1.1 Ripstop for lightweights?

**koaloha05** · 08-11-2008, 22:28

"That's the stuff I used on the outer body of my dual mode bridge hammock. Very very thin. Weighs in at 1.05 oz/sq yd. The inner body material is just as light, also from DIY Tactical."

"Two layers of this 1.05 oz stuff is holding me up just fine. About 190 lbsMy first DIY hammock was made from 1.1 and it always made me nervous and I weigh about 170 lbs."

"The material in my 1.1 is really thin looking and could my hand through the fabric. It always held me but I feel much safer hanging in the 1.9oz hammocks.last year i made a one layer hammock out of 1.1 & it lasted several months, & i really liked it....
until one night i slammed into my hard wood floor
it ripped just before the gathered fabric entered the knot. unless it's 2 layers, i think i'll stick w/ the 1.9oz"

Grizz, SlowHike & headchange4u noted the above. Sorry forgot who said what.

The Hyperlite Hen Hammock description is 30D. I'm assuming 1.1?

Would 1.1 ripstop be plenty strong and durable for those of us in the lightweight body group (less than 65 kg)?

What would be the negatives of 1.1 vs. 1.9 outside of weight load limits?
Would you reduce the number of stitches/inch with the lighter weight 1.1?

**Spock** · 08-18-2008, 20:48

I have used the same 1.1 oz. ripstip hammock now for 7 months - that is 7 months of actually sleeping in it. I weigh 215#. The fabric is Nylon 6.6 instead of Nylon 6 (which is garment grade). 6.6 is used for critical applications such as parachutes. It is about 70 percent stronger if I remember correctly. I don't know how you tell the difference unless the mill specifies it. Usually, you have to ask the retailer. If they don't know, assume it is Nylon 6.

**warbonnetguy** · 08-18-2008, 23:58

Originally Posted by Spock

I have used the same 1.1 oz. ripstip hammock now for 7 months - that is 7 months of actually sleeping in it. I weigh 215#. The fabric is Nylon 6.6 instead of Nylon 6 (which is garment grade). 6.6 is used for critical applications such as parachutes. It is about 70 percent stronger if I remember correctly. I don't know how you tell the difference unless the mill specifies it. Usually, you have to ask the retailer. If they don't know, assume it is Nylon 6.

is that a single layer of 1.1? that's impressive. do you sleep in it every night?

does the 6/6.6 thing only apply to the 1.1 oz ripstops? also i think some are 30d and some 40d.

the difference i see besides weight/durability, is the single 1.1 will stretch more, causing a less flat lay. i think it's quite noticeable even compared to single 1.9. i feel like single 1.9 stretches too much, and single 1.1 stretches a good bit more still. double 1.1 does pretty good and then you could go heavier still for even less stretch, like a double 1.1/1.9 or you could switch to polyester.

if i wanted a lightweight single layer, i would go with a single layer of 1.5 oz polyester if you can find it. it would stretch alot less than single 1.1/1.9 nylon and give a flatter lay, yet it is pretty light. i've had 300# in a single layer 1.5 a few times with no trouble.

if you like laying on your back all the time, extra stretch from a single 1.1 or 1.9 may not matter to you at all, but side sleepers might want something more stretch resistant for flatter side sleeping. i like polyester alot for a hammock body, but it's hard to find. at least one person (youngblood) has mentioned not likeing the feel of the poly hammock so it might be something to try out.

**Youngblood** · 08-19-2008, 05:38

Originally Posted by warbonnetguy

if you like laying on your back all the time, extra stretch from a single 1.1 or 1.9 may not matter to you at all, but side sleepers might want something more stretch resistant for flatter side sleeping. i like polyester alot for a hammock body, but it's hard to find. at least one person (youngblood) has mentioned not likeing the feel of the poly hammock so it might be something to try out.

My experience is based on the particular polyester fabric I used (1.5 to 2.5 oz?) not having enough stretch when I used it as a Speer style hammock. The weight of the fabric can effect that as well as how the hammock is made. I have used the 1.9 oz RSN, that I prefer, in hammock designs that had the knots tied on a bias of the fabric and I thought it had too much stretch that way.

The amount of fabric stretch is subjective. I try to generalize it as if you don't have enough stretch, it will not contour to your body well enough to reduce pressure points. You get pressure points when the weight of your body rests on your low points, like you butt, shoulders, and heels, and is not shared along the rest of your back and legs. But, that fabric stretch that reduces those pressure points also increase the amount of shoulder squeeze you get. So too little can be a bad thing and too much can be also... and what is just right can be different for different individuals.

**Spock** · 08-20-2008, 16:46

Single layer 1.1. Yes, all through an AT thruhike and a lot of other trail time. Caution: that so-called 1.1 from DIY Tactical reaches its weight because of dyes and treatments. It is not parachute grade and will not give the same performance as parachute grade as nylon 6.6. The DIY Tac stuff is much more loosely woven than parachute fabric.

Even good 1.1 ounce stretches. Yes, a side or stomach sleeper might want something with less stretch. A polyester might be better, but you need approx. 2 ounce (70D) or a little more to get adequate strength, IMHO. Nylon 6 in 70D (usually about 1.9 ounce) is less stretchy than nylon 6.6. It is a bit stronger than polyester. BTW, the nylon ripstop commonly found on the sale racks at Wallyworld over the last year has been 1.6 and 1.9 ounce. As far as I can tell, it is Nylon 6. Remember, you want some stretch.