Glossary of Terms

Subject: Glossary of Terms Wed 27 Jun 2018, 07:11

Amsteel - brand name of a type of Dyneema, single, hollow braid, easy to splice, very strong, low stretch. 7/16 (2.5mm) often used for hammock suspension
Bishop Bag - stuff sack with a small hole in the bottom, to allow a hammock or quilt suspension cord to exit the bag, so that the bag can be left in place when the hammock is deployed. Named after one of the members of HFUS
Bridge Hammock - hammock with spreader bars at each end and catenary cut sides (with suspension cord running through), gives a very flat lay (not to be confused with a traditional spreader bar hammock)
Calf Ridge - Uncomfortable ridge that sometimes develops under you legs in a gathered end hammock
Cold Butt Syndrome (CBS) - this what happens to the hammocker when the insulation under their arse compresses, losing the insulating value, resulting in a cold butt
Constrictor Ropes - refer to both Whoopie Slings and UCRs, which are both suspension methods made by creating adjustable constricting splices in cording
Continuous Loop (CL) - length of Amsteel (Dyneema) spliced into a loop, no knot or ends showing, often used through end channel on hammock to attach suspension
Continuous Ridge Line (CRL) - tarp ridgeline that goes all the way from one tree to the other, as opposed to end tie-outs. The tarp can hang under or over it
Diagonal Lay - this is where the hammocker lies with their head on one side and their feet on the opposite side of the hammock, allows for a flatter lay
Diamond Fly – diamond (or square) shaped tarp whose ridge line is pitched diagonally over the hammock and has only two stakes to hold it down to the ground
Dogbone - a length of Amsteel (Dyneema) with a eye splice in both ends, used to extend a line, by larksheading it on
Dutch clips - small titanium clips that replacing a carabiner in an adjustable webbing suspension. named after their designer (Dutchware)
Dyneema - high strength, low stretch cord made from Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMPE), often used for hammock suspension
Figure 9s - aluminum clips, marketed by 'NiteIze', that are designed to allow the easy holding and adjustment of cord, used on tarp ridgelines
Footbox – a compartment in a top quilt, or an extension on the foot side of a hammock to put your feet into. The Warbonnet Black Bird hammock has one
Fronkey Bugnet - a bugnet invented by Trevor "Fronkey" Rassmussen that drapes over the hammock and seals against the hammock sides with a shockcord drawstring
Gathered End Hammock - ofter a simple square of fabric, from 9 to 12' long and 50 - 72" wide, gathered at each end and attched to the hammock suspension via a continuous loop running through the end channel sewn into the fabric, or attached with a whipping
Ground Dweller – This is a person who sleeps on the ground while camping for some perverted reason
Hammock Sock - like a large bivvy bag that encompasses the hammock to provide wind or water resistance and to retain some body heat
Hangers – ones who reclines in a hammock (see hammocker)
Hex Fly – hexagonal shaped tarp. Has a central ridgeline and four tie-out points
Integrated Hammock - A hammock with added extras, like a zippered bugnet or top cover
Jungle Hammock - hammock with an integrated bugnet
Lazy Slug Tube (LST) - see snake skins
Loopie sling - another type of constrictor knot. A type of adjustable continuous loop.
Knotty mod - short section of shockcord inserted into the side seams of hammock, to tighten up floppy side. Named after its inventor
Marlinspike Hitch (MSH) - easily releasable knot used in tree strap webbing to hang the hammock (or whoopie sling) off. The knot is tied around a stick/metal rod/karabiner, and is easily released when the stick is removed. The hammock should hang off the knot NOT the stick!
Pole Mod - Add-on to spread out a hammock tarp, to create extra room. An external pole mod goes over the ridgeline and attach to pull-outs on the tarp. An internal pole mod goes under the tarp, like a traditional hooped tent pole, fitting into pockets at the hem and tying at the ridge.
PeaPod - oversized sleeping bag (made popular by Speer Hammocks) that completely envelops the hammock, providing insulation above and below
Peak bag - Drawstring bag that attaches to the gathered end and lies in the peak of the hammock
RidgeLine Organiser (RLO) - Storage bag that attaches to the hammock ridgeline
Right lay/Left lay - the diagonal direction you lie in a hammock. Right lay is when you have your feet on the right-hand edge of the hammock (and your head on the left). Left lay is the opposite, feet on the left-hand side
Structural Ridgeline (SRL) - tight, non-stretchy line that sets the amount of sag on the hammock. When you pull the hammock supports tight, you're also pulling the ridgeline tight...but since the ridgeline holds a fixed length, the fabric in the hammock body isn't affected, ensuring your hammock has the same amount of sag
(a non-structural ridgeline is just to support bugnets or tarps and don't change how the hammock sags
Sag - describes how tightly the hammock is strung between the trees. If the hammock is very loose between the trees and adopts a "U" shape, it has a lot of sag. This makes it easier to lay on the diagonal. If the hammock is strung tightly, laying on the diagonal will be more difficult and may cause shoulder squeeze.
Segmented Pad Extender (SPE) - pad sleeve (originally by Speer Hammocks) that has wings to hold CCF insulation against the occupant's shoulders and hips
Shoulder Squeeze - pressure on the occupant‘s shoulders when lying in a small hammock (or one strung too tightly)
Side Tie-Outs - elastic lines attached to the long side of the hammock, staked to the ground to pull the hammock open
Snakeskins – tapering fabric tubes that slide over a tarp or hammock when you are storing it. Slug tubes are wide snakeskins for holding the hammock and quilts
Straps – hammock suspension webbing, normally 1” wide, used to secure hammock to a tree
Suspension System - (or just suspension) the connection between the tree (or other anchor) and the hammock. This can be cord, webbing, knots, hardware, etc, or a combination of these
Top Quilt – insulated layer used inside the hammock like a blanket on top of the hammocker. An unzipped sleeping bag can also be used as a top quilt.
Top Cover - water or wind resistant cover that goes over the hammock ridgeline and completely covers the hammock
Tree Huggers – Webbing straps that wrap around a tree and have loops on each end to attach to the hammock, or as part of a bigger suspension system
Tree Straps - Similar to tree huggers, but often with only a loop in one end (a marlinspike hitch can be made in the other end). Tree straps/huggers reduce damage to the tree and are less likely to slip than cord or rope
Utility Constrictor Rope (UCR) - hammock suspension method made by splicing one length of cording through another, thus creating an adjustable constriction. Often DIY'd from Amsteel
Undercover – maerial hung under a hammock, to keep it dry from mist or splashing. It can be used to hold additional insulation
Underquilt – An insulating layer that is mounted underneath the hammock on the outside (may be synthetic or down)
Underquilt Protector - hangs under an underquilt to give it extra wind/rain protection
Whipped End - cord wrapped (whipped) around each end of a hammock, without going through a channel, usually with suspension connections such as loops or straps
Whoopie Sling - hammock suspension method made by splicing the end of a single piece of cording back through the standing end, thus creating an adjustable loop