Rate the comfort of the whip/setup

[WVassello]

I've been bouncing back and forth on the style and whip for my first final diy hammock. I've been half building a handful of them over the last couple of weeks. I know that most of the hammock choice is personal preference, but I'd like to hear from folks that have tried different setups and get the good and bads. If possible I'd like to get a comparison between a few setups as well.
(might not make a bad beginners guide to hammocks if the thread gets some good responses)

[jdempsey]

I'm doing the same thing, I've made half a dozen hammocks in the past few weeks, trying to find what I like.

You're right when you say that whipping styles and lay vary from hanger to hanger, but I would go further to say that it depends not only on personal preference, but also fabric type+weight+weave, choice of layering (single or double), and the relation of a person's weight and general lay style.


I kind of thought that this was a rather straight-forward idea when I first started reading about hammocks. The more I experiment, the more complex I find it to be. Hell, even which side of a hammock you lean toward when laying asym, seems to affect a person's perception. It does mine.


That being said, here are my observations as a self proclaimed newb:

1) The hammock knot is majorly underrated; Overhand knot tied correctly when in conjunction with folded or W style whipping, in my opinion, can result in a more consistent translation of the fold to the hammock body than using the para-cord/whatever wrapping, which inherently distorts the fabric into a cylindrical (albeit twisted) shape.

2) Warbonnet style whipping, can vary greatly for me depending on fabric, but more importantly, how deliberate the whip after the gather, but also how straight the hem of the channel.

3) Stretch to me seem underrated also. It's an integral part of a "level" lay, which I've always assumed was synonymous with the fabled "flat lay". I personally don't understand how the stiffer fabrics can offer the flattest lay, without giving to contour to the body's shape. I deeply appreciate a moderate stretch.



My personal, albeit in-experienced preference, atm, seems not to be the favored style;

Brummeled whoopies cloved thru a channel, in a 1.1oz diy single layer(sclittlefield's 1.1oz camo). That being said, the channels are reinforced stitched 1/4 channels, which didn't feel comfortable with a taunt gather in a WB style whip. The channel style however, seems to slightly tension the sides, and provide a more consistent gather symmetry, which I believe is due to the small size of the channel itself (which causes very small folds).