Last, but not least in this DutchWare series is the Whoopie Hook. When Dutch first sent me a pair of these hooks to review for the illustration, I was confused on how to use them. This is because Dutch re-imagined how to use the familiar Whoopie Sling: instead of attaching the fixed eye to the hammock it is secured to the tree webbing. This means that the adjustable end of the Whoopie Sling is toward the hammock.
Once I got straightened out, the concept works great. The Whoopie Hook is threaded into the adjustable end of the Whoopie Sling and does double duty as a stopper bead. The hammock must be configured with an end rope or continuous loop where the hook can attach. I should mention that the Whoopie Hook is designed to be used with 7/64″ Amsteel Blue line, both for the Whoopie Sling and for the loop that is attached to the hammock. Anything larger will not work. Smaller line, like Dynaglide, will work, but even with the larger Amsteel, be sure to inspect the line for abrasion before any hang.
This takes away all the fun of tying a marlin-spike hitch
You can still use a marlin spike hitch instead of the square knot at the connection between the webbing and the whoopie.
Yes, if you had long webbing.
The way that DutchWare has designed the system (if you buy it with strap, sling, and hardware) is that the webbing is purposely short. Except for really small trees, the webbing rarely reaches the entire way around, so tying a Marlinspike Hitch isn’t possible. DutchWare also ships the Whoopie extra long, so the intent is that the Whoopie does the heavy lifting for adjustments.
That said, if you just get the Whoopie Hook hardware, then you can manipulate the length of the sling and strap to your liking, providing an opportunity to tie a Marlinspike Hitch if you need/want.
In my own experience, I like the shorter strap. With the Whoopie Sling attached directly to the strap via the Lark’s Head, it provides a very simple and adjustable system.
it well may take the fun out of tying a marlin spike hitch, but you still retain the uncertainty of the line slipping off the device. to me, it appears that there’s no real gain here
Just another option in your quiver of hammock suspension techniques. I often switch between techniques so if one works better for you I support it. However, you do bring up an interesting argument about slippage I want to address.
Whoopie Hooks use a different technique than a Marlinspike hitch and have no issues with slippage. The Marlinspike hitch relies on a toggle that the Amsteel is looped over, whereas the the Whoopie Hook is, well, a hook and actually clips to the Amsteel. Sliding the Amsteel back and forth on a Whoopie Hook while adjusting the sling or “whipping” the line up and down will not unhook the suspension. Conversely, similar activity on a Marlinspike hitch and toggle can make the Whoopie sling fall off the toggle entirely.
Honestly, sometimes the Hook can be difficult to unclip, requiring a bit of a tug to release. I’ve found this more often when I wear gloves in the colder seasons. So, no real uncertainty of slippage whatsoever.
The main issue with the Marlinspike hitch is making sure you tie it correctly, otherwise you can have slippage and end up dropping your hammock (ouch!).
In a direct comparison of the Whoopie Hook and a Marlinspike Hitch method, the main advantages are: 1) no knot tying (important to some); 2) straightforward connection (no guessing about on/off the knot, if you know what I mean); 3) no slippage; and 4) lightweight.
Lightweight can be argued, depending on strap length, hardware used, etc. Most folks who use the Marlinspike technique prefer a long strap that has a sewn eye loop on one end and a long running end. The long running end allows for lots of adjustability. Generally speaking, webbing strap weighs more than Amsteel, but much depends on strap material.
For argument sakes, let’s take some stock set-ups and compare:
Whoopie Hook kit: 2 Whoopie Hooks, 3.4 g (0.12 oz); 2 continuous loops, 2 webbing straps, 2 Whoopie slings – TOTAL: 100 g (3.5 oz)
Marlinspike Kit: 7 ft (2.1 m) polyester strap with a loop sewn on one end, two toggles, two Amsteel Whoopie slings – TOTAL: 142 g (5 oz)
If you leave the aluminum toggles, you can save 10 g (0.4 oz), getting you to 132 g (4.7 oz) with a basic Marlinspike Hitch kit.