Among hikers, backpackers, campers, Scouters, and pretty much any outdoor enthusiast, one topic seems to always spark debate: hardware devices or knots?

Are you a knot purist who sees hardware devices as redundant, a waste of time (or weight), or perhaps even an abomination that threatens the purity of primitive living skills? Or are you a “gear junkie” or “knot averse” who shuns knots like the plague, or looks at “knot heads” as backward, regressive, and maybe hard headed?

I’m speaking hyperbolically, of course; I harbor no ill will with either group. In fact, I find myself somewhere in the middle, mostly: I love knots, and yet also find hardware devices extremely useful and sometimes a lot of fun to tinker with.

Regarding Knots

I grew to love knots as a Boy Scout. It was one skill I was actually good at. I’ve always remembered the “core” knots and have used them throughout my life. I also remember being told that “a good knot is one that can be easily tied, holds fast when tied, and comes apart when you need to untie it.”

Taut-line hitch with a slippery half hitch on the end. The slippery hitch makes it easier to untie.

To be clear, these “good knots” still take time to learn and master. But more important is to know when and why certain knots can and should be used. Practice and experimentation pay off in dividends when you get out in the field.

Knots, when tied right, are simple, elegant, and efficient.

To tie a knot seems to be a simple thing, and yet there are right ways and wrong ways of doing it and Scouts ought to know the right way. Very often it may happen that lives depend on a knot being properly tied.

The right kind of knot to tie is one which you can be certain will hold under any amount of strain, and which you can always undo easily if you wish to.

The bad knot is one which slips away when a hard pull comes on it, or which gets jammed so tight that you cannot untie it.

Lord Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the scouting movement, taken from his 1908 edition of Scouting for Boys

There are a lot of knots out there, but I’ve found that a few “workhorse” variety are all I’ve really needed for most tasks, particularly with hammocks and tarps.

Basic workhorse knots everyone should know

• Two half-hitches—used to secure a guy line, among other uses.
• Taut-line hitch—great for adjustable tensioning of guy lines and even tarp ridge lines.
• Clove hitch—I use this often for bear bagging and as a stake tie-off for some tarps, like those made with low-stretch fabrics.
• Bowline—great all-purpose knot. I often use this on guy lines attached to a tarp. Often used as a harness for self and aided rescue.
• Trucker’s hitch—great for tensioning guy lines or for rigging a continuous ridge line. The 3-to-1 mechanical advantage lets you more easily get a line tight. (A simpler variant is what ultra hiker Andrew Skurka calls the “McCarthey Hitch,” using a loop already tied in the line or the tarp as the pulley point.)
• Lark’s Head knot—often used to attach suspension lines to hammocks or other eye loops over tie outs on tarps, etc. Very versatile.
• Prusik knot—Often used in climbing and rappelling for self belay, the humble prusik is a simple knot with a lot of uses, especially for a sliding adjustment.

(Honorable mentions: Sheet Bend, Fisherman’s Knot, and figure-8.)

Some folks avoid knots because of a perception that they are hard to learn. The key to mastering knots is practice. As a Scoutmaster, I removed all the hardware helpers off tent guy lines as a way to help my scouts practice and learn a skill.

Knot Pros

• Doesn’t add weight
• Versatile (a single knot can be used in multiple applications)
• Knot tying is a learned skill that (if nurtured), doesn’t easily break, get lost, or fail

Knot Cons

• Knots can degrade the strength of a rope up to 50% (depending on knot type)
• Some knots “bind” when loaded, making them difficult to untie
• Some line, such as dyneema, is very slippery and doesn’t hold knots well
• Poorly tied knots can become risks, either to your gear or to yourself
• If not used often enough, or without practice, you can forget how/when to use knots

Regarding Hardware

A LoopAlien is a like a two-headed figure-8 belay device, but miniaturized and full of surprising uses.

