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One Day's Wages Partnership02/28/2013  We are pleased to announce our Featured Nonprofit Partner for the month of March, One Day's Wages. One Day's Wages (ODW) is a new grassroots movement of people, stories, and actions to alleviate extreme global poverty. Their approach to alleviating extreme poverty involves collaboration with multiple nonprofits that address this issue around the world. Click here to learn more about how ODW is alleviating poverty. We are growing as a company and along with our growth we are changing our giving program to be more straight forward. The change involves giving 10% of our total sales instead of 20% of our net profit. Instead of our giving amounts fluctuating with our net profit, giving from our total sales will allow for more consistent giving practices. Our nonprofit partners will benefit greatly from this because they can better plan for what to expect at the end of a typical month. Not only this, but the actual amount we are giving will increase. For example, with our new giving model the typical order of a SoCo Hammock and SoCo straps ($97.90) will provide $9.70 for that designated nonprofit partner. Simple and effective, just like our hammocks!  Add Comment Amy describes why SoCo Hammocks is the perfect Christmas gift that keeps giving. 
This year, buy your loved ones a gift that gives back. Come by the Holiday Market at Pine Street Station the entire first week of December. You can check out SoCo Hammocks and other Socially Conscious vendors. We have partnered with Capital Area Food Bank of Texas to be our featured nonprofit partner for May 2012. To learn more about how they are ending hunger in Central Texas you can visit them here http://www.austinfoodbank.org/.  Cinch Buckle attached to the end of a SoCo Hammock SoCo Hammocks are designed to allow for a simple, yet effective way to hang your hammock using cinch buckles. When I refer to using buckles vs. carabiners on your hammock suspension, I am referring to the hardware that is attached to each end your hammock as shown in the picture to the left. The Upside to Cinch Buckles Cinch Buckles are the ideal solution to hammock suspensions because they allow for a fully adjustable suspension with less points of possible failure.(knots, sewn loops, hooks, carabiners, etc...) With Bomber Buckles you can adjust SoCo Hammocks anywhere along the strap without having to have fixed connection points such as knots or loops as in most hammock straps. Also, with Cinch Buckles you do not need to worry about having separate tree straps or tying knots because the strap slides and locks anywhere along the suspension strap. Also, once you have the suspension strap threaded through the buckles on a SoCo Hammock, you never have to rethread it again! It is literally the easiest way to set up a hammock because you never have to tie a knot. After the strap is initially threaded through each end of the hammock, you only have to unhook the carabiner from around the tree and stuff it all in the attached hammock stuff sack when you are finished. When you are setting up your hammock again, you simple wrap the end of the strap around the tree and hook it to itself…thats it! (see picture below) Simplicity When you are using Cinch Buckles you have the freedom to use any kind of 1" webbing as long as it can safely hold your weight. The strap can be as long or as short as you want without having to tie knots or sew on loops. Ropes are not good tree friendly options for hanging your hammock so even if you have a rope suspension you will need to have extra tree hugger straps to accommodate your suspension. With buckles you to only need a simple strap, thats it! The Downside to Carabiners The most obvious reason carabiners are not the ideal option for hammocks suspensions is because they only allow you to hook your hammock at fixed connection points along your rope of strap. When you are trying to achieve the perfect hammock position, you are limited in where there are available knots or loops on your strap. If you have a very big tree you are wrapping your suspension around, the excess strap has many useless loops or knots. Carabiners are some of the most commonly used pieces of outdoor gear for a variety of reasons, but when it comes to the attaching your hammock to a suspension, buckles are a much better choice.  The end of the SoCo Straps. Once the loose end is threaded through the Cinch Buckles, you never have to rethread it again. You simply hook and unhook this carabiner to your connections points when you are setting up your hammock...its that easy! There are two main ways to hang a hammock. One way is by hooking the ends of your hammock to stationary hooks or loops that are attached to a hammock stand or fixed structure like a post or building. The other, more common way, is to hang your hammock between two trees, Jeeps, poles, or anything else you can find that is stationary and at least 4 feet off the ground. How to Hang your Hammock Using Ropes or a Hanging Kit The best solution for hanging a hammock is to have an adjustable rope hanging kit like the SoCo Pro Hanging Kit so that your options are not limited by the distance of the trees or fixed points. The distance between the trees can be anywhere from 11ft to 20ft depending on your hanging system. The two main things to consider when hanging your hammock is the distance off the ground and the length of your ropes on each end of the hammock. You want the length of the ropes on each of the hammock to be the same to have the most comfort while lying in your hammock. If for some reason one of your hanging points is higher than the other, for example your are hanging one point from your Jeep and the other to a tree, than you can still hang your hammock in a way that will allow for comfortable relaxation. If you find yourself in this situation you need to hang the higher end of the hammock with a longer rope length and the lower end with a shorter length. Basically remember that if one end of the hammock is higher then it should have a longer rope length. The lower end of the hammock should have a shorter rope length. Do Not Use Knots When Hanging Your Hammock You should be able to hang your hammock without tying a knot yourself if you have an adjustable suspension like the SoCo Pro Hanging Kit. Most good hanging kits come with the option of adjusting the length of your hammock without having to tie a knot. This is nice when you consider the time and effort you want to put into relaxing. Relaxation should not require you to do more work...right? How to Hang your Hammock If You Do Not Own a Hammock Hanging Kit If you only own a hammock without a hanging kit then you have a few options. You can make your own adjustable suspension or you could just leave a long piece of rope on each end of your hammock for tying every time you hang your hammock. If you are going to make an adjustable suspension then the lightest and most preferable option would be 5mm climbing spec rope. You could use 4mm rope as well but you lose a little security compared to a 5mm rope. A good length for your hammock suspension is about 5ft on each end. This will mena you need to have about 20ft of rope total for your hammock. Cut the 20ft rope in half so you have 10ft on each end. Take the 10ft of rope and fold it in half, tying the ends together with a basic square knot. Do likewise and tie 3 to 4 more knots spaced about a foot apart down the length of the rope. This will allow you to have plenty of options in distances for hanging your hammock. Another heavier, more expensive option for hanging your hammock is to use a chain which would allow you to hook the hammock on any link along the chain. This option is not recommended because it can cause damage to trees, especially when you are hanging your hammock to trees in the wilderness or backcountry. For those that are new to the art of hammocking here are a few thing you might want to know. Be warned: Hammocking can be very addictive. There are a few things to look for when buying a hammock. Below are some considerations to take in account when making your purchase. You will want the option of sleeping in it for long periods of time?
Over the last few months I have been working to find a manufacturer for SoCo Hammocks that is able to meet the specific needs, pays fair wages to the workers, and that has sustainable practices. I have settled on one that meets all our needs and has a vision that aligns with the mission of SoCo Hammocks. I will be receiving the samples of the hammocks in about 4 weeks so I will keep you posted with pics of the actual product ASAP. | AuthorChris Buster &  ArchivesFebruary 2013 Categories |
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