 inch x 60 inch. Some of the cheaper top quilts are 48 inches wide, which is not wide enough, particularly for the shoulders.
I use ripstopbytheroll all the time and they are a great resource. I also have a bunch of thinsulate and primaloft that I experimented with a few years ago. The thinsulate from what I found, is really better for something that is formed close, like boots or gloves, something like primaloft or climashield would be a better choice. I also have made a bunch of quilts with down I scavenged from coats and things from a thrift store, don't use pillow feathers. But since you are in a very humid area the use of synthetics is probably a good idea. We are fairly humid here in Seattle, and I would bet if I were out for a week or longer the feathers would begin to gather moisture. Really though, especially with fabric from ripstopbytheroll, the fabric is treated with DWR, and really doesn't get wet, or enough to make a big difference. But for the temps you are talking about, the 2.5oz Climashield will work great.
Here is a link where I am doing channels, th-cam.com/video/TIXw4-xWWBo/w-d-xo.htmlm8s , really easy. On the ends since they don't need to be adjusted very much, maybe a bit when calibrating, I just did the fold over. On the long ends I did the one inch grosgrain and it makes a nice moveable channel, but then again, a simple foldover would work, just need to coax it a bit more. But once you get it set you shouldn't need to move it and you will save weight by not using the grosgrain.
what is your starting length? You said you had 25 feet to make the ridgeline and other stuff.
I will get 50 feet and use 25 for two whoopie slings, then the other half for the adjustable ridgeline, and use about 16 feet for the ridgeline, basically around 10 feet, then doubled back and threaded through. I find I am usually increasing my sag, to about 9 feet for my normal width hammocks lately. Then the rest can be used for shackles or continuous loops.
Awesome tutorial i made me one also the woopie slings
Awesome. I usually have some cordage around where I sit to watch tv. Kind of like man knitting.
I’m confused as to how to attach it to the hammock for a ridge line.... help!!!
There are a few ways I do it. Lately I have at least one lightweight carabiner on one end, if not both. I have found it really nice to have the ability to clip on gear like my backpack easily. I also make Soft Shackles, Texas Bushcraft has a great how-to video. Or you could do a larkshead knot to one of the other components.
This looks like exactly what I need for my hammock! Thank you!
How is amsteel different than paracord?
Where would I get the amsteel that you are using?
Paracord is designed to stretch so it yanks less on the dude hanging below, and stretch is really an enemy when it comes to hammock suspension. You want it pretty static so when you set it, it stays put. I have done stretchy options and you eventually end up sleeping on the ground. I get my amsteel mainly from go2marine.com , but you can get it from ripstopbytheroll.com or dutchware.com or makeyourgear.com . I just ordered some 1/8 amsteel to play with as it is double the break strength and if it is a minuscule increase on weight may be a great option. Video soon.
Thank you! I got 50' 1/8 amsteel from dutchwear. I am looking to make this adjustable ridgeline, but have a Grand Trunk Skeeter Beeter Pro with a fixed bug net... I saw your video on modifying that hammock and was going to modify it as you had, but realized that wouldn't work exactly the same with this adjustable ridgeline... Do you have any suggestions? I suppose I could make an extension that would be fixed to the inside of the net and then use a soft shackle as you did in this video. Thank you for your help!
And in the how to part, you make a FIXED ridgeline, but with the hammock, you use an adjustable ridgeline. I'm confused... Could you please help? Do you have any recommendations for putting the adjustable in the Skeeter Beeter bug net? Thank you
I get what you are saying Eric. I will do a video on the solution that you may really like better doing a UCR this week. Did you make it already? If you have then you may need to make an little extension through the bug net. But I can address how I would do it in the Skeeter Beeter this week.
Thank you! I see how you make it adjustable now. I got 1/8" amsteel, so it's impossible to bury the ends, it's too thick.
I did modify the design by just inserting the open end through the middle, though I'm not sure if it will hold any weight...
I look forward to the video! Thanks!
It seems like the same thing as a Russian join from knitting. But you are using the fish wire instead of a sewing needle.