I believe that anyone going on a trek outdoors should know how to tie the basic knots listed above. Understanding these knots will help you improvise when hardware is not available, when it fails (which they do, especially the plastic variety), or when hardware is lost or forgotten, whether you are pitching a tarp or saving a life.

That said, hardware devices can be wonderfully useful. They can decrease set-up times, make adjustments quicker and easier (particularly in cold weather or with gloved fingers), provide mechanical tensioning, and quick no-hassle attachment.

I find hardware especially helpful when using thin, slippery line such as Dyneema (Spectra), which has been increasingly popular as a lightweight line, but it doesn’t hold knots well.

My criteria for “good” hardware is as follows:

• The main function of the device must be obvious and inherent in the design.
• The “no knot” method should be simple and straightforward without complex wrapping or weaving, defeating the purpose of going “knot-less.”
• Secondary uses/functions are “discoverable” but should not get in the way of the main function or make it overly complex.
• The device should solve a real issue or challenge, such as improving dexterity, decreasing/eliminating slippage, improving efficiencies, increasing strength, providing mechanical advantage, minimizing weight, etc.
• The device should pack well when attached. Sharp points or burrs pose potential damage to fabric.
• The device should be reasonably lightweight, yet strong enough for its intended function.

I think some hardware devices are solutions looking for problems, or present solutions that are overly complex or not necessary in the first place. If hardware claims to make things simpler and easier, then it should. Otherwise I don’t use it.

Hardware Pros

• Reduces/eliminates slipping with certain materials
• Provides quick attachment/detachment
• Improves adjustability
• Provides mechanical leverage with reduced friction

Hardware Cons

• Weight! Gadgets can add significant weight to an overall system
• Some hardware gadgets are overly complex and difficult to understand and/or use
• Hardware can break, get lost, or left behind
• Can be expensive

The best hardware options I’ve used are those that address specific issues in a simple way. It’s like eating salad with a spoon and then one day someone hands you a fork and everything changes. It wasn’t that the spoon didn’t do the job, it’s that the fork changed the game. The next improvement was combining the fork and the spoon together…

When hardware can perform or improve tasks that knots alone cannot, they are at their best. When hardware gets in the way and makes a system more complex, they are at their worst.

Now it’s your turn. Are you a knot guy, a gear head, or somewhere in between? What are your go-to knots? What hardware devices do you use regularly?

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After spending a few weeks reviewing the Lawson Blue Ridge Camping Hammock I felt a little like the food critic Anton Ego from the Disney®/Pixar® animated film Ratatouille when he flip-flopped on his critique of Gusteau’s restaurant. Perhaps I can appreciate his predicament as he faced standing up for something he had dismissed before.

In my case, it is defending the case for the spreader bar hammock.

A Little History and Clarification

(If you’re up on your spreader bar hammock history, skip to the good stuff.)

Perhaps a caveat and a clear definition are appropriate to insert at this point. Generally speaking, the term “spreader bar hammock” refers to the relatively “new” back yard American-style hammock that uses thick cotton rope, loose weaving, and wooden spreader bars.

According to some sources, river boat captain Joshua Ward is credited with inventing this woven rope hammock back in 1890s. By the time Captain Ward began experimenting with hammocks, the “traditional” design brought to Western culture by Columbus had already seen various alterations. The secure, non-tippy deep sag and tight weave had all but disappeared in favor of smaller fabric hammocks hung with a more shallow sag in order to fit more sailors aboard ship.¹

Captain Ward pitched the hammock tight from end to end to attempt a “flat,” bed-like lay, using spreader bars to further flatten the entire surface. I have wrestled with this sort of hammock multiple times and had my share of wobbly tip-outs. These experiences with what I would call “modern” spreader bar hammock design is the backbone of my general disdain of spreader bar hammocks. (For a thorough treatise on the spread of modern spreader bar culture, check out the “Hammock Brainwashed” article, part of the Sleeping in a Hammock series by Seth Haber. Highly recommended.)

