How long and wide for a DIY peapod ?

[tammons]

From scratch.
M50 and Apex

6-3, 235, 12' long gathered end hammock.

I was hoping 5' wide shaped like a speer, IE oval with the ends cliped would be wide enough, but now I am not sure. Thinking 9'-6" long

Thanks

[oldpappy]

I just noticed you didn't get a reply --- I only made a sock (link below) and not a peapod, but the info might help. I'm 5'9" 160lbs. I made a sock for a small hammock but tried it on my 11 foot hammock, so the results here are for an 11 foot X 60" Hammock:
- I found 8 foot long was about 18" too short for an 11 ft hammock (I am only covering shoulders down to end)
- 80" wide was too small when using a UQ. 80" W was OK without UQ.
You have to figure outside diameter width that includes the pod loft - an inside diameter of 80" would be OK if you use a thin UQ or no UQ.
Length/width recommendation - I'd look at the commercial pea pods and replicate their specs.
Sock post: http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...0&postcount=17

[Shug]

I don't have a good answer for you but here is some pea pod intel from the DIY Section…...http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...rchid=11116623
Carry forth,
Shug

[BillyBob58]

So do you want to closely copy the Speer Pea Pod? The commercial Pea Pod ( Polar Pod is wider and longer) is 9.5 long by 6 feet wide in the middle. It is tapered from fat middle to narrow ends at a ratio of about .58 as wide or 42" wide on the end, with an end drawcord to cinch it down. So 9.5 ft by 6 ft in the middle by 3.5 ft on the ends.

But the Speer Pea Pod was designed to work perfectly with the Speer hammock, which was 8-8.5 ft long, though Speer later said the 8.5 actually was a 9 ft hammock by the way other people were measuring. And I have used a Pea Pod for years on a 10 ft hammock with no problems, but it is barely long enough especially if I am wanting to add more puffy insulation to the top or bottom. Still, works good overall, but you can see 12 ft likely will be a different story. So, I think you are going to need a longer Pea Pod.

The Polar Pod is claimed to be 1.5 ft wider at 7.5 ft and 1 ft longer at 10.5 ft. This makes it much easier to add even more insulation for those below zero hangs and to seal up over the ends onto the suspension on longer 10 to 11 ft hammocks. Still, that would be using a 10.5 ft pod on 11 ft or shorter hammocks. Yours is 12 ft?

But considering the original, at 9.5 ft, was designed for either an 8.5 ft hammock(or 9 ft if you go for the later Speer hammock rating change), then it seems you are going to want something near 12 ft as optimum. The longer a pod is, the longer a hammock you can use it on and still be able to cinch it down tight over(past) the hammock suspension knot, cinching down to a tiny hole just big enough for the hammock suspension rope, without pulling it tight enough to compress the down. It does not have to be that long, but that is optimum for fighting drafts and adjusting so that down is just barely touching your back.

[tammons]

Thanks for the replies.

I might go with a shorter hammock for the pod setup.
I do have a grand trunk UL and I find it almost comfortable enough so I might experiment.

Think what I have decided to do is build a long one, similar to a speer, but 5' wide, then have a center section I can zip in to increase the width.

Not really doing anything yet until I make a few simple cloth testers.

[BillyBob58]

Thanks for the replies.

I might go with a shorter hammock for the pod setup.
I do have a grand trunk UL and I find it almost comfortable enough so I might experiment.

Think what I have decided to do is build a long one, similar to a speer, but 5' wide, then have a center section I can zip in to increase the width.

Not really doing anything yet until I make a few simple cloth testers.

That removable center section is a great idea. Sometime I realize I could get by with a less wide pod, but not often. That width and length helps a lot with the diagonal lay, which I find not to be diminished at all (although I do use it with a narrow Claytor hammock).