I will have to look that one up. Sounds way more exotic
can a person use a ridgeline just with a continous loop as I have tree huggers and a carabiner....
Sure. I have made ridgelines out of a lot of things. Just to help get sag.
I'm 6ft tall, used 16-17 feet of amsteel, and ended up with about 8.5' adjustable Ridgeline - I hope this will be okay for my 12 foot hammock I am making - seems like its way too short
Yes that will be a little short. Take the adjustable out and actually set up the hammock then hook on the static side and then string it through double back and see how much adjustment you need then do the bury. For you I would make it adjust from say 105 inches to 125. So that should only need about 14-15 feet
@@naturecallsoutdoors I don't think I understand, you think I should only need 14-15 feet to make the adjustable ridgeline for the 12 foot hammock? I ended up using it and did end up tightening it a bit. I think I need to spend a while in the hammock to see what I actually like and maybe make drastic adjustments in how short or long that ridge line is to feel the differences
Hi...where can I get pricing for an 11 foot hammock with a gathered end
Hi Lynn. There are quite a few great vendors like Dutchware, Dream Hammock, and Warbonnet that make 11 footers. I do make hammocks for people though if you like how I do it. Send me a DM. I usually do it for the cost of material basically. If you want an integrated bugnet, I would say go with the above.
Amazing Video. I've been hearing about the Amsteel a lot over the last couple week, but have yet to make it happen. I am looking to purchase soon, however, I need to know the overall length of cordage for my ridgeline and suspension. In the video, you started with 50'. About how much did you cut off of the 50'? Will I need 50' just for the ridgeline? Please let me know an approximate length for me to use for it. Once again, great video. Thanks for the info.
+MrDinkydoodle I get 25 feet for the whoopie slings, then cut that in half. The resulting 2 pieces make 2 six foot whoopies perfectly. Now for a ridgeline, say for an 11 foot hammock you will need about 10 feet just for the ridgeline to get the approximate sag. Then about 4-5 feet to double it back to make the adjustable, whoopie part. I guess it really depends on whether you really need it adjustable. In the beginning of having a ridgeline I just used utility cordage and just retied it until I was happy. Now I have the adjustable but really never adjust it anymore for my personal hammock as I have it figured out. So that may be the way to go too. Always fun to have Amsteel around though. I have some I am working with right now. Making some continuous loops and soft shackle and things. So I would get 2 25 foot lengths and that should get you everything you need and some to play with. I have it in different colors too that comes in handy as well. Have fun.
+Nature Calls Thank you for getting back so soon. So, if I get 75', I will get enough to make whoopie slings, ridgeline, and extra to tinker with. Thank you again for getting back to me, and helping me get an idea of length needed. I look forward to seeing more videos. Be safe, and "hang" in there. (Bad pun, I know, lol.)
awesome tutorial. thank you :)
Going to change subjects on you here, where do you get the patterns for your hammocks?
I just use a rectangle. The fabric starts off 12 feet long, then the width varies depending on what fabric I choose. The xl fabrics have been great, but I have had good luck with the standard 58" as well. I get the fabric mainly from ripstopbytheroll. I haven't made an asym like Hennessy as yet. Someday maybe, but haven't had the need. Hope that helps.
Why use 7/64 amsteel instead of a smaller diameter cord such as lash it?
I have messed around with all types and have videos. I do have a spare made of lash it. It is all in the horizontal forces from what I understand, and that force can increase so quickly with hang angle, tree distance and weight. I personally hang all my stuff on my suspension like my backpack, camera gear and whatever else I have. I carry a lot of camera stuff. So lately I have been making my suspensions out of 1/8 and I could never create enough force to break that and I only sacrifice a couple more ounces. Look up my zing-it suspension video. It can be done.
I wasn't suggesting using Lash It for suspension! That would be very risky. I was just referring to ridgelines, which are subject to very little force. That's why sellers such as Dutchware use Lash It for their ridgelines but 7/64 for whoopie slings. However, if you're hanging a lot of weight directly from the ridgeline and not the suspension that would make sense.
