first time out in a hammock

[capt.dunc]

just had my first night in a hammock, it's a home made job from here
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/content.php?r=240-All-Thai-d-Up-Making-a-hammock
with a simple sleeping bag under quilt that i knocked up.

just been away with some scouts and thought i'd try it on the last night, so that'll be the day with the gales and snow as it turns out. didn't start set up till 3am and managed a half hour to rig up, and tuck in, in the dark. temperature below freezing all night but with a good sleeping bag in and a light wool blanket over top it was very comfey.

thanks for the article neil, i'll be using this hammock a lot

 

[topknot]

Nice set up you made, and with skills like that you can add i mozzy net too. I used Neil article to but added to it .

Cheers Topknot

 

[capt.dunc]

what did you add/change? the only thing i've done is run a tape loop through the end pieces and linked to a karabiner about a foot from the ends of the fabric, from the karabiners i'm using a prusik or an ascender to my anchor rope. this is to let me make hight or levelling adjustments from under the tarp if raining and hopefully so that water will run down the lines to the ground instead of to the hammock. i may yet waterproof the end 8 or 9 inches of the fabric as well.
got a midge net planned as well, i can't imagine summer in scotland in a hammock without.

 

[Mesquite]

Looks good... what material did you use for the hammock?

 

[capt.dunc]

poly cotton bed sheets, the tutorial says 5m bought and folded to length, but i was just prototyping/seeing if i liked hammocking, so i took a couple of old bedsheets and cut and stitched them to make up a piece of fabric the right size. one of the sheets was looking a little sorry and i was cautious getting in the first time, but after the weather it's just been through on it's first outing, i think this maybe a prototype that i'll be using for a few years. good job that lilac and pale blue is the new black

 

[Col_M]

good job!
It's really rewarding to make your own hammock isn't it? I've made my own hammock, tarp, down under quilt and am planning to make a down top quilt at Easter

 

[spandit]

Impressive - glad you were warm enough! I'm planning on ground dwelling this weekend although I do have a huge wool blanket to help keep me warm if I change my mind...

 

[topknot]

Hi Capt,

I made my hammock from ripstop nylon which i got off ebay

In the pic i have stitched up the side and added a zip this will keep my mat in place inside.

In this pic it shows the webbing for the mozzy net