Tensa Solo Hammock Stand, Initial Setup

www.tensaoutdo...
Tarp height: 68″/173cm
Hammock suspension height: 59″/150cm
Pole length packed: 20″/50cm
With webbing and Orange Screws: 52oz/1474g
With Amsteel and 40cm Boomstakes: 39oz/1105g
Cost: $90-120 per pole (incl. tieouts & stakes)
This is an initial unpacking and setup of the Tensa Solo hammock stand. I purchased two Solo stands to form a kit. I selected the 40cm Boomstake ground stake option for this setup, for use in firmer soils. I also purchased the orange screw ground stake option for situations with soft or sandy soil. Available tieout options include webbing or Amsteel whoopie sling style cordage for securing the posts to the ground stakes.
Tensa also makes the Tensa4 and Trekking Tree hammock stands, available on their website.
The Solo works well for setting up a hammock where there usually aren't any trees or a pair of suitable trees for the typical hammock hang. In open fields or on the beach, or even where there's only 1 decent tree around, the Solo can be used to hang your gathered end hammock for camping or lounging situations. A hammock with a ridgeline is recommended to help keep the system in proper tension when the hammock is both loaded or empty.
If you like what you've seen, feel free to like, comment, and subscribe. As always, thanks for watching.
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Other links:
www.tensaoutdo...
www.tensaoutdo...
www.warbonneto...
hammockgear.co...

[@ivytarablair]

Thanks so much for the video! it's always super helpful to see someone setting a thing up for the first time, with all the tweaks and concerns - much more helpful than watching an expert deploy it :D ....and gosh, now i want some....

[@weigelji1]

Great instructional video. Nicely done. We all have personal tricks of the trade and if I may, here's mine: motorcycle side-stand pads under the poles. They are light weight, pack easily and increase the surface area of the poles tremendously. They work well for softer or wet ground.

[@MikeycatOutdoors]

Good tip. I've had one of my poles sink a couple of inches into softer ground on at least one occasion. I've seen a couple of folks use flat rocks as bases underneath their pole in rocky/sandy environments. (But you can't always find rocks just laying around...) I'm going to be in this situation this weekend....wet ground and few trees to hang from, so I'll probably bring at least 1 pole along for my hammock. Thanks for watching. 😀

[@mediocreman561]

Nice set up. I got the Tensa solo stands last year. I got 2 also. I plan on using it with my motorcycle camping.

[@chinousmc8501]

Very informative, thank you for sharing.

[@MikeycatOutdoors]

Glad it was helpful!

[@bookerbosq]

Ham hock?

[@MikeycatOutdoors]

Sounds tasty. Lol.

[@sundaymorninghikes6275]

Nice demo! Thank you for sharing this! I haven't used one, but we can all relate to that moment of truth when you see if it will hold you! Too funny... Regarding a larger tarp - you could always use a long branch as a pole at one (or both) ends.

[@MikeycatOutdoors]

Thanks. Yeah, separate poles for the tarp help prevent tarp sag too when getting into the hammock stand. Thanks for watching.

[@DiscoveryDiversTokyo]

Nice vid. I think I might have seen that the maker recommends havingt the tarp run over the top fo the pole and have an anchor to the ground.

[@wodora1]

Such a helpful video, thank you!

[@tronalpha9137]

I think the setup is fantastic. In cold weather , i wear a woolin hood because its inportant tokeep the ears worm. By keeping the ears worm you feel more comfortable as they are not losing much heat and as a resalt, you get a much more comfortable sleep. Gerard.

[@MikeycatOutdoors]

I try to wear a merino wool stocking hat if its cold out to keep my head warm or a merino wool balaclava if its below freezing to keep my head and airway warm and ward off any sore throat or sinus issues in the morning. Thanks for watching. :)

[@tomlucas4788]

Great video. Looking to get a set. Were you able to set the feet higher like warbonnet suggests or are the poles set at the same height at each side. Could you extend higher than the other? On a side not how did the quilt work with the foot box and shelve?

[@OurDee]

I use pads for motorcycle kickstands under the poles when on soft ground.

[@MikeycatOutdoors]

That would work. Better than tennis balls. Thanks for watching.

[@Harloweqbumfuque]

So I'm a long term hammocker who has started extended camping trips on a motorcycle.I can't ever recall not being able to find at least one solid acnchor point such as a tree or a bole but have found finding two points as a chore at times. I am considering buying one pole to solve the problem. I would of course attach one end to a tree and use the pole to support the other end. I am considering modifying the main anchor point of the pole support. Insead of anchoring the line to the ground I would simply tie it to the rear wheel of the motorcycle and leave the bike in gear. I would of course anchor the other two pole support lines to stakes in the ground as usual. My main hammock is a Ridgerunner. Do you see any flaws in my proposed set up? I have seen pictures of this exact set up online.

