What's the Deal with Amsteel? A Guide to the Rope Behind the Hang
🧵 What’s the Deal with Amsteel?
Why This Rope Is the Backbone of Serious Hammock Gear
If you’ve spent any time around hammock forums, DIY videos, or our own gear listings, you’ve probably seen the word Amsteel come up a lot. But what actually makes this rope so special? Why do we — and many experienced hangers — use it for everything from ridgelines to soft shackles?
Let’s break it down.
💪 What Is Amsteel?
Amsteel® is a brand of Dyneema® SK78 rope — a type of synthetic fiber that’s insanely strong, crazy light, and impressively resistant to abrasion and stretch. It's made by Samson Rope and has become a go-to material for high-performance applications, from sailing and climbing to, yes — hammock camping.
The version we (and most hammock campers) use is typically 7/64" Amsteel Blue — small enough to be lightweight, but still rated for well over 1,000 lbs of strength.
🔧 Why We Use Amsteel in Hammock Gear
1. Ridiculously Strong for Its Size
Don’t let the skinny diameter fool you — 7/64" Amsteel has a breaking strength of 1,600+ lbs. That’s more than enough for hammock suspensions, even for heavier campers or gear loads.
2. Lightweight & Packable
It’s lighter than paracord and doesn’t stretch, so it’s ideal for things like structural ridgelines, continuous loops, and whoopie slings. Less bulk in your pack, more confidence in your hang.
3. Spliceable for Seamless Gear
Unlike knotted ropes, Amsteel can be spliced into itself, allowing us to make adjustable ridgelines, soft shackles, and other frictionless connection points — all with clean finishes and no hardware required.
👀 Want to try splicing it yourself? Check out our Amsteel Hanks and Splicing Tools.
4. Weather-Resistant and Long-Lasting
Amsteel handles rain, snow, sun, and abrasion better than most cords. It’s rot-resistant, UV-resistant, and doesn’t freeze stiff in cold weather.
🧵 Where You’ll Find Amsteel in Our Gear
We use 7/64" Amsteel in many of our core products:
We can even include it pre-spliced into our REM Hammock and Somnia Luxe setups for strength and simplicity right out of the bag.
🛠️ Final Thoughts
Amsteel isn’t just hype — it’s legit performance gear that holds up under real-world use. Whether you’re building your own suspension or upgrading from basic gear, using Amsteel gives you confidence in your setup without adding weight to your pack.
Got questions about working with Amsteel or how to use it in your hammock setup? Drop us a message — we’re always happy to help.
Ready to try Amsteel for yourself?
👉 Shop Our Amsteel Gear
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