It’s Not The Spreader Bar’s Fault! (Well, at least not entirely)

To be clear, nearly any hammock pitched tight suffers from a high center of gravity and can be tippy. Spreader bars contribute to, but are not solely responsible for, tippiness. In fact, traditional Nicaraguan hammocks are often constructed with spreader bars on the end and don’t suffer from being tippy. Folks have also discovered that adding mini spreader bars on a Brazilian-style hammock has the effect of artificially lengthening the hammock, eliminating calf ridge discomfort, and providing a wider bed for a diagonal lay.

The trick is to pitch a hammock, with or without a spreader bar, with an appropriate sag. That sag differs based on the size of the hammock, but by simply dropping the center point down, the tippy nature is nearly eliminated. (For help achieving an appropriate sag, check out my Hammock Hang Calculator.) The deep sag also allows the occupant to sleep diagonally across the center point, allowing for a flatter lay.

I continue to affirm my position that the modern spreader bar hammock with the tight pitch, wide spreader bars, and woven rope design is inherently tippy and uncomfortable for long-term sleeping, for reasons beyond just the spreader bar.

But we’re not talking about that type of hammock.

The Lawson Blue Ridge Camping Hammock is Different

On the surface, the Lawson Blue Ridge Camping Hammock appears structurally similar to a modern woven spreader bar hammock. Yes, the Lawson uses spreader bars, but the similarity stops there.

First, the spreader bars on a Lawson are short—they do not extend the entire width of the hammock body. This is an important distinction because it plays into the way the fabric interacts with the bar, the tautness of the fabric, and the lay.

The fabric at the end of the hammock is also gathered and pleated, creating a pocket that helps lower the center of gravity further.

In addition, the Lawson doesn’t suffer from the sometime extreme tippiness from modern rope hammocks. What really spreads the fabric apart in the Lawson isn’t the bars, it is the tent poles used to open up the bug netting. The poles have some flexibility, so there is some “play” in the lay of the hammock.

I literally took the Lawson apart and rebuilt it numerous times, and worked with different hang angles and other options. What I found is when the Lawson is hung with a typical 20 to 30-degree angle on the suspension lines, it acts much like any Brazilian-style hammock in terms of overall lay, comfort, and stability.

When empty, the Lawson hammock appears to hang with a tight pitch, but appearances are deceptive.

The spreader bars on the Lawson achieve what some are finding with mini spreader bars on gathered-end hammocks: the elimination of bunched up fabric that can cause a ridge running under your legs, contributing to calf strain and hyperextension.

The Lawson hammock can be a little tippy based on how you pitch it, but overall I find it a viable competitor in the all-in-one camping hammock category.

Product Information

The Suspension System

The Lawson hammock uses rope clews to connect the hammock to the anchor point. The ropes are threaded through the spreader bars and then tied to the hammock through metal grommets. Having spent some time reverse engineering hammock clews, I knew my way around tying and reconstructing the clews. The model I received didn’t have any metal hardware on the clews, only a rope loop (some earlier models used steel rings). While serviceable, the rope loop wasn’t my preferred attachment point. The loop can be removed and replaced with a climbing-rated carabiner or a lightweight aluminum descender ring that can make it easier to attach longer straps, Whoopie slings, or other suspension systems.

The Tarp

The Lawson hammock is one of only a few all-in-one camping hammocks that comes complete with everything you need for a shelter, and it also happens to be the least expensive. Having a tarp as part of the kit is a big bonus for those looking for a simple set-up and don’t want to bother with the a-la-carte method.

The tarp is designed to “wrap” around the hammock. The corners of the tarp clip to the hammock body where the tent poles attach, by means of small shock cord loops. There are also patches of hook-and-loop patches that allow the tarp to grab onto the hammock. By wrapping around the hammock, the tarp is designed so you don’t have to guy out the corners, but guying is possible and recommended for a tighter pitch.

I found that the hook-and-loop attachment on the tarp wasn’t very effective and came detached once I got into the hammock. Further, the hook-and-loop is nearly impossible to secure once the bug net is zippered closed when I’m inside.

