Bridge for a tall guy

[outkastblast]

I'm getting brave. I want to try a bridge hammock out and want to make it myself. I've read and re-read Grizz' and TeeDee's posts on making a bridge. So much math....brain...melting...

Anyway, I'm 6'7" and 215lbs. I'm thinking of doing a double layer 1.1 ripstop so that I can use a pad. Two reasons for wanting a pad: 1) I've already got one and 2) I hear it can help with any possible shoulder squeeze. I will likely order from BackWoodsDayDreamer.com since their price seems quite reasonable, but the woodland camo stuff is 68" wide. So by my figuring I'd want a 90" bridge with a 12" maximum cut. Does that sound right? And factoring the length needed x2 for double layer, I'll need at least 5 yds of material. (I can use some black 1.9 leftovers I have for endcaps if I run out)

What is the recommended maximum width for someone of my size?

What length of spreader bars? (if it helps, I'm fairly narrow and typically sleep on my side)

The other part I'm vastly confused at is how to figure out length of suspension triangle. I'd rather use webbing since I've got plenty of it already.

I'm hoping someone will swoop in and fact check me before I buy the material. I've got a relatively solid understanding of the concept of bridge hammocks. Grizz and TeeDee did an amazing job on the tutorials. I'm just getting caught up in scaling theirs up to fit me. Any help would be appreciated.

[hangnout]

Hopefully some of the real experts will chime in. I have built a few bridge hammocks based on the Grizz design. I have answered what I can in the quote below.

Hope this helps. I will warn you that you will not stop at one

I'm getting brave. I want to try a bridge hammock out and want to make it myself. I've read and re-read Grizz' and TeeDee's posts on making a bridge. So much math....brain...melting...

Anyway, I'm 6'7" and 215lbs. I'm thinking of doing a double layer 1.1 ripstop so that I can use a pad. Two reasons for wanting a pad: 1) I've already got one and 2) I hear it can help with any possible shoulder squeeze. I will likely order from BackWoodsDayDreamer.com since their price seems quite reasonable, but the woodland camo stuff is 68" wide. So by my figuring I'd want a 90" bridge with a 12" maximum cut. Does that sound right?

90" sounds right but I would stay around 6-7" on the cutouts

And factoring the length needed x2 for double layer, I'll need at least 5 yds of material. (I can use some black 1.9 leftovers I have for endcaps if I run out)

You can make the end caps from the same piece of material as the main bridge. You will need about 16" added on each end of the hammock. You would only need to do this on the outside layer so add another yard to your order

Link to thread showing easy way to make end caps.

What is the recommended maximum width for someone of my size?

I would use the 55" width that is listed in Grizz's guide. You are taller but probably close to same shoulder width.

What length of spreader bars? (if it helps, I'm fairly narrow and typically sleep on my side)

36" should work fine. Two sections of .625 easton tent poles are 36"

The other part I'm vastly confused at is how to figure out length of suspension triangle. I'd rather use webbing since I've got plenty of it already.

Somewhere between 75% and 100% of your spreader bar length will work. The longer the suspension sides the less compression on the spreader bar. With the extra length of your hammock I would go about 30" on suspension sides. This will help keep everything under the tarp.

You might consider using amsteel for the suspension sides. It is easier to get the spreader bar "inline" which reduces the stress on the bar. If you use the .625 easton tent poles get the end tip inserts. The inserts lock in and you can drill a hole thru tent pole and insert. After drilling hole you can easily cut the metal to form a slot for your cord.


I'm hoping someone will swoop in and fact check me before I buy the material. I've got a relatively solid understanding of the concept of bridge hammocks. Grizz and TeeDee did an amazing job on the tutorials. I'm just getting caught up in scaling theirs up to fit me. Any help would be appreciated.

[GrizzlyAdams]

hangnout gives good advice. To what he said I'd add the pointers
-- I usually add 6" to body height to get the hammock length.
-- aim for 34" at the waist, finished. That means if you start with 55" cut, you lose 2" when you roll the webbing, that's 53" finished. To get 34" at the waist finished means the two suspension cuts should take away 53-34 = 19 inches. That makes for 9.5" deep suspension cuts.
-- I also recommend using cord on the suspension triangle. You can put a pair of rings at the triangle apex and use webbing from that point to the tree if you like. I have my own idyosyncratic way of attaching Easton poles (with tips) to the the corners of the hammocks that does not involving modifying the poles. Documented in the various "GrizzBridge" videos.

good luck!

