BackpackGearTest
  Guest - Not logged in 

Reviews > Shelters > Shelter Accessories > DutchWare Gear Dutch Clip TI > Owner Review by Derek Hansen

pix-product-shot

DutchWare Gear — Dutch Clip TI

Owner Review by Derek Hansen

TESTER INFORMATION

pix-me
NameDerek Hansen
Age37
GenderMale
Height5' 10" (1.78 m)
Weight170 lb (77 kg)
Email Address pix-obfuscated
City, State, CountryFlagstaff, Arizona, USA

BACKPACKING BACKGROUND

I am a lightweight backpacker with a typical overnight pack weight of 15 lb (7 kg) and a multi-day weight of 20 lb (9 kg), which includes food and water. Because I pack less than 20 lb (9 kg), I prefer lightweight trail-running shoes. I prefer backpacking with a hammock as part of my sleep system.


PRODUCT INFORMATION

Manufacturer Dutch Clips, LLC, Pennsylvania, USA
Year of Manufacture 2012, made in USA
Manufacturer’s Website www.dutchwaregear.com
MSRP US$18.00
Listed Features

Designed specifically for webbing based hammock suspensions. The Dutch Clip replaces a carabiner for a quick connection and release around the tree.

Manufacturer Recommendations

Dutch Clips are meant to be used only with hammocks that have a 30-degree angle or sag in the suspension

Measurements
Specifications What They Say What I Say
Weight (packet) 0.5 oz (15 g)/pair 0.5 oz (15 g)/pair
Dimensions 1.75 x 1 in (4.5 x 2.6 cm) 1.75 x 1 in (4.5 x 2.6 cm)
Material Titanium


OWNER REVIEW

23 MAR 2013

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

pix-dutch-Ti-Clip-card-bkg

The DutchWare Gear Dutch Clip TI is a small titanium clip used with hammock suspension. It looks like a modern, somewhat squashed horseshoe. The clip is designed to attach to the end of a webbing strap to make it easier to clip onto the standing end of the same webbing.

One of the primary advantages of the Dutch Clip TI is its weight. Made from titanium, it is engineered to break at more than 300 lb (136 kg), yet it is very small and lightweight.

pix-titanium-dutch-clip

Webbing straps used in hammock suspension are used, primarily, to create an anchor point around a tree. The secondary purpose of using a wide strap, instead of a thin rope, for example, is to spread the compressive forces over a wide area, thus minimizing any visible damage to the tree and any unseen damage to the cambium or nutrient layer that could girth the tree and choke it.

Most hammock webbing straps have eye loops sewn or tied on the ends. These loops allow the webbing to be threaded through itself, creating a secure hitch around the tree. To quicken the process and to make adjustments easier, carabiners are sometimes used as a quick-connect. The Dutch Clip is a smaller, lighter, and faster method that replaces a carabiner but functions in exactly the same way.

FIELD USE CONDITIONS

I've been using the titanium Dutch Clip for more than a year now, and it has served as my primary suspension on most of my trips. This includes dozens of backpacking trips through all four seasons. Here are some highlighted trips:

May 15-19, 2012: Damascus, Virginia. I participated in the Appalachian Trail Days and backpacked and camped along the Appalachian Trail every night. I only hiked about 2 mi (3 km) each day to return to town. I enjoyed the refreshing humidity and rain showers. Elevation was 2,400 ft (732 m).

Jul 15-20, 2012: Camp Geronimo, near Pine, Arizona. Summer camp with the Boy Scouts! Thanks to the monsoon rain season, overnight temperature was a cool 40 F (4 C) with the high during the day in the high 60s F (15s C). Elevation was roughly 5,000 ft (1,500 m).

Sep 14-15, 2012: Kachina Peaks Wilderness, Flagstaff, Arizona. I joined a Venture Crew on a 20-mile (32 km) backpacking trip along the Inner Basin Trail and the Weatherford Trail. The overnight low was in the upper 30s F (3 C) and around 70 F (21 C) in the day. Elevation ranged from 8,600 to 11,300 ft (2,500 to 3,400 m).

Oct 26-27, 2012: Kachina Trail, Arizona. I went on a 13 mi (21 km) backpacking trip with my troop on the San Francisco Peaks. The high temperature was around 50 F (10 C) and the overnight low was around 30 F (-1 C). Elevation was 9,200 ft (2,800 m).

FIELD USE RESULTS

The titanium Dutch Clip is the second iteration of the Dutch Clip, which was originally cast out of aluminum and had a different form factor. When I first saw the updated Dutch Clip I wasn't exactly sure how to use it. The new design has a more oval shape and includes "keeper" sprues that weren't used before.

pix-inner-basin-az

I'm embarrassed to admit that I needed some hand holding to explain how these worked, but it seemed obvious once I saw a demonstration. The clip is intended to remain on the webbing strap when not in use, so the sprues of metal help hold the webbing in place, preventing the hardware from falling off accidentally.

Using the clip is fairly easy. Once attached to the fixed eye of the webbing, I wrap the webbing around my anchor point (typically a tree trunk) and then "clip" it back to the webbing strap that is leading to the hammock.

If I need to adjust the height of my anchor point, which I do fairly often, the Dutch Clip makes it easy by letting me unclip and move the strap.

My speed in setting up and taking down my hammock has been improved by using the strap. No longer do I need to thread the webbing through the eye, instead I can just clip and go. This is the main advantage I see of using the Dutch Clip. As a rule, I prefer simple and lightweight options, but the Dutch Clip has been so useful that I rarely complain about the weight, which is scant.

pix-sycamore-canyon

I think the exaggerated oval design of the titanium Dutch Clip creates a more gentle curve to the fabric, which is probably less stressful to the fabric.

I also own the original aluminum Dutch Clips and had an experience when the metal cut through my webbing. I took a file to that clip and rounded the corners more to eliminate the problem. The titanium clips take care of that possibility through a better design and I can say I've not seen any damage or fraying on my webbing straps over the past year or more, and I've been using the same strap with these clips during that time.

SUMMARY

The Dutch Clip TI is a great piece of hardware for hammock webbing straps. Its minimal size, light weight, and strength make it ideal for backpacking.

PRO—Lightweight, strong, and functional.

CON—None.



Read more reviews of Dutch Clips LLC gear
Read more gear reviews by Derek Hansen

Reviews > Shelters > Shelter Accessories > DutchWare Gear Dutch Clip TI > Owner Review by Derek Hansen



Product tested and reviewed in each Formal Test Report has been provided free of charge by the manufacturer to BackpackGearTest.org. Upon completion of the Test Series the writer is permitted to keep the product. Owner Reviews are based on product owned by the reviewer personally unless otherwise noted.



All material on this site is the exclusive property of BackpackGearTest.org.
BackpackGearTest software copyright David Anderson