If i am guessing correctly, the ridgeline is subject to a great deal of force when the hang angle is substantially different than it would be. In such cases, the ridgeline is basicaly taking all the weight of the hammock. I think.
Good video Bruce . I've got 25 feet of 7/64 ordered for ridge line, if that turns out ok I'm going to make w slings for suspension . What size diameter amsteel would I need for that? Thanks
I use 7/64 for everything now. Maybe I just have fat fingers and little patience though. I have tried the zing-it and it works, but the effort was too much for me to do it again. I like the zing it though for lots of other things. I haven't tried anything bigger as yet. I would like to get some of Dutch's glow braidable soon. I use the standard stuff and it is awesome at night when a flashlight hits it and I don't think it is too much more expensive. www.makeyourgear.com/rolled-goods/rope/25-feet-of-reflect-it/
+Nature Calls As long as it's rated strong enough. I looked for weigh rating but could not find anything. Thanks and keep vids coming
All of those style have huge break strength. Amsteel 7/64 is 1600lbs and zing-it is 500lbs. I haven't worried with either. There is some dynamics that add stress but I have had no issues. I have zing-it for a couple ridgelines and they show nothing wrong at all after a couple seasons with various people under them. It is great that you make your own though I think. The whoopies take a lot of abuse. I am also a sailor and we use it all the time on the sails that produce a ton more stress, way more than hammocks. Great to see your gear someday.
+Nature Calls wow 1600 lbs on rope that small. I'm getting into backpacking late in my life, 61 approaching fast. It has always appealed to me I just never had friends that liked that sort of stuff and my wife is to scared of bears Lost my best friend to cancer a year ago and decided then I was going to do somethings I've always wanted to do even if I had to do them alone. Thanks for all the good info.
Anytime Ken. I am 55 as well
So an adjustable ridgeline is essentially just a realllllllly long whoopie sling?
Yep, and really, I don't adjust mine very much anyway. Once I find the sweet spot, that is where it stays. Only if I let someone else use that hammock would I adjust it really. Personally, I have gone to a zing-it ridgeline and even though it is adjustable, a string knotted on each end would be perfectly fine.
Question how much overall length of amsteel do I need to do a 134 inch hammock
Want the adjustable woopie for sure
After 83% it's a 111.22
Just want to make sure I have enough amsteel left to do this tonight
Where can i get the Amsteel at?
Most marine supply carry it. I get mine from go2marine.com so depending on where you live I bet you can find a marine oriented close or online. I also get some from ripstopbytheroll.com or dutchweargear.com
Damn great video
+Jeffrey Hernandez Thanks Jeffrey. That is nice to hear every once in a while. Kind of motivates me to do more and try harder.
Thanks! Splicing is very therapeutic! Haha
Thanks for watching. It is. My wife loves finding my splicing wire all over too. I think it is therapeutic for her
Great how-to, Thanks
***** Thanks for watching. I love this stuff. It is super strong and lightweight. I have never had any of it fail at all. I can't say the same for the components I replace with it. Get some and have some fun.
Very informative as well as a wonderful modification. Thank you.
I just bought 25' of 7/64 do I have enough to make an adjustable ridgeline?
Yes, you should have plenty enough. Have fun
Thank you, I really appreciate it! Great video!
sounds like John Lithgow narrating
I have been working on it.
Thanks, this was great!!
Louise Florida Thanks for watching Louise. How is your projects coming along?
Nature Calls ordering more am steel for my other hammock. Ty for all your help.
This is a great tutorial! Would you be willing to add this make and details to www.makeoutdoorgear.com ? We're looking at organising and helping outdoor enthusiasts find gear they want to make and improve whilst helping makers promote their TH-cam channels and personal websites.
That would be great to join in. I will get it going. Thanks for watching.
Terrific, if you need any help at all, please dont hesitate to message.
Your approximate measurements make me feel my OCD. Love the content though
And I learned from someone that did beautiful measurements. I make so many now that if I am close it is going to work. I have high regard for my instructors for how nice they did it for sure