Installation of hammock tie points in popular campsite

[wildwalks]

I am having a chat with a land manger for a popular walk in NSW (sorry to be vague) - they are putting in a few structures (toilet, water tank - maybe a picnic shelter) in an existing camping area along the walk.
I suggested that it would be handy if the set up can be designed to allow (encourage) people to hang a few camping hammock between the structures. (There is interest in the idea)

In Tassy and Vic the tent platforms are becoming more common as a way to minimise the impact on popular camping areas.
Has anyone come across a system installed for camping hammocks??

Any (helpful) thoughts, suggestions, ideas??

A quick google and this is all I could find but personally I think this one is slightly over engineered.

http://www.treklightgear.com/treklife/hammock-alberta/


Thanks

Matt

[peregrinator]

[quote="wildwalks"]

A quick google and this is all I could find but personally I think this one is slightly over engineered.

http://www.treklightgear.com/treklife/hammock-alberta/

Yes, just a tad. It does have multiple purposes though. How many cairns and campfire stone circles could it scoop up?

[perfectlydark]

Lol while sleeping inside a transformer looks fun, I do t think I would like to while bushwalking I think the concept is a good one but probably not necessary in many locations. One without trees maybe

[michael_p]

Are we talking about putting the hanging points on the outside of the shelter or as separate structures? Only reason I ask is that I never like being near any shelter as people tend to sit in them talking till all hours when I want to sleep.

Following from the above a hammock gives me the flexibility to wander of into nearby bush to get away from it all. Even when overnighting with friends I tend to set up well away from them, some think I'm strange but I just like it that way.

Michael.

P.S. And my snoring can be bad.

[tastrax]

If you have access to an engineer I would suggest that he/she at least provides some guidelines on size of poles/fittings etc that should be used for a given load (110kg?). You might even like to come up with a preferred design that suits common hammock arrangements. If you go well prepared there may be less resistance from the managers.

[nq111]

Has anyone come across a system installed for camping hammocks??

Any (helpful) thoughts, suggestions, ideas??

I've never seen or heard of anything but have thought about this before.

Would be very simple with two sturdy poles (treated timber or metal) 5m to 6m apart. Then either a series of eye bolts at varying levels or a rough covering to make it that bit easier to place a sling around to hang from. People will want to hang from different heights depending on their hammocks and personal preferences. Sure, you can sling around a bare metal pole if with several wraps if need to but may as well make things easy.

Whilst it is often easy to find trees to hang from (easier than tent sites) it can be hard in some country to find hanging areas with a nice bit of clear ground nearby to sit around and cook etc. Some forest areas are made up of lots of limb-dropping eucalypts which are a risk to hang from. Having fixed hanging infrastructure is likely to make more people clue into the idea of hammocking. And hanging infrastructure would be easier, cheaper and lower impact to install then tent platforms.

[tastrax]

A frame such as this could be fairly easily built into any platforms for tents - then the same space is multi purpose

HammockFrame.JPG (6.6 KiB) Viewed 10606 times

[simonm]

Has anyone come across a system installed for camping hammocks??

Any (helpful) thoughts, suggestions, ideas??

I've never seen or heard of anything but have thought about this before.

Would be very simple with two sturdy poles (treated timber or metal) 5m to 6m apart. Then either a series of eye bolts at varying levels or a rough covering to make it that bit easier to place a sling around to hang from. People will want to hang from different heights depending on their hammocks and personal preferences. Sure, you can sling around a bare metal pole if with several wraps if need to but may as well make things easy.

Whilst it is often easy to find trees to hang from (easier than tent sites) it can be hard in some country to find hanging areas with a nice bit of clear ground nearby to sit around and cook etc. Some forest areas are made up of lots of limb-dropping eucalypts which are a risk to hang from. Having fixed hanging infrastructure is likely to make more people clue into the idea of hammocking. And hanging infrastructure would be easier, cheaper and lower impact to install then tent platforms.

+1.

I think poles with eye bolts would seem the easiest way to go, and would allow for tying off of the tarp ridgeline as well. If these existed you could easily modify your setup to take into consideration the eye bolts - eg just clip in with a carabiner. It really would be nice to see this take off.

Good work Matt.

[wildwalks]

Thanks all
Looks like the posts with eyelets is the way to go.
Thanks for the helpful discussion -- the land manager was actually looking at this thread and found it helpful.

Will let you know if it gets installed (looking likely at this stage)

thanks

Matt

[simonm]

Thanks all
Looks like the posts with eyelets is the way to go.
Thanks for the helpful discussion -- the land manager was actually looking at this thread and found it helpful.

Will let you know if it gets installed (looking likely at this stage)

thanks

Matt

Great work Matt, and top effort by the land manager to even consider it.

Obviously the posts will have to be high enough and far enough apart to take into account the varying lengths of hammocks and the need for the 25-30 degree hang angle of the hammock suspension .

