I am wanting to make my own hammock using one of the many ideas/patterns online. Not sure if my skills are good enough to include a bug net. My questions is for those of you that don't use a bug net how do you keep the bugs off you?
I am wanting to make my own hammock using one of the many ideas/patterns online. Not sure if my skills are good enough to include a bug net. My questions is for those of you that don't use a bug net how do you keep the bugs off you?
You say your skills aren't up to it, but look at Fronkey's design. I guarantee you can make that. I had never sewn before and his bug net sock was among the first things I made, after my tablecloth DIY. Easy-Peasey!
That is, of course, assuming you have access to a thread injector, or as we like to call them, a table mounted electric drive fabric welder.
Iaspanky, I do not own a bug net and I live in MN where our state bird is the mosquito. You will notice that most of my trips take place either in fall, winter, or spring simply to avoid the mosquitoes. If you want to camp without a bugnet in the summer you have two choices: sweat or get eaten alive.
If you crawl into your sleeping bag, zip it totally shut, then wear a small head net ($10 at any outdoor store) you won't get bitten. However, if you are worried about mosquitoes it is probably very hot and sleeping zipped up is no fun in my experience.
If I lived in a place like Moab or some other desert I would be in heaven because they don't have mini flying vampires. But needless to say, I will be building my first mosquito net this summer.
As much as I love the piney woods, I am not a big fan of bugs while I sleep. I use a net all the time. I just don't get out much during the summer and like refreshing said I usually only camp fall, winter and spring. Mosquitoes aren't the only critters that can snuggle up with you during the night. I am an open mouth sleeper or as other would say a really loud snorer. I soak my stuff in permitherin just to make sure they get the message. I would rather have a net and be naked then thin layer of clothes and no net.
I sprayed the underside of my tarp, and my hammock with permethrin. When I camp in the summer I'm usually out of my hammock before the mozzies start feeding and not back in it until they've finished anyway.
The bug net from Cryptic Cricket made from 2 shear curtains from WMT is about as easy as it gets since the channels are already sewn. Cost is about $11.00.
Love is blind. Marriage is an eye opener.
+1 on the Fronkey style bug net. Very easy even if you had to hand sew. Bug netting is very easy to hand sew. This is what I use and love it.
https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...fronkey+bugnet
"I love not man the less, but Nature more."
Byron
You do not have to have great sewing skills to make your own hammock or a bug net.
None of my seams are straight but my stuff still works. The Fronkey bug net is about as simple as it gets for a DIY bug net ( I have made one and have used it on several hangs including a group hang ).
Picture of DIY hammock and Frondkey Bug net at the SC Fall Sprawl Hang
I am still 18 but with 52 years of experience !
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