My new DIY gear

[Mouseskowitz]

I think I have almost everything done for my new rig. I decided to try my hand at making a hammock since I was having issues with shoulder squeeze with my old one. I guess technically I decided on the design and my wife ran the thread injector. So, I found some untreated 1.5oz ACU ripstop nylon to make a double layer. When it came in the mail it turned out to be 68" wide and so far I'm liking it. It has openings on all four corners so I can slip a pad in there if I ever so desire, the middle 4 ft of the 10 are sown together. If I remember right I used a warbonnet style of tying the ends.



From the end of the hammock I used continual loop 7/64 amsteel to a SMC ring. When I have the time I will add an adjustable structural ridge line between the rings and attached at one end with a soft shackle.



From the rings to the webbing I have 6 ft whoopies, once again from 7/64 amsteel. They are very easy to make when you use the spread sheet found here. It also has one for the SRL.



The webbing attached to the tree is 10 ft 1" polyester seat belt webbing. It's probably overkill but it's what I have from using a ring buckle suspension and still gives me the option to go back to it if I want. I then used the scrap arrow shafts I got for free from Gander Mountain, I have no clue what they're made out of but they're insanely light, with a Marlin Spike Hitch to hang the whoopies. When I have the time I will be adding Solomon Bars to the end of the whoopies to close the loop and help prevent it slipping off the knot. I got the idea from one of Grizz's videos, although he used whipping.



We used 1.1 oz silnylon for the tarps which are 11 ft hexagons with cat cut edges. If anyone wants the plans let me know and I'll see if I can figure out where I saved them.



For the ridge line I'm using 1.75mm lash-it. On both ends I have fixed eyes. For attachment of the one end and tarp I made soft shackles and tied them on as klemheist knots. Then for tensioning I'm using a figure 9.





Finally for the tarp guylines I'm using 550 style cord with reflective tracers and shock cord tensioners.




As far as insulation goes. I am using the old style Army modular sleep system. It's heavy but warm. Friday night I slept in my hammock with no tarp and the bag. I was in the black bag with the green one between me and the bivy sack. It got bunched up on the side to my back got a little cool after getting up to water a tree. When I got up in the morning it was 27*. Since I was only wearing shorts and socks I'm sure I could make it down to at least 20 and maybe even 0 if I put the bags together and had a pad.

Let me know what you think of my set up.