Attaching a hammock to two palm trees?

July 18, 2021 11:26 AM

I have two sabal palms in my backyard that I placed with the intent of hanging a hammock. Most of the straps I see on Amazon are designed around temporary camping use. Is there a certain strap I should use for this? I’m also getting conflicting information about whether it’s okay to put a lag bolt into a palm tree (since it’s not really a tree). Any insights? Thanks in advance!
posted by ftm to Home & Garden (6 answers total)

I don’t have any insights when it comes to putting hardware into your palm trees. I do know that using rope as straps for hammocks is bad for trees so presumably bad for your palms as well. There are a bunch of different kinds of straps; I suggest you consult Hammock Living for guidance. I love hammocks. Lucky you!
posted by Bella Donna at 11:58 AM on July 18, 2021

The lag bolt would be best on the far side of the tree,then your weight would not be pulling on it .Placed high enough so the hammock has proper slack and not pulled tight between trees,
posted by hortense at 1:14 PM on July 18, 2021

Palm trees can be drilled for fixings with no problem at all, since their vascular system is spread throughout the trunk. Probably a good idea to use stainless steel fixings though, as they'll hold up better in the tissue of the tree.
posted by pipeski at 2:51 PM on July 18, 2021 [3 favorites]

Years ago, I was renting a place, and I hung a hammock between two 4x4 posts holding up a patio shade cover using some rope. Each post had a length of rope, both ends tied in a noose knot around the post, making something like a "handle" around each post. The hammock was tied to the "handles" on each post. The weight of the hammock tightened the noose knots, and they never really moved until I loosened and removed them when I moved. This was all kind of improvised, but it worked and I didn't have to put any fasteners in the wooden posts. It could probably work better and more simply around actual tree trunks.
posted by 2N2222 at 5:45 PM on July 18, 2021

I've been using Eno hammock straps to hang a hammock from a tree and a porch post for some time now. They tighten with weight on the hammock and loosen when the hammock is empty, which lessens the risk of damage to the tree (although that risk is less for a palm than for a regular eudicot tree). Although they work well for temporary use, they also work just fine for permanent use.
posted by hydropsyche at 4:44 AM on July 19, 2021 [1 favorite]

Any straps wider than an inch are OK -- but wider is better.

Depending on how far apart they are, you might want long straps with various loops (e.g., Atlas Straps), or there are also short straps meant for hanging trees swings that have velcro, like Rhino Straps:
https://www.rhinostrapmate.com

I will defer to people who know about palm trees specifically, but the community at Hammock Forums usually agrees to use nylon straps on trees: https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/
posted by wenestvedt at 7:56 AM on July 19, 2021