DutchWare DAC 32 Inch Spreader Bar Pole Review

Overview

The DutchWare DAC 32 Inch Spreader Bar Pole is a two-piece aluminum pole designed to keep two side-by-side hammocks from colliding at the head end — letting a couple or pair of hiking partners share two hammocks under a single tarp from just two trees. It’s compatible with DutchWare’s Beetle Buckle or Double Hammock Whoopie Hook suspension systems and can also serve as the foot-end spreader bar for a DIY bridge hammock. This is a highly specific, purpose-built piece of hardware for DutchWare’s double-hang ecosystem, and it’s aimed squarely at couples, trail partners, or DIY bridge-hammock builders who don’t want to carry a third tarp or hunt for a perfect trio of trees.

Key Specs

Spec	Value
Pole Model	DAC PL16.8
Total Assembled Length	32 in (81 cm)
Female Section	17 in
Male Section	15 in
Outside Diameter	16.8 mm
Weight (both pieces)	98 g (3.5 oz)
Max Weight Rating	400 lbs (combined)
Compatible Systems	Beetle Buckle, Double Whoopie Hook, Ti Bridge Hammock Ends
Tips Included	Yes (both sections)

Performance

The DAC Tube — Why It Matters

The material story here is worth spending a minute on. Unlike most tube manufacturers, DAC has developed both the material and the production process together, with the first advantage coming from their proprietary aluminum alloy, TH72M. The PL designation in PL16.8 refers to DAC’s “Pressfit Light” geometry: larger-diameter poles engineered with thinner walls to reduce weight without a loss of strength. In practice, that means you get a noticeably stiff, confidence-inspiring bar without the weight penalty you’d expect at 16.8 mm. At 98 grams for the pair, that’s a solid strength-to-weight tradeoff for what’s essentially a compression strut holding two loaded hammocks apart. DAC poles are also made with sustainable Green Anodization, eliminating acids during production — a minor but genuine bonus.

Double-Hang Performance

The 32-inch total length is DutchWare’s recommended size when hanging two hammocks side by side.

Community experience backs this up.

Per one user who went with the 32″ at Dutch’s own recommendation: “it works great once you figure out how to dial in your hang for two.”

The pole only goes at the head end — and that’s deliberate. DutchWare suggests using one 32″ Spreader Bar Pole at the head end; the foot end of the hammocks does not need a spreader bar pole. Forum reports reinforce this strongly: putting the spreader at the foot end didn’t work well for sleeping — if you have it there, there’s a much greater seesaw effect, and your bodies will be bumping all night.

That seesaw effect is the main behavioral quirk of this system, and it’s worth understanding before you buy. The spreader creates some seesaw action between the two hammocks because of the hard link between the straps, and the smaller the tree you’re tied to, the worse it gets. The fix is straightforward: there’s really not much compression on the bar itself, and to minimize seesaw, you want a wider tree, a shorter pole, and greater distance from the tree to the hammock. One user also noted that rigging each hammock on opposite sides of the tree helps keep stress down on the pole and works perfectly.

On the structural side, the 400-pound rating is generous but applies to the total combined load — that’s the total weight between both hammocks, and adding a second bar at the foot end won’t increase the maximum weight limit. In real-world use, the compressive load on the bar is actually quite low: one experienced pair reported 450+ lbs between them and their packs on the suspension line, estimating only about 30-40 pounds of compression on the bar itself — you can still easily take the straps off the bar even with both people in the hammock.

Bridge Hammock Use

The tip of the spreader bar fits into the center hole of DutchWare’s Titanium Bridge Hammock Ends

, making this a ready-to-go component for DIY bridge builders. The 32-inch length works well for the foot end of a bridge, though if you want a head-end pole in the 28-inch range you’d need to look at the shorter .582 sections. Note that the poles aren’t shock-corded together — the sections are press-fitted or epoxied at the factory — so you’re managing two loose pieces in your pack.

Tarp Compatibility Heads-Up

One thing that catches people off guard: when you go from a single hammock to a side-by-side setup, you’re no longer riding along the center line of the tarp, which can expose the gathers at the head end if you were running right at the edge as a single. These are things to consider and work out ahead of time, but most are easily sorted the first time you use the spreader. Rectangular tarps handle this better than hex-cut designs.

Bonus Use

One hidden benefit of the spreader is that the bar makes a great drying rack for wet clothes or a convenient place to hang your shoes/boots up off the ground at night.

Not why you’re buying it, but appreciated.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 98 g for the assembled pair is impressively light for a 32-inch compression strut
• Premium DAC PL16.8 aluminum — same material-science pedigree behind top-tier tent poles
• 400 lb combined weight rating is plenty for two adults plus gear
• Tips included on both sections; works out of the box with Beetle Buckle and Double Whoopie Hook systems
• Bridges the gap for smaller campsite tree spacing — only two trees required for two hammocks
• Moonlights as a camp gear organizer/drying rack

Cons

• No shock cord between sections — two loose pieces to track in your pack
• The 400 lb limit is total, not per hammock; not a system for very heavy loads
• Inherent seesaw effect when one person moves, especially with narrow trees
• Head-end only in double-hang setups; foot-end placement is known to cause problems
• Tarp width becomes a constraint — a single-person-sized hex tarp likely won’t cover both hammocks adequately
• Dialing in a two-person hang takes a trip or two to get right

Who Should Buy This

This pole is the right call for couples or trail partners who already hang DutchWare Beetle Buckle or Double Whoopie Hook systems and want to consolidate to a single tarp and two trees. It also fits DIY bridge-hammock builders sourcing a quality foot-end spreader. If you’re a solo hammock camper, this has no relevance to your setup. And if you’re shopping blind without the matching suspension hardware, verify compatibility before ordering — this works within DutchWare’s own ecosystem, and the tips are what make it click in.

Verdict

At 98 grams for the pair, built from DAC’s premium thin-wall aluminum, the DutchWare 32 Inch Spreader Bar Pole delivers a capable and well-proportioned solution to one of hammock camping’s more niche problems. The physics of the system — seesaw motion, tarp width constraints, head-end-only placement — demand some initial dialing-in, but experienced DutchWare users report the setup works reliably once understood. If the double-hang use case fits your kit, this is the component to do it with. 7.5/10.