Hammock camping using one tent pole

[shantyman]

For those (rare) times when you can only find one tree, I have a couple questions:
1. can you just use a tent pole at one end to support the hammock and use a couple of guide wires on the tent pole?

2, Can a tent pole support the weight? My hammock has a 200lbs. limit, which means each end is supporting 100lbs. approximately (?), so the tent pole would have to support 100 lbs.?

3. Are there special safety considerations for wrapping the hammock tree webbing around a tent pole?

4. How high should that tent pole hookup be? 6 feet or so I think?

4. Where do I even begin to look for a tent pole that will support 100lbs? For packing reasons, I also need it to be a telescoping tent pole that has a maximum packed length of 21 inches and it has to extend to a minimum of 6 feet.

I'm 5'8" and 180 lbs if it matters. It's a Hennesy ultra-lite hammock.

thanks for any input on these questions.

[tick]

I frequently set up the hammock with only one tree. I use two poles 1 1/2 -2 inches in diameter 4 1/2 to 5ft long lashed together at the top and spread out in an A shape and guy lines to support the other end. I also have re-inforced the corner of my pick-up topper with 2X4s and have a large screw eye attached so I can attach the other end of the hammock to this with one tree, or use the a shape props and the pickup without any trees. I don't know of any tent pole that would be strong enough and keeping one pole laterally stable would be tricky but possible.

[shantyman]

great idea Tick, 2 poles! I would have never thought of that.

I still need the poles to store with a maximum height of 21" so I'll look around for 2 of those.

I need the poles to collapse to 21 inches because I have to store and transport the poles on my motorcyle.

You're using your pick-up as a 'pole' sometimes? I'm trying to figure out a way to use a motorcycle as a pole but I think it's too short by itself so I'm trying to figure out how I'd put a bracket on the bike to hold a tent pole safely and to the required height which you're saying is about 5'? That seems short to me but I've only put the hammock up a couple of times...

[john pickett]

>
It requires one tree, hammock tied about 4-5 feet high. Other point
must be a very good anchor. If the pole is placed so the base is
exactly in line with the two points of attachment, and the webbing goes
over the post, the post will fall over to about 45 degrees until weight
is placed in the hammock, at which time it becomes erect and returns to
center even if pushed over to 30-45 degrees.

You will be puzzled. But it is all geometry

Rick
Shantyman,
This is a way of hanging a hammock with one tree and an anchor/pole set-up. Risk gets the credit, I only cut and pasted his info to this site. Perhaps Risk can provide further info as I have always had plenty of trees around for my own hammock
Regards,
John Pickett ;)