Newbie w/ questions/comments

[Eouzts]

Hello all. LEt me start by saying the I had never thought about "hanging" until I happened across this forum. AWESOME stuff in here and now I'm hooked. I read alot in here about Ripstop 1.1, 1,7, 1.9 and the other things. I am about 290# and with saftey in the forefront I am thinking of a DL 1.7 Ripstop but does it really need to be ripstop? Do I just look for nylon or how do I find an appropriate material? At this point I am not concerned too much about weight. I would like to learn the technique first.

Now I saw where someone make a gathered end hammock and tie 2 dbl knots to hold the suspension line inside in hammock. (Knot...Gathered end sinched...knot....to suspension system) Hope you can follow that. Being a tinkerer and stuff I made a monkey fist about the size of a ping pong ball and then splice a fixed loop on the other end. Probably more than I need but it was fun to learn how to do a monkeys fist.

Anyway, I love this site and am taking notes. hopefully before the end of the year I'll be an official hanger.

Thanks and keep it up!!

Eric

[wirerat123]

While a lot of hammocks are manufactured in other materials than ripstop and they work just fine I will say you absolutely don't have to use ripstop. But a critical failure under load (Slight tear that is unseen) will spill you out onto the ground before you know anything is wrong. With ripstop that will often times be avoided. You will find a tear and have the opportunity to repair it before it gets to bad if you inspect your gear during and after use. A small tear in the wrong place on non ripstop WILL usually fail, if it doesn't fail it's most likely growing every time you crawl in and out of the hammock and move around. There will be a failure point that will spill you onto your back with little to no warning.

Double layer 1.7 ripstop should be able to hold you just fine as there are people out there in the 220+ range with single layer 1.1 hammocks.

If you make a double layer with 1.7 ripstop your biggest worries will be connection points and suspension.

[Eouzts]

Why would the connection p[oint and suspension be an issue?

[jred]

Well, DL 1.7 will hold just fine, but if you're using clothesline for your suspension...

[wirerat123]

Why would the connection p[oint and suspension be an issue?

Some people don't always make good decisions with knots and such as well as materials. I have seen people hanging from 550 cord with thin steel hooks as well as no tree huggers, and that's a serious no go. That's asking for pain.

A nice double layer ripstop gathered end hammock with Amsteel whoopie slings correctly attached to good 1" polypro tree huggers, and you should have no issues. Dutch clips and a Dutch Biner will make things even more convenient.

You can build a pretty comfy and dry setup for around $60 if you are thrifty and not worried too much about aesthetics. My girlfriends brother uses a single layer 1.1 ripstop hammock with a bug net tube over the ridgeline and a 9x9 Tyvek tarp. Thing weighs about 2lbs and works well as far as he's concerned. He's got MAYBE $40 invested total.

[Eouzts]

It will not be an issue because I am a member here and I am absorbing the vast amount of knowledge that flows forth from the experts!!!

And also because I am an overkiller

[wirerat123]

It will not be an issue because I am a member here and I am absorbing the vast amount of knowledge that flows forth from the experts!!!

And also because I am an overkiller

Then you are right, it will not be an issue. Go overkill and work your way back down as you please he he.