[outkastblast]

Thanks for the advice, folks! It's becoming clearer to me now. I'm off to purchase some material. I may have more questions once the cutting begins.

[tpkanu]

I recently finished a DIY bridge and I would suggest that you make both ends the same (a smaller foot end spreader bar is currently in vogue - which is what I made). It is a lot easier to make the end caps and the bugnet if you only have to do one pattern each, versus having to make 2 patterns each.

I started with amsteel rope arc side suspension, but ended up switching to 9/16" tubular nylon webbing arc side suspension. I found out the hard way that amsteel will stretch 3" over 80" and ended up wrecking my first version of my bridge hammock. I think the weight penalty of the tubular webbing is worth it, overall. HYOH.

Helpful hint - make the main body first and hang in it to stretch it out, and then make the endcap pattern(s). I cut cardboard to roughly fit into the endcap opening, taped it to the spreader bar and the floor below and then traced the actual shape of the endcap opening. No math involved (except adding seam and hem allowances).

The bugnet was pretty complicated, since I had to figure and make both ends seperately. You even have to taper the bugnet body from head to foot. Another reason to have the same width ends.

I am 6'2" tall and I used a 36" wide spreader bar on the head end and that worked fine for me. If you go much wider than this, you may run into a problem with rubbing on your tarp.

I would recommend Grizz's method with the dynaglide suspension triangles, especially the way he seats the spreader bar end tips into the suspension endloops- it works great. I added whoopie slings in my triangles for adjustability.

I have made many gathered end hammocks, tarps, underquilts, top quilts, etc and I have to say the bridge was the most complicated of them all (but it was worth it!).

My 2 cents worth.

Good luck on your project.

Happy Trails

[outkastblast]

Ok. I'm starting this project this week. I've got the material and will be cutting soon and another question popped up: How do i attach the amsteel suspension triangle to the hammock body?

Grizz, in one of your videos you show the tubular webbing looped over itself at each corner of the hammock with a section of plastic hose. But I wasn't clear with how you were attaching that to your suspension triangle.

If anyone else can chime in, please do!

[tpkanu]

My take on Grizz's triangle. Starting from hammock. 9/16" tubular webbing with plastic tubing liner/dynaglide continuous loop/dynaglide soft shackle/dynaglide whoopie sling/aluminum SMC descender ring. The gray line is the structural ridgeline. You don't need the SMC ring, but I like it.

Happy Trails

[tpkanu]

OOPS

My picture did not load, but if you check out my gallery I have pictures of my bridge suspension.

[outkastblast]

Thanks, tpkanu. That makes it loads clearer. I will probably look to something similar other than using webbing from the descender rings on, just because it's what I have currently. I want to salvage as much as possible because I'm cheap

[GrizzlyAdams]

showing up late to this party...but then I'm 12 or 13 time zones ahead of you right now so maybe I'm showing up early???

restatement of what tpkanu said.

I sew the tubular webbing to the hammock body and at the very
end where the webbing comes out I double it back and sew it down
with 3-4 bar tacks. I do the bar-tacking BEFORE sewing that part of
webbing to the hammock body because I don't want to be bar-tacking
through the fabric.

I take 14" of Amsteel or Dynaglide and tie a Diamond knot using the two ends of the cord. So now I have a loop with a pretty knot at one end.

I slip a 1/2" or so sheathing of vinyl tubing over the loop, and then thread the cord loop through the webbing loop. Finally, I pass the diamond knot through the cord loop. This effectively attaches the cord loop to the webbing loop with a larks head.

The suspension triangle is a single piece of cord, with ends done up with
soft shackle-like loops. To form up the end I
a) Mark off 9" from the end, and pass the working end of the cord through the middle of the standing end, close up the loop formed but not tightly, bring the working end down 2.5" and create a locked Brummel, then bury the remainder of the working end into the standing end.

The shackle-like ends clip over the diamond knots.

Finally the cord to the tree has a small loop in one end, which is then put on the center of the suspension triangle cord using a larks head.