How to Hang a Hammock

I. Introduction

Hammocks are a great way to relax outdoors when the weather is nice. However, they can be a struggle to put up if you do not have the proper materials or instructions. This Instructables will explain how to hang a hammock that has Rallt straps, the materials you need, and helpful tips so you can enjoy your hammock without stress. You will need two trees, two Rallt straps, and the hammock itself. (Most hammocks will work for this guide as long as the hammock has a carabiner attached to each side.) Steps to hang a hammock are as follows: locating a proper spot for the hammock, organizing the gear, fastening the straps to their respective trees, fastening the carabiners to their respective straps, and making any adjustments to the height of the hammock in conjunction with the ground. For beginners it will take between 15 to 30 minutes to set up the hammock for the first time. After you get the swing of things it should only take 10 minutes or so.

Safety disclaimer: after setting up your hammock it is important that you slowly put your body weight on the hammock so as to not fall or injure yourself. Luckily, hanging a hammock is a relatively safe activity as long as you follow instructions! We suggest supervision for individuals under 8 years of age as the carabiners could be a possible choking hazard for children.

Featured above from left to right are the hammock itself, the carabiner, and the Rallt straps.

Find two living trees, with an eight-inch diameter or greater, that are 10-15 feet apart. 20 feet apart is too far for the straps to reach and less than 10 feet will make your hammock sag to the ground.

Assemble your hammock, carabiners, and straps on the ground. If your carabiners are not yet attached to their respective sides on the hammock now would be the time to do so.

• In this step, you will need to take (one-at-a-time) a Rallt strap and loop it around its tree. (The straps are identical, so it does not matter which end you make the loop with.)
• Once you have made the loop around the tree, take Loop A and pull it through one of the center loops, not Loop B. (Loops A and B are indicated in the first two illustrations and the center loops are shown in picture three above.)
• Next, take loop B and pull it through loop A.
• After this, pull the strap tight so that your hammock will be secure. The strap should look similar to the last photo.
• Repeat this step with the other strap and its individual tree.

• In this step, you will fasten the carabiners to their respective straps.
• To fasten the carabiners you will first need to open them by twisting the bolt left.
• After this, you will attach the carabiner to Loop B.
• Finally, fasten the carabiner tightly by twisting the bolt right.
• At this point, your hammock will be connected to one of the Rallt straps. Repeat this step with the other carabiner to its respective strap.

Note: some carabiners are clasps and will close differently than this particular carabiner.

• Now is the time to sit in your hammock and test if it is at a preferable height.
  • It is best if your hammock hangs between 3-4 feet off the ground as it will sag considerably once weight is applied.
  • If the hammock is too low, you will need to redo steps three and four to adjust the height at which the hammock hangs.
  • To make the hammock sit higher, you will need to put Loop A through a loop farther down the strap (closer to loop B) and then put Loop B through Loop A like normal.
  • If the hammock is sitting too high, you will need to put loop A through an opening higher up on the rope (closer to Loop A than Loop B) than you previously did.

Now that your hammock is at a desirable height, it is time to enjoy your hard work. Happy hammocking!