Maybe you could even have small hammock height tables so you don't have to reach down to far to brew your coffee or cook your meal from the hammock

[madmacca]

Would be very simple with two sturdy poles (treated timber or metal) 5m to 6m apart. Then either a series of eye bolts at varying levels or a rough covering to make it that bit easier to place a sling around to hang from. People will want to hang from different heights depending on their hammocks and personal preferences. Sure, you can sling around a bare metal pole if with several wraps if need to but may as well make things easy.

3 poles in a triangular arrangement would allow for 3 hammockers for only 1 additional pole.

The big cost is pole installation - adding eye bolts would be mininal cost, although it may make Parks nervous about the liability if they pulled out. Wrapping puts the onus back on the hammocker.

[perfectlydark]

Thats a fantastic idea macca

[wildwalks]

I like the three pole idea -- will raise it. -- thanks

[nq111]

Great work Matt, and top effort by the land manager to even consider it.

+1. Hit the press after and promote is a far-sited new direction by the land manager.

Obviously the posts will have to be high enough and far enough apart to take into account the varying lengths of hammocks and the need for the 25-30 degree hang angle of the hammock suspension .

Yeah, 5-6m apart should be good for most people. A series of eye bolts from 6ft to 9ft would cover most options for height of hang. Rest of adjustments would be up to the hanger with slings, etc.

[nq111]

I like the three pole idea -- will raise it. -- thanks

Me too. I like to be right beside my kids in their hammocks when I take them camping (four hammocks look like the ewoks have invaded!)

[Strider]

Four poles would allow six hammockers..

[Gusto]

5 people on 4 poles makes sense. 6 people sounds very cosy. The middle two hammocks would need to be set at different heights.

Three poles and you could pitch one of those funny Tentsile contraptions.

You could offer a small step ladder so that they can be stacked like bunk beds.

[Strider]

Triangular configuration with a centre pole..

[michael_p]

My only concern with multiple poles is the possibility of disagreements occurring a a result of tarps overlapping. Just a thought.

[Gusto]

Hi Strider.

I did think of this, but thought that the distance between the centre pole to the trigangle vertex would be far short than a side length of the triangle. I though that this may render the system useless. I'm not a hammock person, so I'm not sure.

[Picaro]

An equilateral triangle with a centre pole just misses out on working.
On a 7 mtr triangle the hang distance from the centre pole at 60% is 4.2 mtr, which would be minimum workable length.
But this will put the anchor point on the 7 mtr lengths at 2.6 mtr, too high for folk to reach.
A 5.3 mtr triangle or square....or even just 2 poles, will put the anchor point around 2.1 mtr, using fairly standard hammock specs with a 30 degree suspension angle.
That would probably be a more widely usable setup.

Feel free to check my math.

[madmacca]

Content deleted by user.

[Nuts]

'encourage'.. why?
Anyhow.. Not another place to discuss the concepts of 'encouragement' or 'helpfulness'..

It may be worthwhile planning on building over existing platforms, especially for WHA walks. The charter (and very much in mind when we were building them here) is for minimal additional disturbance. I know the guidelines are pretty strict and many people, I would have said most, take the concept of 'necessary infrastructure' of any kind quite seriously.

[wildwalks]

Thanks Nuts
By encourage I was more meaning to make it obvious. Eg if they build part of a structure for this then make it clear that is what it is intended for. Also to promote they are available so people are aware of the option when planning the walk. Not suggesting encouragement over using a tent or other shelter.
This is not in a WHA, not a site where tent platforms would be used. It a a fairly disturbed enviro
Matt

[Nuts]

Fair enough. I can see platforms working well for hammocks if poles can also used for tarps/bivvies or platforms under them used for tents. Either way a hardened area must reduce 'satellite' campsites, even just marked off/designated places. Give them a chance for rehab. These things take funding from elsewhere so the cost would be less of the usual hurdle worked in for multi-use. No, Iv'e never seen a hammock specific camp- well worn coconut trees in the Whitsundsays..

[Onestepmore]

Tastrax, the diagram of the commercially available hammock sling wouldn't really work. There is no provision for a tarp or ridgeline, and some tarps have enclosed ends or 'doors'. I looked into buying one of these to experiment with my hammock at home, as we have no suitble trees. Also the span is not long enough to hang a sleeping hammock properly with rigging etc, as they are really just designed for the Mexican type striped canvas hammocks with the big metal eye. An upright wooden pole (with or without bolts) is going to work well.
I think it's a great idea, but yeah situate then away from shelters to reduce effects of the snoring noise pollution!
We're planning a backyard landscaping project this year, and I'm going to incorporate a hammock hanging setup in a nice peaceful corner. Then I can fuss with it at my leisure!

[Onestepmore]

Lol, my phone keeps autocorrecting 'hammock' to 'gimmick'

[tastrax]

Tastrax, the diagram of the commercially available hammock sling wouldn't really work.

You can probably tell I am not a hammock swinger Thanks for the insight into what is required - I just know that someone will want to do the engineering, on whatever is installed, to ensure that public risk is covered.