Been lurking for a good while, but thought I'd better get round to saying thank you for all the fantastic information/inspiration I've sponged out of the site. Having said that, I'm also adding a slightly more sarcastic "thank you" for addicting me to the DIY thing and all the reading, googling, trolling through fabric websites, tapping away at a calculator, scribbling on bits of paper and general head scratching. (and sewing!)
Anyway, here's the result.
I just threw it up and jumped in on my way to buying milk, so I didn't shuffle into the most comfortable position (the hammock wasn't even level, but then neither was the camera!), but as you can see I'm a little guy in a big hammock, so it's easy to find a comfy spot.
It's a single layer of around 1.7 ripstop nylon (I think), with zipped bugnet. I don't have any digital scales so I'm guessing (from the postage weight - excess fabric + ridge and gather cord, but excluding suspension) it's somewhere around 600g (21oz). It + an old DD tarp come in noticably lighter than my tent so I'm happy.
Things I've learned/would change.
IF YOU ENJOY LEARNING NEW SKILLS, IT'S EASY AND FUN! So if you are thinking of taking the plunge into DIY, stop reading and do it.
It needs a couple of tie outs to really feel the benefit of it's size, that's easy enough to retro fit when I've got 5 minutes though. I'm using climbing tape and crabs I had lying around, I'll replace them with something a little lighter at some point. Probably my only real fault with it is that a black hammock with a black bug net and a black zip means that in the dark, with sleepy eyes and a tarp set for a storm, it's hard to tell if your feet are in the hammock or resting on bugnet, but you live and learn, olive zip next time or maybe tighten the sides a little. As that's the main complaint I'm very happy.
Other things I might change for the next one (told you I was addicted) aren't really improvements, just different, like maybe only zippering one side to save a few grams but reducing the view a little.
So thanks again to everyone, and thanks in advance for the info I'll be sponging for the next project, an underquilt... Hmm, down or primaloft, how do I figure out fill volume, how do I figure out the differential cut, 2/3 season or one for those canoe trips when the water goes hard? Better go, got some reading to do!
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