The ends of the tarp wrap around the hammock clews with some plastic hardware and shock cord. The hardware is mismatched for its use. I would recommend swapping a simple mitten hook instead of the strap clip that comes with the hammock. As you can see from the photo, I only used one clip to secure the tarp; the extra hardware can be safely removed.

The Bug Net

One of the things I really loved about the Lawson was the roomy interior, made possible thanks to the tent poles. For the price, I would have expected fiberglass poles, but the Lawson uses quality aluminum tent poles instead. The tent poles pull apart in odd places (to my mind) creating several pole pieces, but it they still function well. The shock cord running through the poles keeps the poles together and makes assembly and packing easy.

The bug net, and hammock, is accessible from a single zippered entry on one side. It is important to remember to let the “door” hang out of the hammock when entering so you don’t end up laying on it, or adding stress to the seams and pulling on the door while getting in.

The Hammock

The body of the hammock has a waterproof coating on the exterior to enable the hammock to be pitched on the ground. The Lawson also features bathtub-style “floor” with taped seams for weather protection. I mentioned that the ends of the hammock are slightly gathered and pleated, creating a pocket, of sorts, that lowers the center of gravity slightly. The polyester fabric is a personal favorite as it has less stretch than nylon so I get a firmer lay while still benefiting from an ergonomic lay.

Staying Warm

The tarp uses short shock cord loops to connect around the tent poles. This is also where I attached my under quilt.

Under quilts work great with the Lawson hammock. Thanks to the four pole attachments, it’s easy to connect an under quilt, and because the fabric is pulled out, there are no air gaps to worry about. To use my under quilts, I had to loosen the gathered ends so the quilt lay flat, and then I looped the shock cord around the pole connection points.

Sleeping pads also work fine with the Lawson hammock. Again, because the fabric is pulled flat, the pads don’t curl up as they do with gathered end hammocks.

Summary

The Lawson Blue Ridge Camping Hammock is a very affordable all-in-one camping hammock for base camping and selective backpacking trips. Because of the additional weight from the spreader bars and tent poles, the hammock is not the lightest option available, but it is comparable to many single-occupant tent shelters.

PROS

• Roomy interior, thanks to the vaulting tent poles.
• No leg strain or hyperextension. Very comfortable lay.
• All-in-one kit includes hammock, bug net, and tarp at a very reasonable price.

CONS

• The spreader bars and tent poles put it on the heavy side (1.7 kg/3.8 lbs).
• The hook-and-loop attachment for the tarp is less effective.

Tips and Recommendations

If you are looking at the Lawson hammock, here are some ideas to get you hanging:

• Pitch the suspension at a 30-degree angle before attaching the spreader bars.
• Sleep on the diagonal.
• Use a pillow!
• Pitch the foot end slightly higher than the head end to keep from sliding.
• Add guy lines to the tarp corners for a secure storm-weather pitch.
• If you are concerned about tipping, use tie-outs to hold the corners. I recommend the Jacks “R” Better Self-Tensioning Lines.
• To eliminate weight, remove the spreader bars and tent poles.
• If bugs aren’t a problem, you can remove the tent poles and lay on the hammock or flip it upside down.

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From the Wayback Machine

Grand Trunk All Terrain Hybrid Travel Hammock Review — BackpackGearTest.org

The Rest of the Story. I have to tip my hat to Grand Trunk for trying something new. When I tested this hammock back in 2009, the Hybrid was the first on the market (and I think the only one still) to have a built-in modular design. The Hybrid hammock is unique among gathered end hammocks due to its intended use and design as a hammock, tarp/rain fly, and ground cloth. And while any hammock can be used on the ground as a bivy, the Hybrid is one of the first with an intentional “go-to-ground” design with its waterproof coating and sewn tie-outs along the edges.

One of the first questions you might ask is whether the waterproof coating creates a pool of sweat. I never noticed any water collection in the hammock when I tested it, including a trip to Hawaii along the Kalalau Trail.