[@MikeycatOutdoors]

Two poles is good for dessert, grassy plains, or sandy beach areas. Anywhere else, one pole would probably be sufficient. As long as the tension is along the length of the bike and wouldn't cause any side to side forces, you'd probably be alright.

[@KybambyKatana]

Very nice video , I love the setting and the physics still work very well ! The pole obviously looks very stable , the bom-stick technology make the all different . Very much impress ! Be the way , what the average distance between your two poles ? In feets or mètres & centimètres ? I'm convinced with this video I'm just have to grab my own setting from Tensa , they are the best , even thou the tip of the pole can move a little bit the bom-sticks technology ( I don't know how to call it ) make the physics stable. Perfect !

[@MikeycatOutdoors]

A lot of 11 ft gathered end hammocks with integrated ridge lines are at about an 83% ratio of that length, which puts the hammock part at about 9 1/2 feet. Then, add on the continuous loops and the carabiners, and it's probably getting closer to the 11 ft range again for clipping onto those poles, at the top of the poles. The bottom distance is going to vary depending on terrain and angle of the pole and such. Setting up one pole is much easier than setting up two and getting all the adjustments right. But, there's room in the whoopee sling suspension to allow for adjustments once it's set up. You definitely need some form of a ridgeline though to tie it all together from a statics perspective. Whether that's on your hammock or an add-on ridgeline for whatever type of hammock you typically hang.

[@leslietaylor4458]

Have you done this in a summer rain yet.. I tried last night ended up baking myself under that tarp

[@MikeycatOutdoors]

porch mode helps a lot (extending the ends of the tarp with trekking poles). Thanks for watching.

[@bpeake5306]

Considering one. How do you get a 30 degree hang and raise the foot above the head? Maybe I’ll just get a single, knowing I can find single trees easily on the east coast.

[@kgilliagorilla2761]

Great question

[@MikeycatOutdoors]

I agree with the other fella. Good question. One way to adjust the end height is to either change the angle of the pole so one is steeper than the other, or the better way is to fully extend one of the poles and keep the other pole shorter (not fully extended). That can adjust your height from the ground though. thanks for watching

[@schambers8301]

Will it work with a Ridgerunner and a 13 ft tarp?

[@MikeycatOutdoors]

I haven't tried it but I imagine it would work with that setup.

[@develentsai3215]

So the 30 degrees hanging angle is out of the question? That really need a very strong Ridgeline

[@MikeycatOutdoors]

Yeah, it needs 3 points of tension to keep it in balance. I imagine a self made ridgeline with loops on both ends to go over each pole would work for simple hammocks without a ridgeline. Since the height on these isn't super tall, getting an ideal hang angle would be tricky with a longer hammock

[@ninjazxd]

Would it work with the shorter WB SuperFly tarp? I know you mentioned 13Ft .

[@MikeycatOutdoors]

For a longer 11ft hammock, with approx 9.5ft ridgeline, any tarp longer than that should work for sufficient coverage. I was thinking about the tarp ridgeline sagging when weight is applied to the hammock. One way around this is to attach each end of the tarp with shockcord looped to the posts, so any sag would be canceled out by the auto tension in the line. A 13ft superfly tarp would be like a tent over this thing. Thanks for watching.

[@sweeney7665]

Have you done much camping or videos on this setup

[@MikeycatOutdoors]

I've set it up a couple of times. I've got so much other gear I've been cycling between this past year, but want to set this one up again this spring with one tree and both poles in a V configuration.

[@slickwillie3376]

They almost look like adjustable clothes hanger rack poles, or adjustable shower curtain poles. Gee, I wonder if those would work instead...

[@MikeycatOutdoors]

Depends on the tensile strength of the pole in question. A couple of pieces of 1 1/2" steel conduit and sturdy eyebolts may work for a DIY version. Depends on your weight.

[@kris4362]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍😎

[@MikeycatOutdoors]

Ten thumbs up? I can feel that one. Thanks for watching. :)

[@ricardosanz3591]

What is the maximum weight that this can support?

[@MikeycatOutdoors]

According to their website: "Pole capacity is 350lbs/160kg; in practice, the hold of the ground anchors is more important than pole strength in determining the weight limit. We suggest 250lbs/110kg for more peace of mind. Hard soils will support more; loose less."

[@slickwillie3376]

My impression of this is that anything that gets you away from trees in wind is a good thing. Being partially disabled, I couldn't carry the extra bulk and weight of those poles, but I could drag a couple of poles gleaned from the woods into a clearing if need be. Then all I'd need is the stakes and a camp axe.

