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  1. #1
    Senior Member MAD777's Avatar
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    Polyester for hammocks

    Please remind me again, why don't we use polyester for making hammocks?
    It always seems like I see folks using nylon, but I just got a sample of some digital camo polyester that feels DREAMY next to skin! I'm trying to think of some reason that this shouldn't be used, at least as the inner layer of a double layered hammock with nylon on the outside.
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  2. #2
    Senior Member PuckerFactor's Avatar
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    Polyester IS preferable to nylon, since it stretches less, but it's much harder to find, so most just use ripstop nylon.

    PF
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  3. #3
    Senior Member sclittlefield's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by PuckerFactor View Post
    Polyester IS preferable to nylon, since it stretches less, but it's much harder to find, so most just use ripstop nylon.

    PF
    I actually prefer nylon to polyester BECAUSE it has a tad more stretch.

    No matter how many answers you get here, the only judge on your hammock comfort that matters is you. I say go for it. Polyester makes a fine hammock, as does nylon.
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  4. #4
    Senior Member MAD777's Avatar
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    It sounds like there are no fatal flaws that I missed.
    The polyester I have just feels so good, I feel compelled to make a hammock from it
    Mike
    "Life is a Project!"

  5. #5
    Senior Member TiredFeet's Avatar
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    TeeDee and I have switched ONLY to polyester for our Bridges which we keep.

    We especially like the microfiber polyester - very silky feel - nylon has a hard crinkly feel in comparison.

    Our experimentation has shown that for us and all who have used our Bridges, the less stretch the better. This dictates polyester over nylon. For a Bridge, the stretch leads to butt drop, which dictates a longer structural ridge line. Also, the butt drop leads to more compression of under quilts under the butt which makes the design of under quilts trickier, more complicated, time consuming and costlier.

    Polyester, especially the microfiber kind, is much harder to find, so the only time we use nylon anymore is for one of a kind experimental design Bridge Hammock that will definitely be thrown out when the one of a kind has taught what we wanted to know. The nylon we can pickup cheaply at JoAnne or Hancock Fabrics quickly and not have to wait on delivery.

  6. #6
    Senior Member grich9860's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MAD777 View Post
    It sounds like there are no fatal flaws that I missed.
    The polyester I have just feels so good, I feel compelled to make a hammock from it
    i say go for it. like you said if it feels good to you then do it.
    Hops

  7. #7
    Senior Member Ramblinrev's Avatar
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    Polyester taffeta is so easy to find you can't walk into most big box fabric stores without getting swamped in it. Polyester _ripstop_ is mor difficult to find. Personally I prefer the polyester taffeta.
    I may be slow... But I sure am gimpy.

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  8. #8
    Senior Member olddog's Avatar
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    The poly I'm using for a experiment hammock is "outerware" from Hancock's. Not very light but super soft and no stretch. Got it because it was under $2.00/yd.

  9. #9
    Senior Member MAD777's Avatar
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    What I have is the polyester tafetta.
    Mike
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  10. #10
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    How about an online supplier of light weight polyester taffeta in subdued colors?

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