db wrote on Aug 30^th, 2014 at 7:14am:

Magicpaddler wrote on Aug 28th, 2014 at 8:18pm: I have never been concerned with stretch in a hanging kit because the tree limbs will bend under the weight making the line stretch negligible. The limbs or once branches - now nubs are only for throwing the rock bag 'n line over. The trunk is what bears the weight. The branches (or what's left of branches) aren't important once the rope is up there. Go around the tree trunk. The trunk holds the weight. And a little slack ain't a bad thing the way trees sway in the wind.

A little slack is good for the reason you mentioned, but too much stretch from a poor choice in line can be a real bad thing.

I found that out the hard way one year when I bought a big spool of Paracord at a garage sale and decided that #550 7 strand military spec cord would be the perfect bear bag rope.

Every survivalist/outdoor kit makes paracord a must have item for its versatility.

What I failed to take into account is that it construction and it's original purpose was to absorb the impact of a parachute opening under load. It stretches far more than you might think under a heavy load and especially when wet.

I hung a pack midway between the only two trees suitable for support.
Hauled pack up so it was at least 20' high and next morning after a heavy rain, the paracord had stretched to a point that I could reach up and grab the bag easily.

You want your "give/slack" in the way you hang the pack, not by your choice of hanging rope.
Paracord is great stuff, but not for food pack hanging.