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  1. #1
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    Idea for a hammock.

    Has anyone ever tried making a hammock that has 4 supporting straps on all four corners. I was thinking it might give you more room at the head and foot ends since the fabric wouldn't gather together like in a traditional hammock. You could even tie each end to a separate tree to get even more spread if you wanted to.

    I found a picture that represents this. Scroll down to the second to last picture, the red and blue hammock with multiple "occupants".

    http://www.dapper.com.au/hammocks.htm

  2. #2
    Senior Member dufus934's Avatar
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    It sounds like you might be talking about a bridge hammock without spreader poles. Search the forums for bridge hammock. Hope this helps.
    God Bless,
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  3. #3
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    No, the bridge hammock only has 2 attachment straps. I'm talking about 4 separate straps. In a normal hammock two corners are gathered together and attached to one strap, like a speer hammock. I'm wondering what would happen if each corner had it's own strap.

  4. #4
    Senior Member headchange4u's Avatar
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    I'm sure a hammock like that would work but it seems to me that is would cause a lot more hassle and very little extra benefit. It would make setting up harder than a normal hammock because it would force you to find a spot with 4 trees with the correct orientation and distance apart instead of just two. That also means extra support lines, webbing, biners, etc.

    There is a company that make a hammock/floating tent that sets up using 3 trees.; the name escapes me at the moment.
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  5. #5
    Senior Member GrizzlyAdams's Avatar
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    The Trease "tree-tent" does something like that, but with three trees (two at the head). It makes a sort of high tension platform and puts a tent over it.

    Three challenges I see. One is finding tree configurations that support that use. Depends entirely on where you are. The other is getting tarp coverage. For this you'd need to have the lines at the corners have not insignificant forward and backward components to them, to get them out of the way of a tarp's walls. Doable.

    The last is the suspension. Putting a curve and support lines on the edges like a bridge would work almost surely. What you're describing is more
    like four whipping points, one per corner. I expect that would work, but suspect you get a low point in the middle when you get in.

    so you should build one and see!

    and come up with a good name. How about "The Blanket Toss"

    Grizz

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by headchange4u View Post
    I'm sure a hammock like that would work but it seems to me that is would cause a lot more hassle and very little extra benefit. It would make setting up harder than a normal hammock because it would force you to find a spot with 4 trees with the correct orientation and distance apart instead of just two. That also means extra support lines, webbing, biners, etc.

    There is a company that make a hammock/floating tent that sets up using 3 trees.; the name escapes me at the moment.
    You could still use only 2 trees. Just wrap each strap the opposite direction around one tree. A 2 foot tree would have a 2 foot spread. Even if the tree was thin it seems like there would be less shoulder squeeze since the corners could come apart. As you said the downside is you would have twice as many straps but they are fairly light.

  7. #7
    Senior Member GrizzlyAdams's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Madison320 View Post
    You could still use only 2 trees. Just wrap each strap the opposite direction around one tree. A 2 foot tree would have a 2 foot spread. Even if the tree was thin it seems like there would be less shoulder squeeze since the corners could come apart. As you said the downside is you would have twice as many straps but they are fairly light.
    This then would be no different as far as squeeze as a bridge with a 24" spread. And as any bridge hanger will tell you, that's a world of hurt w.r.t. squeeze.


    (later) on thinking on it more, if the hammock is longer than a bridge and pulled tight then
    it works more like a normal hammock. Then I can imagine that there is the potential
    for less squeeze than a normal hammock, equally long, pulled equally tight.

    Madison320, it's your idea. Run with it. Build it and see where it leads.

    Grizz
    Last edited by GrizzlyAdams; 03-11-2008 at 18:57.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by GrizzlyAdams View Post
    (later) on thinking on it more, if the hammock is longer than a bridge and pulled tight then
    it works more like a normal hammock. Then I can imagine that there is the potential
    for less squeeze than a normal hammock, equally long, pulled equally tight.

    Madison320, it's your idea. Run with it. Build it and see where it leads.

    Grizz
    Yes, that's the idea. It would hang just like a normal hammock. You would still lay diagonally. It's just that's the ends would be easier to open up. I have no idea if this would actually work, I was hoping someone else had already tried it.

  9. #9
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    one end around a wide tree, that sounds like your trying to make a bridge hammock, with the spreader bar being the tree itself. it would be better to just make a bridge, a "poll-less" bridge (the spreader element being tieouts), or just a HH style.

    all of these options would get about as close as i see the square getting. perhaps the HH would be best, its the most square i can think of. also it has your 4 tieouts.

    but tey, it would at least be fun

  10. #10
    Senior Member Mule's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by skar578 View Post
    one end around a wide tree, that sounds like your trying to make a bridge hammock, with the spreader bar being the tree itself. it would be better to just make a bridge, a "poll-less" bridge (the spreader element being tieouts), or just a HH style.

    all of these options would get about as close as i see the square getting. perhaps the HH would be best, its the most square i can think of. also it has your 4 tieouts.

    but tey, it would at least be fun
    Hanging your hammock from both sides of the tree is what Claytor suggests. However, I think you have a good idea. When four trees are found that you could reach with your suspension system, i thing it would work well. Are you going to try it, I think I will someday. Mule
    Predictions are risky, especially when it comes to the future.

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