As we all know deadfall can be deadly and is a real hazard in forests. Some years ago a large branch about 30 feet long and as thick as a man’s body fell on a friend of mine breaking his spine and knocking him out. He is now a paraplegic. I have had medium stuff fall near me a few times and had a small 18 inch long stick land on my head a few days ago which was painful but not injurious.

For some time I have been putting up what I half-jokingly call my “Deadfall deflector”.

This is a 5-7mm braided nylon utility line which goes over and around the area my hammock is strung up. It starts with a slip knot (falconer’s or Buntline) then is clove hitched or otherwise hitched around each succeeding tree and then tensioned off. The larger rope diameter makes it easier to undo later. The line is useful for other things as well and I have used it for river crossings and once for a classic abseil down a short steep stretch. Usually I use the 7mm line.

The diagram shows a bird’s eye view set up for a Hennessey.

The trees available vary and you can arrange it anyway you like depending on tree availability and which are the “at risk” sides. The invariable is the line over and parallel to the hammock ridge line (which I some times double).

Some people are amused by it and some say it is a blot on the wilderness as I clip, tie or drape shirts, trousers, bags, water bottles knives etc off it. However, I find it convenient as it keeps stuff off the ground and easily accessible.

But does it work? I’ve always wondered. I found out a few days ago.

I had tied my hammock onto 2 healthy looking 15 –18 foot saplings 4 inches or so in diameter. Unknown to me the interior of one had been damaged and only an inch of good wood remained.. During the night I heard a crack and knew I was in trouble somehow. The hammock started to fall and I expected the usual painful winding thump I associate with structural failure in the cheap hammocks I’ve used in the past.

Surprisingly, I landed on the ground, unwinded and quite gently. After negotiating a pitch black slow exit so as not to damage the hammock I inspected the scene. The tree at the foot end had fallen straight in my direction, as one would expect, but had been caught by one of the cross lines which, being nylon, had good stretch. The tree came to a halt at about 40 degrees. I definitely would have hurt if it had landed on the hammock and me. A real RoadRunner - Wile E. Coyote scene.

Sure, this system won’t stop a 50 metre tree or an enormous limb like that which crippled my friend, or help with a branch that falls like a spear into me, but it is now proven as far as I am concerned. And it may slow down the momentum of some stuff enough to lessen the extent of your injuries. It could be deployed over a dome tent quite easily too. In this case I was using the 5mm line

I wonder what sort of systems you use and your experiences with deadfall. This could be useful to those members new to camping outdoors.

Thanks to BOD

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