DIY storage pockets for use inside hammocks

[Rain Man]

One of the "cons" of hammocks is not having "floor space" (like in a tent) to place things. Last weekend on a section hike on the Appalachian Trail in Virginia, I "lost" two things in one evening, things that I dropped while laying in my hammock or placed above my head and migrated elsewhere on their own. I never found them (in spite of lots of twisting and turning and reaching and looking) til the next morning when I got out of the hammock. That set my mind to work, ... necessity being the mother of invention.

I could have made another ridgeline pocket, but my HH already has one of those (far too small), but big enough to get in the way. I decided to make "sideline" pockets and attach them with velcro, "mis-matched" so that they could also stick to each other and be slung over the ridgeline if ever I wanted.

At home I found I had some grey silnylon scrap and some grey bugnet material, so I settled on that to use. One side of each pocket would be silnylon and one side bugnet. I wanted two pockets and decided on one on each side of me. One small down at my left hip, close to where I sit to get in and out (but convenient when I'm lying down), and one larger up past my head.

The small pocket has finished dimensions of 5"x7". The larger one is 7"x9". Each has velcro for a closure and also velcro on the back (of opposite types) so they can be stuck to the hammock or the each other.

I sewed "soft" ("loop") velcro near my left hip where I might sit on it and the "scratchy" ("hook") velcro above my head where it would be out of the way. My HH has been modified by 2Q/2Z with zippers, so I sewed the velcro to the zipper material tape for strength. On the back of each of the two pockets I used, respectively, the opposite loop or hook velcro.

Tried it out in my front yard today and they seem to work just fine. I am looking forward to being able to perform chores, such as map reading/planning and note taking/journaling, much easier each evening, before turning off my headlight and calling out "Goodnight John Boy." (My next AT hike will include West Virginia! LOL)

Anyway, enjoy the pics. In order, they show (1) the fronts, (2) the backs, (3) closed velcro closure tab, (4) opened velcro closure tab, (5) large pocket stuck above head, (6) small pocket stuck near left hip, (7) another of large pocket above head, (8) small pocket flipped to outside of hammock, and (9) large pocket flipped to outside of hammock. I'll take another of them stuck together and on the ridgeline and post it in a separate message.

Rain Man

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