--- In hammockcamping@yahoogroups.com, "docteric" <docteric@y...>

wrote:

> I've been doing a few experiements with different knots to tie the

> hanging lines to the hammock fabric. I've been using weak fabric to

> to see which knots rip the fabric more.

>

> An interesting finding was that whenever the hammock failed - it

was

> always just below the knot.  What have other people's experiences

> been?  I'm wondering if that is the weak spot, maybe we could

> reinforce it with a double layer (like the stress points on a tarp)

> and then use a lighter fabric (like 1.1).

>

> What do you folks with more experience than me (that means almost

> all of you) think?



I have been using three half-hitches as a constrictor knot to attach

rope to my hammocks for about 1.5 years and have not noticed any

failure.  I used 0.25" hollow braid polypropylene rope attached to a

two-layer hammock of two pieces of 1.1 oz rip-stop nylon for most of

that time.  (As a side note about durability and what worked and what

didn't; I used #16 snap fasteners reinforced with 1" squares of

Bondex pressure sensitive nylon to attach the two edges of the 1.1 oz

rip-stop nylon and never had a failure with that either.  I used 6

equally spaced snaps on each side and I used red squares on one side

of the hammock and blue squares on the other side to easily identify

what was what.  I was pleased with how this scheme worked.)



I would suspect that the kind of rope that you use would also effect

failures.  Smaller diameter rope with abrasive surface would figure

to do the most damage.  Attachment knots that slip or slide would

also figure to contribute to fabric failure.



Since I have not noticed any failure or heard of others experiencing

failures, I am not to worried about the fabric at this point.  I do,

however, keep my eye on the rope I use because I am concerned about

its long term durability.  However, don't get me wrong, I am glad to

see someone working on that issue and am interested in whatever you

uncover.



Youngblood

I've been doing a few experiements with different knots to tie the

hanging lines to the hammock fabric. I've been using weak fabric to

to see which knots rip the fabric more.



An interesting finding was that whenever the hammock failed - it was

always just below the knot.  What have other people's experiences

been?  I'm wondering if that is the weak spot, maybe we could

reinforce it with a double layer (like the stress points on a tarp)

and then use a lighter fabric (like 1.1).



What do you folks with more experience than me (that means almost

all of you) think?