last winter i made 2 insulated hammocks using synthetic. they worked great, but wanting to get a little lighter & more compact, i made one using down.
you`ll find a few pictures, including a drawing that shows the way i put it together in the homemade gear picture gallery.
i wasn`t happy with the middle section. i made it wider, but not wide enough.
it pulled tighter than i expected when i got in the hammock.
it still allowed mabey 1 & 1/2" loft, but it should have alowed more for the down that was in that section.
for one thing i didn`t allow enough extra from end to end.
i used it in the house about a week, but last night the temps were cool enough on a fri night for an outdoor test.
i was plesantly supprised at how warm it was even w/ the thin spots.
i used a lightweight down quilt on top & slept in something simular to what i would use on a trip... synthetic socks, base layer top & bottom, pants, wind shirt, & balavacava (head pice).
when i got tucked in & comfortable, i looked to see what the temp was but the battery had died on my weather instrument (brunton), & i didn`t bother to get up to find another thermometer. it was probaby low to mid 40s.
about 1:00 am i woke-up to a RIPPPP near my head. it ripped a little more & i carefuly got up to inspect.
the hammock body it`s-self had ripped were the large center section of the down shell was sewed across the hammock.
now this made me start to really question wether or not i wanted to be trusting that stiching in the hammock body or not... especialy for a hammock i`m going to be counting on for really cold weather. but, i guess the real problem came from the center section being tight enough that eventualy it began to pull on the stiching. but i know rick & jeff have not run into this problem.
still going to be giving this some thought. ...tim