[@MikeycatOutdoors]

I saw someone online made something similar with a couple of 4x4 wooden posts, some eye bolts, line, and stakes. Not as portable as the newer carbon fiber Tensa Trekking treez though. Love your username btw. Lol. 👍

[@slickwillie3376]

@@MikeycatOutdoors Thx. Maybe I'll use a hiking staff as one pole, and scrounge the other.

[@MrMakto]

How long are these poles?

[@MikeycatOutdoors]

Tarp height: 68″/173cm Hammock suspension height: 59″/150cm Packed dimensions: 21″/54cm x 3.5cm (exclusive of anchors)

[@russellhaskett6830]

Ham-mock? Can't take it again...😅

[@handycrowd]

I thought it was just me, God love regional accents ;-) (p.s. apparently it's a originally from a Spanish word so what do we know lol!)

[@MikeycatOutdoors]

Oh, you're going to love this...around the 2:13 mark. lol. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aKTSamylhrCfpbc

[@pichayadmitaree7521]

Thanks for sharing, very interesting hammock stand and great VdO.. I wanna know when you order the tensa solo, did it came with one pole or 2 poles? Because it said tensa solo, so I wondered just one pole?

[@troypattillo4100]

Solo comes with single pole and enough rigging as needed for that post

[@MikeycatOutdoors]

they sell them as single poles. I bought two.

[@mediocreman561]

By the way, it happened to me too. The bars coming apart on set up. Lol

[@MikeycatOutdoors]

I like the ridgeline idea on the carbon-fiber Tensa trekking trees for supporting the 3rd axis. The metallic Tensa solo really needs a 3rd hand during setup. I've had occasional minor issues with other tent poles and these hammock stand poles with the button adjusters being finicky. Other than those tiny quirks, it's not a bad set up. Thanks for watching. 😀

[@mediocreman561]

@@MikeycatOutdoors Thanks for making tje video! Seems me and you are tje only ones that made videos on tje Tensa solo stands. When i got these they didn't have any instructions for them. The set up: i just have a a guy line on the top loops where the tarp goes for a guide on the length then set up the straps 6 feet apart in a triangler pattern from where the top of the stand would be. I also have the ridge line as a guide for how tight the hammock should be in between the poles. The tighter the ridgeline the less sag in the hammock.

[@motuekarewaka5145]

Nice review just wondering how long would you say the Amsteel guy lines are? they look pretty long.

[@tensacrew]

About the spring buttons getting dislodged: super annoying, right? We haven't had a good solution until ... now. We've come up with a set of internal spacers that prevents the poles from hyper-collapsing and knocking the buttons out. We don't now (June 2021) have a large quantity to ship, but if you email us to ask we'll send you some for the cost of postage, subject to availability. We'll make a more prominent public announcement when we have a large supply. As of right now though, all new Solos come with the fix pre-fitted. Thanks for your reviews, and patience with the button issue, hopefully soon no longer to be a quirk!

[@mediocreman561]

@@tensacrew Awesome! I will email you asking for them. Wonderful product. I love it. And the customer service is amazing!

[@steveysimmons13579]

"Ham-mock"...please stop...hurts my ears...thank you, sir.

[@MikeycatOutdoors]

It's mocking your ears. :) I eventually give into the dark side in later videos and say ham meck. lol.

[@MikeycatOutdoors]

Oh, you're going to love this...around the 2:13 mark. lol. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aKTSamylhrCfpbc

[@mfuller1093]

"hamOCK" 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@MikeycatOutdoors]

Are you ham-mocking me? 😁🤣

[@MikeycatOutdoors]

Oh, you're going to love this...around the 2:13 mark. lol. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aKTSamylhrCfpbc

[@jakeski3142]

I have never heard someone pronounce it “ham-OCK”.

[@MikeycatOutdoors]

That was my old way of saying it. Hah, mock mock mock. lol. Now, it's hammeck from Alabammeck, oh mammeck. ;) It must've been my Dutch accent coming out again. Thanks for watching.

[@jakeski3142]

@@MikeycatOutdoors Made me think of ham hock and I had to make a pot of beans

[@MikeycatOutdoors]

@@jakeski3142 my dad used to cook up ham hocks and white beans.

[@jakeski3142]

@@MikeycatOutdoors My grandparents always had some beans on. Then grandpa would get mad at me farting in the duck blind. I’d be peeling the paint off in there 🤣

[@MikeycatOutdoors]

Oh, you're going to love this...around the 2:13 mark. lol. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aKTSamylhrCfpbc