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josepdin
5
Aug 24, 2016
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One note about the pictures, they do not reflect good LNT practices, so keep that in mind once you get your tarp.
Aug 24, 2016
Stepbystep
549
Aug 24, 2016
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josepdinHow so? If you mean the skinny cordage on the trees, that's fine for a tarp...notsomuch for hammock suspension where you add appreciable weight/tension.
Aug 24, 2016
RMC0109
137
Aug 26, 2016
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StepbystepAgreed; cordage around a tree for a tarp ONLY is fine. Of course if you're hanging a hammock under the tarp you would want to use at least 1" webbing to protect the tree.
Aug 26, 2016
josepdin
5
Aug 28, 2016
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StepbystepActually, the skinnier the cord to more impact to the tree. At the very least you should use straps. Narrower the gauge, the more the bark will be damaged. The layer just below the bark is the circulatory system of the tree and if you girdle the tree it will die.
Aug 28, 2016
josepdin
5
Aug 28, 2016
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RMC0109Better: hiking poles.
Aug 28, 2016
Stepbystep
549
Aug 29, 2016
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josepdinYes, that's true....for hammocks. A strung tarp isn't under enough tension to damage a tree. For hammock suspension, yes, and consider 2" straps even where they aren't required, especially if you hang in wet weather. You're not going to girdle a tree with either method here, but if you use cords for hanging a hammock you may crush the cambium on the back side with some trees. It's a bigger problem in campgrounds or places with a lot of hammocking that see repeated use. Most trees will be fine but it does open up a tree to infection by other things. Even some pine trees that look like they wouldn't be hurt by squishing the outer bark or flaking it off can be injured later because they're a little different and that outer bark is important to them. But for a tarp...no. This drop was for a tarp and only shows a tarp. No harm, no foul, no LNT violations.
Aug 29, 2016
josepdin
5
Aug 29, 2016
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StepbystepAll I can say is in Leave No Trace training, it does not matter what load is put on the rope. It is verboten.
Aug 29, 2016
Stepbystep
549
Aug 29, 2016
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josepdinNot to argue, and it's good that you care about this issue, Josepdin, but can you tell me where you heard this info exactly? Was it from an LNT trainer or can you point me to a source online? I took their trainer/instructor course in 2013 and have friends who did their traveling-couple bit a couple summers ago. Reviewing the materials I still have from the course and searching the current info on the LNT site with a number of parameters, there is *zero* reference to this. The only thing close is the general and repeated advice to use straps for hammock suspension and that short bit about using sticks beneath hammock straps. Additionally, in some of their articles with photos you can see they're just using small cordage for their tarps as we all do, and of course their bear bag hanging information that is repeated in numerous places (PCT method and otherwise) mentions paracord or small cordage, which would seemingly be contradictory to what you are saying. But really they don't mention it specifically at all. I sent an email to the lead instructor from my course and to my bud who did the traveling courses to see what their input is. Respectfully, I think you have been misinformed somewhere or are oversimplifying to issue. Even with a wind load on a tarp there isn't going to be enough force to damage most trees. Possible exceptions would be selecting trees that are too small and can blow in the wind (which could conceivably create thousands of pounds of force...a tarp would likely rip before damage is bad but a hard ridgeline with strong cord like amsteel could damage the tree before breaking, if it does. The other exception from the same poor selection of trees or failure to secure the tarp adequately would be potential friction sawing...on young trees or those with thin outer bark that could damage one or both food pathways with enough rubbing, but unlikely to hurt the tree in a way it won't recover from. I am curious if you can point to sources here, though.
Aug 29, 2016
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