Weight recommendations for PolyD

[doogie]

My weekend trip with the scouts had a glitch.

I went out cabin camping with my scout troop this past weekend. Forecast for rain and chilly. Arrived on site before the rain and set up my new PolyD1.2 brick red (love the color) hammock that I made using the W fold and whipping method (this was a first time using this method, previous hammocks were made by gathering with a cord through the channel and then attaching behind the knob). Also testing out a new tarp. I slept great and woke up and had just gotten my pants on and getting ready to get up and I was slowly lowered to the ground with a tearing noise. Fortunately I had my old hammock in the car and was able to hang the second night as well.

Upon getting home yesterday I inspected the hammock. It tore right where my whipping ended. I had pulled the edges out a little farther the the middle of the hammock body to reduce the flop and I guess it stressed the edge more, and one it was gone it went across the hammock.

So my question is, was it just poor design that placed too much stress on the edge, or do I need to go to the PolyD1.4 My regular hammock has been a standard nylon 1.6 weave. I am currently down to 191 pounds and dropping. The nylon I didn't have any problems when I was 207. I really like the feel of the PolyD fabric.

I was thinking about making a 10.5 foot hammock, and I decided to make an 11 to start....looks like I'm down to 10.5 now

[cbsinnett]

I have the PolyD charcoal grey 11' and I did a standered gathered end.
I have slept several nights inside with and now 2 nights outside this past weekend.
I'm 230 lbs and have not had any problems with it holding.

[Mouseskowitz]

I thought the 1.2 was rated for 220. At 230 I like my 1.4.

[mrcheviot]

I had the same experience as doogie, using the W whipping my 1.2 brick red PolyD tore at the whipping and I weight 205. I actually had it setup using the HH style fold before that with no issue (fold edges to meet in center, then 2" folds towards the center) and one of the reasons I was changing it up was to even out the folds and avoid some of the bathtub effect I find w/ the HH method.

On the fence about trying again, I had planned on ultimately using the Warbonnet rolled channel whipping which doesn't put as much stress on the edge unless you make the channel convex in shape (so middle is longer than edges). Think a Knotty mod where there is excess fabric is probably a better approach with any light(er) weight fabric than trying to shorten the edges in the whipping. I do find the 1.2 to be slightly more comfortable than the 1.4, however the extra 2 oz. in weight might be worth the peace of mind.

[doogie]

I converted it back to my tried and true method of running a short piece of cord through the end channel and gathering it as tight as possible (I think this is how Dutch does the hammocks he sells, but with zip ties) and then larks head my continuous loop behind the knob created by the extra fabric on the end. It seems to distribute the weight better....I did also purchase some 1.4 material too since Dutch had a sale on it. I'm glad to hear of at least one other person who had the same results as I did....I'm loosing weight (down 15 lbs) but ripping the fabric was a blow to my ego

[mrcheviot]

I converted it back to my tried and true method of running a short piece of cord through the end channel and gathering it as tight as possible (I think this is how Dutch does the hammocks he sells, but with zip ties) and then larks head my continuous loop behind the knob created by the extra fabric on the end. It seems to distribute the weight better....I did also purchase some 1.4 material too since Dutch had a sale on it. I'm glad to hear of at least one other person who had the same results as I did....I'm loosing weight (down 15 lbs) but ripping the fabric was a blow to my ego

Just curious - when it ripped, had you roll-hemmed the edges yet? I was just whipping up a bunch of raw fabric, and the poly 1.2 is the only one that tore on me. I an inclined to think that w/ roll hem + channel gathering method a la WB the chances of a failure would decrease dramatically.

[doogie]

Yes, rolled hems on both sides and larger rolled hem on the ends so I have a channel. But as I said my whipping was very tight and I think this caused the forces to be concentrated on the edges where I had shortened it a little to reduce the edge flop.