Ok DIY is out. The only thing worse then my mechanical skills would be sewing skills.
Ok DIY is out. The only thing worse then my mechanical skills would be sewing skills.
Welcome from AR! Just jump in. Look in the for sale thread here, give ebay or amazon a shot, but get to hanging! You figure it out as you go. I'm on hammock #4 right now (all gathered end of various lengths and widths) and I don't see any end in sight.
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"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.
Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.
The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy,
while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn." — John Muir
welcome sir.
I prefer WB hammocks and UGQ quilts. Lightweight and quality.
oops here's the link to UGQ
http://www.undergroundquilts.com/
Hello from a little to the south!
I also came to this from bicycle camping. Don't know if you've actually done much of it, but your biggest enemy on a bike is bulk. I get around this by...well...mostly by being stubborn, given my budget...most of my gear is mounted on my pack, which is attached to the seat post rack. However, I also ride a beach cruiser; the center of gravity on that is going to be very different from a dedicated road or touring bike.
If your DIY skills are...less-than-impressive (mine certainly were when I started all of this: my sewing was limited to hand-sewing patches when I got holes in my clothing, and now I have a DIY pack, rain gear, hammock set-up, and I'm even starting on a shell jacket pretty soon), it may or may not be worth your time and effort to learn to sew. If you want something custom, it's probably cheaper to learn to sew. If you want something that you can point to and say, "I made that!", it's probably a good idea to learn. If you just want to save money, well...it will likely be a more profitable use of your time if you get another part-time job instead . You'll probably come out ahead on the financial front, and it'll eat up about the same amount of time as learning the skills, prototyping, and then tweaking to get your final product.
Areas of research to think about:
1.) The hammock. Well...duh...but...this is going to be your home away from home. I'd recommend getting something that's at least your height + 4 ft. long (so, 10'3" as the raw fabric body, at a minimum) and slightly wider than what a back sleeper might want (so, a full-width hammock).
2.) The tarp. Since you're bike camping (are you touring on the road or bikepacking? That changes your options some...), are you going to want to keep the bike dry when it rains? If so, either a larger tarp or a separate tarp (this can double as a poncho...not ideal on the bike for wind resistance, but it'll save space) to cover the bike. Note that this doesn't need to be an huge extra tarp; it just really needs to cover the seat and drive train. Since you intend on being out above freezing, doors are not an absolute necessity (an hex or even an asymmetric tarp will likely do you well). If your budget stretches to Cuben fiber, well...that'll be the lightest and smallest-packing. However, it may not be worth it, since the bulk savings aren't as great as the weight savings; sil-nylon will probably do you well here.
3.) The insulation. The lightest (and least bulky) insulation out there is down quilts--both top and bottom. It's also the most expensive. Since you're on a bike, I'd recommend a full-length underquilt; it'll save you fiddling once you get to camp and not require a pad for your feet in the hammock. If you get a top quilt that doubles as a puffy layer (Jacks 'R' Better sells 'em), that'll eliminate that extra piece of gear, as well. Just make sure that you store them in waterproof containers while out there; getting down wet is Bad News..
4.) The suspension. Since you're going to be out in above-freezing conditions, Whoopie Slings or UCRs will offer the least bulk. They're a little more fiddly than strap-and-buckle or strap-and-ring suspensions, but they do save pack size.
5.) Your carry system for the bike. This is getting a bit far afield from hammocking, so I'll simply ask if you intend on doing panniers or rackless. Those're your two main options, and it's worth looking at both before deciding on a pack system.
Hope it helps!
"Just prepare what you can and enjoy the rest."
--Floridahanger
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