DutchWare Kevlar Tree Huggers
Reviewed by
Andy Gotto
+2,050
January 14, 2016 (original Jan 7, 2016)
Very lightweight, strong tree straps for your hammock.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Durable
- Very strong
- Yellow!
- Doesn't hold water
- No stretch
Cons
- Light degrades strength
- Not for cinch buckles
- One color available - Yellow
These hammock tree straps are made by the folks at Dutchware and are just the thing if you are looking to lighten your hammock setup. These 1-inch wide straps will protect the tender bark of trees and hold you in style above the ground, as long as you weigh less than 2,000 lbs, according to the manufacturer of Kevlar.
The beauty of this product is its low weight, a pair of 7 feet straps weighs 1.8 ounces. The same style and dimensions in a pair of nondescript polyester straps from another vendor weighs 5.7 ounces. Am I getting too much satisfaction from 4 ounces saved? Probably, but for a mere two or three dollars more than the run of the mill straps you too can have huggers that were once described as being "helium injected." Note: Dutchware does sell similar polyester straps at 3.1 ounces.
You can order them in pairs of 4, 5, or 7 feet. I have a pair of 7 feet straps and have used them for about 6 months now a few nights a month on a variety of trees in all weather conditions and they show little to no wear that would effect their use. They are a little dirty, I'm ashamed, but I love them too much to chance washing them:
The fabric for these straps feels quite soft and will easily bend and twist. They aren't nearly as rigid as other polyester straps. I can't say how they perform with knots for the use of toggles, and I have read that they aren't recommended for cinch-buckle suspensions, and I could see why, as this material could fold over on itself fairly easily and bind a buckle. I use carabiners so they work fine for me, and I haven't had any problems removing them from trees.
It's stated on the seller's website that these straps aren't recommended for a permanent hammock setup because "Kevlar is effected by UV light and after 450 hours of direct sunlight it can turn brown and lose up to 50% of its breaking strength."
As you can see from the pics, they are still yellow, and even at half strength I would value these. Great gear!
Whoopie sling style I use with huggers, pull on the tail to shorten the distance, feed it through the bury to lengthen:
Source: bought it new
Price Paid: $16.80
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Specs
| 4' | 5' | 7' | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price |
Reviewers Paid: $16.80 |
|||
| Weight per pair | 31.27 g | 38.97 g | 54.37 g | |
