How can the hammock be securely attached to a tree? This review shows the advantages and disadvantages of the Wise Owl tree straps suspension kit for your hammock.
Why you should use tree straps?
Tree straps are the gentlest way to attach hammocks to trees. They protect the tree bark from injuries caused by the hammock suspension. If you like trees then you should use tree straps.
Facts about the Tree Straps from Wise Owl
Here are the hard facts about this hammock suspension kit*:
- Weight approx. 400g/set
- Length: belt 10ft / 1in wide
- Load capacity: 300kg
- Carabiner steel snap carabiner
- Color of the carabiners: black / belt: black/blue
- 18 loops for adjustable suspension
Scope of delivery:
- stuff sack
- 2 straps (2,8m length)
- 2 steel carabiners
The problem: Hammocks without attachment set
Many hammocks often do not include a suspension kit or the suspension is too short for longer tree distances (like the short webbing of the DD Frontline hammock). Without extra suspension material, an outing with the hammock can become a frustrating experience. Rarely are there trees with optimal distance to each other. Also the lying comfort suffers, if the hammock does not hang in the right angle. A too tightly stretched hammock can even tear.
Review of the Wise Owl Tree Straps Suspension Set
With the suspension kit from Overmont, a hammock can be quickly attached to a tree. Through the 18 loops, the outdoor hammock can be easily and quickly fastened at different heights. Thus, the position of the hammock can be optimally adjusted to the viewing direction (head end elevated) or the correct angle. The tree strap has a large loop at one end, which is used for the loop around the tree. From halfway down the harness, there are 18 loops. The hammock can be hooked into each of these loops with a carabiner.
Straps are sufficiently dimensioned
With almost 3 meters at each strap, there is enough flexibility to find conveniently standing trees for the outdoor hammock. If thin tree trunks stand close together, the strap is wrapped around the trunk several times and only then passed through the large loop. At 2.5cm, the straps are also very gentle on trees.
18 loops allow flexible attachment
The loops allow an adjustment of 8cm each. Per strap is therefore a flexible range of almost 1.5m possible. Thus, in small steps the optimal attachment of the hammock can be tried out. Simply clip the carabiner of the hammock into another loop.
Steel carabiner unnecessarily heavy
The black snap carabiners are made of steel and with 62g they are unnecessarily heavy. Lightweight hammock carabiners with 20g* are already available for a few dollars. Here, unfortunately, Overmont has saved money in the wrong place. Also the carabiners came with no information about the breaking load. So you can only guess how much these can be loaded.
How to use the tree straps from Wise Owl?
The tree harnesses have one end with the 18 hook-in loops and one end with only one loop. To attach the hammock, simply wrap the end with one loop around the tree at least 2 times and put the end with the 18 loops through the loop on the other end. Ready is the suspension for the hammock. Now the carabiner of the hammock can be attached to any of the 18 loops.
Here is an example of how the Wise Owl tree straps are attached to a tree. As a hammock I have used the camping hammock from Naturefun. If there is only one tree for the hammock, the article on “How to hang your hammock from only one tree with a portable hammock stand” will help you.
Conclusion and purchase recommendation
The tree straps suspension set from Wise Owl* is well suited for attaching your hammock to trees. The straps are super dimensioned. Even with the focus on their weight, they are lighter than a similar length webbing sling. Alternatively, I otherwise use webbing slings and carabiners to attach my hammock. But in the future I will be on the road with this harness.
However, the carabiners are not recommended. They are too heavy and often get caught in the material when hooking and unhooking. For an ultralight hammock camping setup these original carabiners are simply too heavy. Here I prefer to use lightweight aluminum carabiners* with about 20g each with a smooth finish – every light climbing carabiner will do the job in a better way.