The only thing that really gave me hives was testing the hammock as a ground cloth.

I think where this hammock really fits a niche is for ultralight backpackers who want a versatile, modular shelter option. Using the hammock as your primary ground shelter (tarp/mid) above the tree line (or for the entire trip), and using the hammock during clear nights or just to relax along the trail.

I would consider the Grand Trunk All Terrain Hybrid Hammock the first “bivy hammock” thanks to its modular design.

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From the Wayback Machine

Jacks “R” Better Bear Mountain Bridge Hammock Review — BackpackGearTest.org

The Rest of the Story. This review actually isn’t from that long ago; I just finished reviewing the Bear Mountain Bridge Hammock (BMBH) this spring (2013), but I did have my first “lay” back in 2011.

The BMBH was a revolutionary hammock when it was first introduced back in 2007 at Trail Days. It was the first commercially available bridge-style hammock in the United States and has been the model for many do-it-yourself iterations. Today there are three¹ bridge hammocks on the market.

What sets a bridge-style hammock apart from gathered-end hammocks is that the tension is channeled along the edges of the hammock, instead of along the width of the fabric, which allows the hammock to drop the head and foot ends like a suspension bridge, giving a true head-to-foot flat lay.

Sleeping in a bridge hammock is a unique experience and different than a Brazilian-style hammock. Professor Hammock puts it this way:

The feel of a bridge hammock is different. If you don’t have a lot of experience with a gathered end hammock already then it won’t seem “strange”. Some folks with a lot of gathered end experience under their butt don’t take to it, others who highly value support of the back, do.

Sleeping in a bridge hammock is much like sleeping on a cot; however, a bridge hammock has a much more ergonomic lay and removes a lot more pressure points. Other advantages: no calf strain or leg hyperextension, no curving (flat lay),  works great with sleeping pads. Some disadvantages to bridge hammocks include the width and the weight. The spreader bars create a box shape and you need a wide tarp to accommodate it. Smaller diamond or asymmetric tarps will not work. While you can make a lightweight bridge hammock, you must still add the weight of the extra suspension lines, spreader bars, and hardware needed. In some comparisons between similarly spec’d gathered-end camping hammocks, the weight difference is negligible, but when you add a larger tarp, generally speaking a gathered end hammock will be lighter.

When I first slipped into the BMHB I was amazed at how flat I slept, but at the same time, I noticed a slight squeeze in my shoulders. After a while I got used to this feeling, and it isn’t that much different than what I’ve felt in some gathered-end hammocks.

For a great treatise of the history of bridge hammocks, I recommend this video from Professor Hammock.

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So, pick up your official Backpacking Bingo card and spice up your hum-drum, predictable do-it-the-same-way-every-year trip with something new! Be sure to tweet a photo of your completed card to @TheUltimateHang. For those audacious few, go for blackout!

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One of the major appeals for a “convertible” hammock is for those times when you are above the treeline or in an area where trees are scarce or non-existent. Of course, any hammock can be pitched on the ground in these cases, but the bivy design takes cues from bivy sleeping sacks that minimize or eliminate a tarp, relying on a waterproof shell for weather protection. Another advantage or goal of a bivy hammock is simplicity, and it follows that it would be lighter, at least in theory.

One challenge with bivy sacks in general is breathability. Anything truly waterproof often suffers from poor breathability, resulting in increased condensation inside the bag. Improved fabrics from GORE-TEX and eVent help make this possible and are getting better all the time.

The design I drew up is a hybrid design to maximize modularity. One goal was to use a full-size hammock, opting for a longer length and shorter width for increased comfort in hammock mode. I designed the bug net “window” to be larger for better breath and moisture management. The minimal tarp is designed to pitch in different ways depending on which mode the shelter is used. An inner pull mechanism, like on my HUG bug net design, allows the occupant to adjust the tarp tension and to increase or decrease the space inside, allowing for more air space and theoretically limiting condensation.

