maybe a new hammok idea

[pineapplenewton]

so there's tons of designs on hear for the best lay in a hammock form super wide with a diagonal lie to the bridge hammock but has anyone here tryed sleeping in a yard hammock? Like the ones with the two wooden sticks pulling out the sides. I haven't but if they give you a good lie wouldn't they be the best option for camping? I was thinking how could you bring that style camping. and it acme to me you would need a large rectangle or fabric just like a normal hammock but at the ends attach a sleeve that would house a hiking pole. it would be as if you put over sized spreader bars onto a bridge. I was thinking about the potential problems and what i thought of was that it would be tipy. and maybe special suspension could fix that. any thoughts?

[Cannibal]

Lawson hammocks use a similar design to what you are talking about. The problem with spreader bars on most hammocks (Bridge excluded) is they raise the center of gravity too high causing them to be unstable. I haven't tried a Lawson yet, so I can't speak of them but I'm curious how they got around the stability issue.

[lori]

I'd rather have a hammock that conforms to me. I think that's where a lot of the comfort comes from. It's not about the hammock being flat, it's about you feeling like you're flat - look at someone inside a hammock, the bottom isn't flat. Those spreader bar hammocks look more like trampolines to me.

[Ramblinrev]

There are plenty of hammocks that are constructed that way used for liesure and relaxation purposes. I have a hammock using a 4 point suspension system to a small stand. It is a horrific mess. It is extraordinarily uncomfortable to even lie in for any length of time unless the bed is "potato chipped" diagonally. Understand please this is a cheap nasty thing to start with. I suspect the high priced ones from hammock.com and other places would be better suited to their intent. But _my_ experience with the bed plane spreader bars says "don't bother". YMMV

[Frawg]

I've always been intrigued by the shorter spreader bars you see in some of the Navy hammock pictures, in which the bars are narrower than the width of the hammock body. They don't raise the center of gravity enough to risk capsizing, but they can define a 'virtual' hammock that is longer than the 'real' hammock. You get some of the benefits (whatever they are) of a longer hammock without taking up as much space. This idea is part of what's behind my affinity for end channel hammocks, rather than gathered end ones. Still haven't done anything with the idea, but it's always percolating in the back of my mind.

[kykcamper]

I like the idea that you are describing Frawg. I think it would be a nice balance, and it would also reduce the length. Maybe I'll try something like that if I ever decide to make one. I would probably want to find a secondary use for the spreader-bars, since I don't use hiking poles.

[TeeDee]

Seems there might be problem with unequal forces the length of the spreader bar, i.e., having the spreader bar in a channel on the end of the hammock or using ropes along the length of the spreader bar, would put force perpendicular to the spreader bar and there would be more force on the center of the bar than on the ends. The force would be greater down the center where the occupant is located and diminish towards the ends of the bars.

All of the patio type hammocks I have used and seen have very hefty bars - far more weight than I would consider carrying. I don't think the makers of those hammocks use more material in the bars than is necessary. That would just decrease their profits.

Also, with the forces perpendicular to the bar, hiking poles wouldn't be a good choice. They aren't designed for those kind of forces.

[Frawg]

TeeDee, the pictures I've seen of U.S. Navy and British Navy (setup as in the 1800s) did show some rather hefty short bars -- perhaps the size of 1x2s, and notched on each end to catch the cord. It obviously worked for them, so I think the concept is okay. As you note, though, the energy cost of implementing it may not be. Depends on what, if anything, it buys you in return. I guess one could avoid carrying them by using hefty branches you find while scrounging for hugger twigs.

I still like the idea, but it's not high on my list of things to find out at the moment.