Hello from Stephenville, Tx

[Jibbers]

Well as the title says, I am from Texas and man is it hot this time of year. Never spent to much time thinking about hammocks until a couple weeks ago. Went camping on the 4th with some friends. I ended up as bug bait and a fellow camper who brought a hammock seemed unscathed by the plague of skeeters, kissing bugs, and ants. He didn't even have a bug net. That is enough to sell me right there!

I made a DIY hammock out of a 300ct cotton twin sheet from wallyworld last week and strung it up with a couple 1" webbing straps from a $4 come along & some 550 cord. The 550 stretched a lot, but it worked. Unfortunately the sheet started ripping while I was experimenting with laying on my side and trying to find a good angle on the diagonal.

I was hoping I could get away without doing any sewing, but that didn't work, so I ordered 3 yards of 70D 1.9oz Ripstop Nylon yesterday. Hopefully by the end of next week I'll be ready for some field testing!

Anyhow, thank you all for providing this great source of information for keeping my butt off the ground and hopefully warm and bug free!

-Jibby

[MDSH]

Welcome, Jibby!

I know about chiggers and such in that part of the world -- spent a lot of time on my grandfather's ranch in Comanche County, near Proctor.

Sounds like you're off to a good start.

We'll need a Texas hang when it gets cooler.

.

[Jibbers]

Thanks for the welcome Mike.

[McBroom]

Welcome from the Piney Woods of East Texas. I had a similar experience as yourself in terms of the bugs, and I hope to never be on the ground again.

[Wisp]

Hey Jibbers, Welcome. I know Stephenville well. I go up there each year for our Border Collie State Sheepdog Finals Competition. I was just in Granbury this weekend.

You'll like hammocking. Its pretty addictive, the gear as well as the fun of doing!

[rhjanes]

Hi and Welcome! There are a lot of nut cases...I mean hammock hangers around Texas. There IS a hang in two weeks, down along the Lone Star Hiking Trail (Huntsville). There is a link in the hang-out forums, the Butt Bake. <<<click that. There are a few people bringing their extra hammocks, if you wanted to reach out to them. Worse case, you could drive over on Saturday, spend a few hours looking at different rigs and then drive back. Some are getting out there road-camping on Thursday (it seems). Most are showing up for a pot-luck and hang at the road/camp on Friday. Then, hike into a "Hidden lake".
Ray

[Jibbers]

Thank you guys for all the welcomes!

Welcome from the Piney Woods of East Texas. I had a similar experience as yourself in terms of the bugs, and I hope to never be on the ground again.

If staying off the ground means not being bug bait... well then me too!!!

Hey Jibbers, Welcome. I know Stephenville well. I go up there each year for our Border Collie State Sheepdog Finals Competition. I was just in Granbury this weekend.

You'll like hammocking. Its pretty addictive, the gear as well as the fun of doing!

Have you hiked/camped around any of the parks around here? I've got some ripstop in the mail and a couple table clothes, so hopefully I'll have a few hammocks rigged up by this weekend. I've been thinking about trying out dinosaur valley.

Hi and Welcome! There are a lot of nut cases...I mean hammock hangers around Texas. There IS a hang in two weeks, down along the Lone Star Hiking Trail (Huntsville). There is a link in the hang-out forums, the Butt Bake. <<<click that. There are a few people bringing their extra hammocks, if you wanted to reach out to them. Worse case, you could drive over on Saturday, spend a few hours looking at different rigs and then drive back. Some are getting out there road-camping on Thursday (it seems). Most are showing up for a pot-luck and hang at the road/camp on Friday. Then, hike into a "Hidden lake".
Ray

Well Texas has a way of attracting... "Characters"! I should have some working hammocks by then. I actually read the post already. Its a good drive from here, but then again... in Texas everything is. I have a feeling I'll probably not be able to resist the opportunity though

[sargevining]

Welcome from Rosenberg, Jibbers. Com on down to the Butt Bake and rip a hammock, folks are bringing have for just such a happenstance.
And you're right. Down here, Texans are used to traveling long distances. We'll drive 20 miles just for good TexMex.

[Caveman]

Welcome from the DFW area. Lots of great info here. As far as hammocks go, I would suggest trying a table cloth hammock. They are very comfy and you can order the TB for about $12. Hard to beat. Whip up the ends and you are good to go. No sewing required. I did a tutorial on the DIY section.

Otherwise, welcome to the forum.

[Jibbers]

Welcome from Rosenberg, Jibbers. Com on down to the Butt Bake and rip a hammock, folks are bringing have for just such a happenstance.
And you're right. Down here, Texans are used to traveling long distances. We'll drive 20 miles just for good TexMex.

Well hopefully by the time the butt bake comes around I'll have 3 hammocks working and I wont need to worry about ripping a hammock!!

Welcome from the DFW area. Lots of great info here. As far as hammocks go, I would suggest trying a table cloth hammock. They are very comfy and you can order the TB for about $12. Hard to beat. Whip up the ends and you are good to go. No sewing required. I did a tutorial on the DIY section.

Otherwise, welcome to the forum.

I'll be checking out that tutorial for sure. Already ordered two taffeta table cloths, 3 yards of ripstop, and 100' of 7/64 amsteel blue. I'm starting to think the tutorial I really need to watch is "How to control my impulse buying!!" haha Hopefully I wont find that tutorial until after I finish my bugnets and a tarp though.