This weekend I made an over cover for my HH Explorer Ultralight.
I found I was successful in keeping the cover covering
no matter what position I was taking inside the hammock by
using Risk's idea (for bugnets) of weighting corners with
coins.
I got to wondering if instead of a highly fitted overcover (which
takes a far amount of effort to assemble) one could use
the corner weights idea on a simpler cover, just a rectangle,
that might work for a Blackbird. Or an HH hammock. Or both.
I started with the dimensions of my HH cover and made it a little
shorter (because the Blackbird's ridgeline is a little shorter), and a
little wider (to provide complete side coverage on both hammocks).
I used some 1.1 oz DWR whose roll width is 66". I cut one piece
that was 50.5" x 66", and then another piece that was 21" x 50.5".
Logically the second piece abutts the first after a rotation of 90 degrees.
I did this to minimize the "wasted" fabric (now a piece that is 21"x16.5"),
and also to provide a natural place for a zipper.
I hemmed all the edges with a double roll. I put in a zipper with two
sliders to join (mostly) the two pieces---this will allow for adjustable
ventilation near the face. I turned up the corners and sewed one side
down completely, and another side partially. This will hold coin weights.
I had hoped that making the entry point just the size of the quarter would
make it too hard for the quarter to fall out easily when packing/unpacking
the overcover, but I was wrong. It would be better to have a more
permanent fastener there to hold the coins in place securely, no matter what.
I learned from experimenting (in a brisk breeze) the value of fastening the foot end corners
together (with a bit of velcro)
and the head end corners with a bit of cord.
That's a Blackbird under there, as with the photos below. The zipper is near the face, right where you want it.
Same overcover does nicely with the HH Explorer
With all the tabs and zipper and shock cord it weighs 5.1 oz, and folds compactly.
With the pulled out sides of the hammock, the weights, and foot and head fasteners, the cover stayed put
in a pretty brisk wind this afternoon. Not a seal---but you don't want a seal---just something there to cut the wind and
hold in heat.
I tried this also on an Eno double. Sizewise it fits but the edges flap a lot. Having the hammock
body pulled out to the sides as with the HH and Blackbird creates a solid resting place for the cover side to lay.
So the nascent DIY user of a Blackbird need not think that making an overcover is
beyond his skills. The zipper part is pretty easy, but not absolutely necessary. All
you need to do here is make an appropriately sized rectangle, hem the edges, create
coin pockets, and add some tabs for cord. Keeping It Simply Straightforward
Grizz
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Originally Posted by animalcontrol
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