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  1. #1

    DIY Backpacking Hammock? - Looking to make a short length with a flat lay

    There might be some threads on this already, so feel free to point me in the right direction.

    Is there a way to make a short (under 9') gathered-end hammock that utilizes some sort of footbox and/or modification to allow for a flat lay despite the length?

    It would be sweet to have a rig for backpacking that doesn't take up much space but still sleeps well.
    For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Cor. 4:5-6

  2. #2
    SnrMoment's Avatar
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    My BIAS WW Micro in 1.0 ACU camo packs down to about the size of a soda can, including the whoopies. Weighs in at about 6 oz. with the slings, is 11' long and 62" wide. No need for a smaller hammock.
    Love is blind. Marriage is an eye opener.

  3. #3
    Senior Member dejoha's Avatar
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    Are you looking for a short length to also minimize your tarp requirements? This is another issue with large hammocks: bigger tarps. To truly go lightweight with a hammock set up, that to me is a prime consideration.

    I'm working on a smaller hammock as you describe, but it is modeled after the WWII service hammock. It doesn't use a footbox, but does hang at a more horizontal angle than we traditionally endorse. Unfortunately, I'm still testing and working on it so I have little to offer, except that it saves some weight by minimizing the fabric length and uses nettles/ropes on the ends to maximize the length and weight.

    As SnrMoment describes, there are other hammocks that are very light and pack down small if your prime concern is bulk. The BIAS hammock is one that I highly recommend as well. The Grand Trunk Nano is also widely used and is somewhat shorter in length.

  4. #4
    I'm sure there are great hammock out there manufactured by great companies, but I'm wanting to make my own - for the sake of saving money, and because it's fun.

    And yes, I'm thinking about the tarp too, because a short tarp and a short hammock would make for a really light rig.

    I thought I saw a thread once where someone made a short hammock with a flat lay by doing some cuts on one side of the foot end and one side of the head end (opposite corners). Anyway, if anyone has instructions or plans, let me know. I'd love to see some ideas so I can have something in mind for my next project.
    For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Cor. 4:5-6

  5. #5
    Senior Member Dave-O's Avatar
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    I think you might be thinking of TZBrown's hammock with a footbox. Here's the link: http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=31584

    Sincerely,
    Dave-O

  6. #6
    SnrMoment's Avatar
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    Kind of talking out of both sides of my mouth, but I'm also working on a much smaller hammock. As Dejoha mentioned, the tarp is a big consideration as are other items such as quilts, nets & socks. I like the foot box addition and will see what I come up with.
    Love is blind. Marriage is an eye opener.

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Dave-O View Post
    I think you might be thinking of TZBrown's hammock with a footbox. Here's the link: http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=31584

    Sincerely,
    Dave-O
    Yes! Thank you!

    And like SnrMoment mentioned - short hammock = short tarp, etc. = less weight overall. That's the idea behind this.
    For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Cor. 4:5-6

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by SnrMoment View Post
    Kind of talking out of both sides of my mouth, but I'm also working on a much smaller hammock. As Dejoha mentioned, the tarp is a big consideration as are other items such as quilts, nets & socks. I like the foot box addition and will see what I come up with.
    Let me know what you come up with. I'm brewing ideas in my head, but most seem to come up short when it comes to being practical.
    For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Cor. 4:5-6

  9. #9
    SnrMoment's Avatar
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    Will be making a 48" x 96" prototype today just to see how it hangs. Not going to sew anything, but only whip the ends & hang it.

    Edit: tried it out. Tight on the sides and would be tighter if hemmed. A little short, but may work for me at 5'9" if I can add about a foot to it. Will see what I get tomorrow.
    Last edited by SnrMoment; 12-03-2012 at 20:49.
    Love is blind. Marriage is an eye opener.

  10. #10

    DIY Backpacking Hammock? - Looking to make a short length with a flat lay

    Any updates on your build? I realize that was quite a while back.

    Since December, I almost gave up on using a hammock for backpacking. However, few weeks ago I decided to do surgery to my DIY 1.1 double and now I think I'm back to stay.

    It started after laying in a friends singlenest ENO. I was admittedly skeptical of those "lesser" hammocks, but after a few minutes I realized I had a flatter, more comfortable lay than I have ever had in my 1.1 double. The biggest thing I noticed was the stretch in the fabric - my 1.1 dbl had very little, while this singlenest had a decent amount. What it did for me was give a place for my knees and ankles to sink into (the number one problem I had in the past).

    Being 6'3" and 165 lbs, I looked again at a few manufacturers specs for weight and fabric strength, and thought maybe I was going overboard with my 1.1 double. So I took the layers apart and whipped the ends with a few different styles before landing on a W-fold on the foot end, and a traditional gather at the head.

    The whipping and the increased stretch felt weird at first (I had channels prior to this) but eventually I realized this was incredibly comfortable.

    Not only that, but it cut my space and weight way down. To aid in that, I bought carbon toggles. Next step - cut and sew it into my own version of a Ghost Hammock (thanks for the inspiration Sgt. Rock) and add dynaglide UCR's. I guess I'll have to go back to channels, but I imagine the foot box alleviating the issues that the W-fold also alleviated.

    Any thoughts or tips would be great. I've already read up on dynaglide strength.
    For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Cor. 4:5-6

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