HearthSong Aerial Hammock User manual

#731204
For ages 5 and up.
Adult assembly and installation required.
Takes 2 adults 30 minutes to set up.
For outdoor use only, over soft surfaces.
Not intended for use as a trampoline or for rough play.
Weight capacity: 500 lbs.
Must be no higher than 6' off the ground.
Made in China ©HearthSong 2016. Madison, VA 22727. 1-800-533-4397 hearthsong.com
Aerial
Hammock
Assembly Instructions
General Notes on Using Ratchets:
1. To use a ratchet, two operating elements are
important: the crank and the lever.
2. In the base position (crank folded in half and
locked in place), the winding axle (where the
second strap will be threaded) is locked.
3. Pull the lever to unlock the crank so that you
can adjust the angle of its opening.
4. When the crank is unlocked and partially
opened, the strap can be inserted into the
winding axle and tightened by moving the
crank back and forth (without using the lever).
The typical “ratcheting” sound of the crank
can be heard. To avoid injuries, please watch
where you place your fingers when operating
the crank.
5. To pull the strap out of the ratchet, open the
ratchet crank completely to release the axle
(the lever must be pulled with some force to
reach that position). This position can be hard
to attain so it is good to familiarize yourself
with usage carefully.
Hanging the Aerial Hammock:
**Do not suspend the Aerial Hammock higher than 6'
above the ground. Height from the ground can vary depend-
ing on the size of the users, and should be at a height that
is easily accessible.
**When attaching the hammock to posts or trees, start
with the two back points and move your way to the points
on the front edge of the hammock fabric where the cen-
ter slit is located. The center slit can either be left closed
or opened. If closed, only four connection points will be
needed (but you can still add a fifth connection in the
front). If you wish to open the slit to create two levels, you
will definitely need five connection points.
1. Choose the appropriate trees or posts from which to
hang your Aerial Hammock. There must be at least
four connection points for the single-level hammock
configuration, but five are preferred. Five are definitely
necessary for the split-level hammock.
a. Maximum Distance Apart: 20 ft
b. Minimum Distance Apart: 11 ft
c. Optimal Distance Apart: 13-15 ft
What you get:
• 5 black straps with loops
• 3 ratchets with straps
• 1 hammock fabric
• 1 red strap (use this strap to close the center slit on the
front half of the hammock: attach one carabiner to the
outermost loops on the front edge of both sides of the
center slit, and after removing the other carabiner, weave
the strap through the loops on each side of the slit until
reaching the center of the hammock. Attach with the
remaining carabiner.
2.
2.
4.
5.
2. Lay out the hammock and straps, making sure the seams on
the hammock fabric are facing down and that the hammock is
centered between all of the points to which it will be connected.
3. Attach the black straps with loops to the two back corners of the
hammock (“back” = behind the center slit) by pulling one end of
the black straps through the hammock loops, and then inserting
the free ends of the black straps through the strap loops and
pulling tight.
4. Tie the free ends of the straps to two
trees or posts that
are next to the back corners, using
knots that can be removed easily, such
as a half bow knot (or similar knot that
can be untied easily), because once you
attach the ratchets to the other end of
the fabric, the knots will be pulled
very tight.

Made in China ©2016 HearthSong. Madison, VA 22727. 1-800-533-4397 hearthsong.com
5. Now attach to the two trees (or posts)
in the front, looping a ratchet strap
around the trunk of each tree or post
and pulling the attached ratchet
through the ratchet strap loop.
6. Attach two black straps with loops to the front corners of the
hammock fabric, again by pulling one end of the strap through
the hammock loops, and then inserting the straps’ free ends
through the strap loops and pulling tight.
7. Open the crank on the ratchets to approximately 45°.
8. Thread the free ends of the black
straps with loops through the slit in
the winding axle and pull until there
is no more slack in the strap. (The
amount of strap pulled through the
axle depends on the distance between
the ratchet and the corners of the
hammock, which varies based on
spacing between trees.)
9. Keep the threaded straps taut as you use the crank to wind them
around the axle.
10. The hammock fabric should be as close to flat as possible when
you are finished.
** To take down the hammock, release the straps by completely opening the cranks at 180° and then pulling the straps out. You may have to pull with some
force. Then, untie the straps on the other side of the hammock.
Creating a Single-Level Hammock
11. Decide which side you wish to have
raised and which you prefer to be
lowered. Attach the side that will be
raised by following step 12. Remove
the red strap that holds the center slit
together and re-attach its carabiner
to the outermost loop on the front
edge of one side of the center slit.
Attach the strap to a lower position
on one of the trees you’ve already used as a connection point for
a ratchet strap.
12. Connect the third ratchet with strap to a fifth connection point
(tree or post). Attach the red strap, using a carabiner, to the
outermost loop at the front edge on the other side of the center
slit and attach to the ratchet.
13. Make sure the cranks on all ratchets are locked back into the
base position before using the Aerial Hammock to ensure that
the winding axles are locked into place. Now go back and re-
adjust
the ratchet straps attached to the corners of the hammock up or
down to so that the outside edges of the two hammock are even.
Creating a Two-Level Hammock