Hey hammock hangers!
A few months ago I hung my twins (at the time 7 years old, now 8). I know, but I couldn't resist, and I had my wife’s permission. They have become full time hangers with their DIY 1.6 single layer 10’ hammocks and AHE Jarbridge underquilts (which are beautiful in red and blue).
Spring is here and we have backpacking on the brain. They have always done well in tents, but really want to hang in the woods.
The wife doesn't want them hanging on their own, even if they are close by, so we are going to try to bunk bed hang. We went to the local park and tried it out with my HG standard tarp. Unfortunately, I didn't take a pic with the tarp (like I thought I did), but I did get one of the wife and a kid hanging.
bunk hammock.jpg
The HG tarp is 8.5’ wide, and when hung as low as I can hang it over the top hammock, it leaves the lower hammock total exposed to wind blow rain (which we get here in the southeastern US). I don't see where I reasonably hang the hammocks closer together.
I have thought about the side-by-side hang, but I think that would really limit tree selection and I still think I would need a wider tarp anyway. Having a wet wife in the woods at 4 AM is not a good thing.
So I am thinking of making two ARGON Sil Nylon tarps with doors. Think Warbonnet Superfly which is (11’ x 10’) only bigger, like 11’ x 14’ (if I did the math right). I was going to get 33’ of ARGON (with a little extra at the ends for slop and stuff sacks), cut into 3 pieces at 11”, split one down the middle and add it to each side to increase the width. Of course, I would do this for two tarps starting with like 24 yards of fabric. I was going to try 5" cat cuts on the bottom edges (should they be deeper). When the doors are folded up the tarp would be a hex with a 6' edge at the bottom, but I am thinking I should make that more like 7 feet.
Good idea?
Am I on the right track?
Will the 14’ be wider than I need or not long enough?
What dimensions should I go with?
Should I just tent until the kids are old enough to hang on their own in the woods?
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