Bridge hammock cover/tent/cocoon thanks to Grizz and everyone else on here.

**mikey** · 10-31-2013, 13:29

Bridge hammock cover/tent/cocoon.
I was looking at the Chrysalis Hammock Tent as an interesting idea for winter camping. But when I started reading the reviews everyone shot it down as weighting way to much at 7 lbs. I agree. And that an under quilt could not be used with the system etc.

However, the engineer in me started to think why can it not be lighter?

So I built one of my own, it started with a Grizz bridge hammock design I saw him do where his head is actually right under the spreader bar. And took it one-step farther doing the same for the feet. This left me with a hammock that is only 9 feet long. The total weight of the hammock is 14.71 oz, the tent pole spreader bars add 11.29 oz to this.
The fabric is 1.9 oz ripstop and the webbing is .5 inch wide mil-spec Dyneema, and suspension is done with Amsteel. This has been strong enough to hold me (6 ft, 280 lbs) and my pack/cloths etc (25 lbs) with no problem and no stretch in the hammock at all. This helps with setting up the cover.

The underquilt is 6 oz apex with Momentum 50 as cover material for both sides. Weights in at 1 lb 14 oz. and is good down to 0 (I have used it down to 28 so far with only a go lite 30 UL top quilt.) and since the hammock does not stretch I have light speed clips on the six connecting points. With the top ones adjustable.

The cover is made from 1.1 ripstop DMR material. I was going to use silnylon but the DMR is waterproof (water just rolls off) and is still breathable so I do not wake up with the inside wet. due to dew point or tent weeping. It weights 15.6 oz. and was first tested for waterproofness by my daughter standing on the roof of the house with a water hose and spray nozzle shooting the cover full force, I had a small zipper leak but the way the design works it drips down the zipper and back out the bottom.

I have had it out in a rainstorm with 50 mph winds, which dropped 2 inches of rain in an hour, at 36 degrees outside temperature. And slept nice and warm with only the golite 30 top quilt and a pair or boxer shorts. The wind did sway the hammock a little so I might have to find a way to tie it down a little.

I have slept at 50 degrees with no top quilt (took a spill in a river and soaked my sleeping bag down does not work when it is soaked) just a pillow and my boxers.

I will post some photos as soon as I figure out how, if it works the first one is the whole thing set up (cover, hammock and underquilt).

Second is my daughter hanging out inside.

Third is my Shanghai-la 3 tent, and Exped DownMat 7 Air Pad (my old standard for sub 30 degree F nights, the three bags on the left), with the spreader bars, hammock, underquilt, and cover in the stuff sack on the right.

The lose in volume has let me go from a 75 cu pack to a 45 cu pack, in all I have lost 9 lbs of weight from combined gear changes, tent, sleeping bag (I can use the golite 30 where I use to use a helium 0), pad to underquilt, 75 cu pack with full suspension to a 45 cu with no frame, tent to just a hammock cover.

the only draw back I have found is I can not use my stove in my tent anymore. that use to be nice because you could make breakfast in bed and heat up the tent before getting out of bed to get dressed.

I do want to say thanks to Grizz for a the great write-ups and information he has posted I went from a ground sleeper who hated tents and pads, etc. to a tree hanger that loves to curl up in his cocoon at night and sleeping sound and warm.

**priller** · 10-31-2013, 13:35

Very cool man, we need more pics!

When you had it out in the rainstorm, did you not use a tarp over you? Just the cover? Ballsy....

**mikey** · 10-31-2013, 14:06

Originally Posted by priller

Very cool man, we need more pics!

When you had it out in the rainstorm, did you not use a tarp over you? Just the cover? Ballsy....

Rio Rancho...

you know the storm I was talking about happened last week, the one that blew trash cans down the road on tramway. I was sleeping above the waterfall in Tejeras... roughly 9000 feet up the Sandias. if you think this side got bad you should have been on the mountain.

yeah no tarp, just the cocoon. the Chrysalis was designed to be used just by itself http://www.trailspace.com/blog/2008/...chrysalis.html the problem was like most things eureka makes it is way heavy, big webbing, heavy fabric, etc.