Hammock Bivy Prototype Design

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I was testing out a hammock the other day that had a zippered bug net, but visibly missing were adequate zipper pulls. To clarify, the metal zipper tabs were there, they were just a little hard to find and grab, especially with gloved hands, or in low light when I’m fumbling around looking for a quick exit. This wasn’t the first time I’ve been in a hammock that lacked good zipper pulls, in fact most hammocks lack this useful accessory¹. Oh, the inhumanity!

My personal preference is for simple, lightweight solutions, so I’m not really interested in “fancy” zipper pulls with extra plastic hardware or integrated LED lights, etc. I just want something that is bright (visible), easy to grab, secure, and easy to attach. Enter the lightweight zipper pull:

I’m on the fence whether or not a “good” zipper pull requires a reflective tracer or phosphorescence. In my experience, glowing cordage (e.g., tracer or plastic fob) fades quickly (and isn’t that bright to begin with), and reflective tracers only work when light shines on them. To be honest, I don’t often have a light at the ready once I’m tucked in for the night and I’m looking for the bug net zipper.

Besides, why use something expensive, bulky, and heavy, when simple works great?

Here’s what I do:

1. Go for bright, high contrast colors for best visibility², even in low light. I prefer inexpensive bright neon yellow or orange braided mason line³.
2. Cut a length of line (I use anywhere from 5 to 8 in) and tie a knot with the ends (a Double Fisherman’s knot works well, or a simple overhand knot).
3. You can tie the line directly to the metal zipper tab, but I prefer to loop it through one or more holes in the zipper tab with a Lark’s Head knot.

Problem solved. Crisis averted. Humanity saved.

This isn’t rocket science or earth-shattering, but I hope it is helpful to some.

UPDATE: Chris F. had a great idea if you want to add some style to this simple zipper pull: tie a two-strand diamond knot on the end! Sweet!

The post DIY Lightweight Zipper Pulls appeared first on The Ultimate Hang.

In this video and illustration, I also show an alternate method for locking the line around a LoopAlien that is easier and faster. Enjoy!

Using the LoopAlien with guy lines on the ends of the tarp ridge line.

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I’m a sucker for cool, little hardware gadgets for tarp and hammock rigging. Don’t get me wrong, I love knots (I’m a Scoutmaster, after all), and use them on all my trips, but sometimes a good piece of hardware makes the task of tensioning and tying off a tarp or hammock just a little easier.

Read more: Knots vs. Hardware

LoopAlien.com

When friends told me about a Kickstarter campaign for a little device called the LoopAlien, I was curious. I ended up backing the project after seeing the LoopAlien’s potential, and to support innovation. When David, the LoopAlien creator, offered to send me some prototypes, I gladly accepted; call it a pre-shipment for my investment in the project.

I’ve been having fun playing and experimenting with these little devices for the past several days. The trouble with the LoopAlien may well be it’s greatest strength: there is no set way to use it. My main goal was to see if I could use them to set up and tension a tarp, so my efforts have been focused to that end.

What’s intriguing about the LoopAlien is that you can get away without tying any knots in order to use it. Of course you can use knots, but by using loops (or bights) along the line, you can quickly attach and detach the line from the hardware. The following illustration and video demonstrate how I used two LoopAliens to rig a tarp with a continuous ridgeline without any extra hardware.

Summary

I managed to get the LoopAlien to hold fast without slippage and get a 3:1 mechanical advantage to really get the tarp taut. All-in-all, I’m happy with the results. The LoopAlien makes it easy to set up and the line is easy to un-hook once I’m ready to pack up.

I also used the LoopAlien to rig up a bear bag using the PCT Method. Attaching the LoopAlien to the cord is pretty simple, and the line glides smoothly through the holes in the device much better than mini carabiners.

I should note that while Dave sent me a pair to evaluate, I’m not being paid to endorse or support his project.

Disclosure of material connection: The author (Derek Hansen) was provided with a free sample from the manufacturer for testing and evaluation purposes.

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