I just did the same thing with lighter stronger parts. The only thing I might change is right now I do not have a ridge line. It held up well in the wind but I was inside of a lot of trees in the lower edge of the canyon, I think if I was to set up in the Gila in an open meadow it might help to have a little more strength in between the two tie points.

**priller** · 10-31-2013, 14:35

Oh snap man! I am a bonehead, I didn't even see you are from around here! Right on!

We will have to get together....haha like immediately!

**Nodust** · 10-31-2013, 14:57

How do you get inside it?

Looks good. I like it.

**mikey** · 10-31-2013, 15:15

Originally Posted by Nodust

How do you get inside it?

Looks good. I like it.

If you look close right under the front spreader bar in the first photo you will see a what looks like loose material hanging off the side. what that is is a rain flap that is sewn down 10 inches. it connects a flap that runs from there to just past the other spreader bar. behind that flap is a opening that lets you in. the flap is trapezoidal and attaches to the bottom of the hammock area via a Velcro tab.

So getting in goes like this, you reach under the hammock and pull up the flap.

Slide between the flap and the cover which has a slit the that runs from spreader bar to spreader bar.

Then I like to lean forward, lift my inside leg up and slide it onto the hammock, then tuck my shoulder and slide into the hammock so I am laying on my side, then a lot like rolling into bed I roll over pulling the foot that was on the ground into the hammock with me. then I reach around the side of the hammock and grab the flap and secure it to the bottom of the hammock closing the opening and rain/wind proofing the shell.

the flap is sewn 10 inches down ether side past the slit and the trapezoidal shape makes sure there is at least 10-12 inches of over lay between the flap and the slit at the ends with that distance growing to 24 inches at the middle.

much like an under quilt once there is a body inside the shell, the flap gets pressed up against the shell and held there. when done right the whole thing is tight and really does not flap or move much in the wind.

I will post photos that will help make it a little more clear when I get home tonight.

and if you look at the end of the shell in the photo you will see a full length zipper. that is used for sliding the shell over the hammock/underquilt when you first assemble it.

what is nice is the zipper can be used to open the end and put your overquilt, pillow, etc in the cubby area at the head of the hammock/shell before you climb in. so once you are in the shell all you have to do is reach over your head and pull your quilt down and over yourself. I like to sleep on my side with my arm straight out above my head, so the cubby at the head and feet is about 20 inches long by 18 wide by 36 tall. what I have found is I can store my backpack in the foot cubby, and use the head cubby for my jacket, phone, light, shoes, cloths, gun, etc. basically the stuff I want to have close at hand. this means that there is nothing left outside on the ground to get wet, dirty, lost...

the zipper is the only weakness right now, I could not find a 46 inch long water proof/resistant zipper in town, so I left enough fabric so it makes a funnel at the bottom of the shell if any water does get in it will flow down to the well (the funny looking cone at each end) and bleed out the bottom of the zipper (I left a 1/4 inch bleed hole there...

if I had a water proof zipper I would probably reshape that area and make it more streamlined. it does flap a little in the wind or at least until I put one of my hiking boots in it...

**mikey** · 10-31-2013, 15:34

Originally Posted by priller

Oh snap man! I am a bonehead, I didn't even see you are from around here! Right on!

We will have to get together....haha like immediately!

Just say when buddy....

**Zilla** · 10-31-2013, 16:02

Nice work, i am collecting materials to start my bh project, hope it turns out as nice as yours seems to have

**mikey** · 10-31-2013, 16:15

Originally Posted by Zilla

Nice work, i am collecting materials to start my bh project, hope it turns out as nice as yours seems to have

thank you, there is a lot of great stuff on this board, and I am in no way saying I have anything new to add, but if I can be of any help please just let me know.

I started doing this at the beginning of the summer when my daughter said she wanted to try a hammock when we camp. six hammocks, three underquilts, and a shell later, it has been a fun trip to get to where we are now, you will have a lot of fun doing your project.