View Full Version : Can I use UnderQuilt Protector as a hammock for my daughter?
While I'm waiting for my 2QZQ Argon 90 Underquilt Protector to be delivered I got a question. It will be my first UQP. I'll use it in some cold/windy/rainy weather. What if I the weather is good and I don't need it as a UQP. Do you think I can use it as hammock for my about 5 years old daughter? I'm thinking about using lark's head knots on the ends when I'll need to use it as a hammock, so I don't need to make any permanent changes.
By design it's just a same rectangular piece of fabric with sewn channels + a piece of shock cord, right? It's shorter than a regular hammock and the fabric is not strong enough for an adult, but it should work well for a child, isn't it? Or am I missing something important?
Wanderlost
05-01-2019, 07:07
You could always give it a go, but you could be out $50 pretty quickly. You could make a short hammock for less cost than that.
you could be out $50 pretty quickly.
Does it mean the fabric is not strong enough even for a 5 years old girl?
For me it was $61. Shipping cost to Poland included. You're right that I don't want to wear it out too fast...
TrailSlug
05-01-2019, 07:15
It wasn't designed for this but it may work. You know what they say, do not hang your daughter any higher than she's willing to fall. ;)
She's willing to fall from much higher than I'm ready to see :D They are climbing really high trees in her kindergarten.
2Questions
05-01-2019, 07:40
-
-Donna here...
I would say no.
The fabric isn't the proper weight strength to hold much weight.
As per Dutchware's site description..."ARGON Fabric is specially made for us as the cutting edge ultimate nylon quilt material. It resists wind and sheds water enough to be the outer shell of a quilt, yet it is breathable enough to be used as the inner shell. It has a very tight weave, has a top of the line DWR finish, is calendared and completely downproof. ARGON CS90 is 15 denier for added durability and is extremely tough."
There is no mention to use this fabric for hammocks...so, to be on the safe side, I would say the fabric isn't designed for that.
Sorry. :(
Wanderlost
05-01-2019, 08:34
Does it mean the fabric is not strong enough even for a 5 years old girl?
For me it was $61. Shipping cost to Poland included. You're right that I don't want to wear it out too fast...
I'd be hesitant. Argon wasn't designed as a weight-bearing fabric. It was designed as a lightweight, calendered quilt/apparel fabric. As much as it is ripstop, I just don't see it as worth the risk in my opinion....especially when you tack on international shipping/wait time.
Thank you TrailSlug and Wanderlost!
Thank you Donna! I'll try to do not let my crazy ideas to destroy my UQP and surely to do not hurt my children :)
You would be better off whipping up a tablecloth or bedsheet hammock.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=bedsheet+hammock
Shug
Thank you Shug :) We already used a towel to make a hammock for my daughter's toy animals and the idea to make some tablecloth or bedsheet hammock for sure can be useful at home but I don't think we will use this kind of fabric to make a hammock for hiking or cycling. I will prefer to buy one more hammock or to buy some good hammock fabric for DIY if I'll really need more hammocks. For now I already have 2 hammocks and I don't think the entire family will sleep in hammocks soon (I also have one month old son) so for this moment we have enough hammocks for both of us (me and my daughter) and we have a spreader bar for 2 trees = hammocks suspension. It was just a stupid idea about how to make one more light child hammock from an UQP so occasionally I can use it for my daughter . I just have never seen Argon 90 fabric and wasn't sure if it's good or stupid idea and I still need to wait a few weeks to get it shipped to me.
And I'm happy to be a part of hammockforums comunity. I have slept maybe just a dozen of nights (but in 4 countries already!) in a hammock outdoor (I didn't count many more balcony/backyard hammock nights) but after watching your videos and reading the forums I feel like I'm a 'real' expert in hammocks compare to most of my friends. But I still need a good advises from a real real hammock experts like you.
Orthofingers
05-01-2019, 14:49
You can make a very inexpensive gathered end hammock from tyvek. The large rolls are 9' tall which, would certainly be long enough for a 5,year old. Gathering the ends and whipping is difficult because the material is very slippery but if you give the ends a light spray of adhesive before you gather/whip, it's very easy. I still bring my Tyvek hammock on canoe camping trips to use as a gear hammock.
FLTurtle
05-01-2019, 15:30
You can make a very inexpensive gathered end hammock from tyvek. The large rolls are 9' tall which, would certainly be long enough for a 5,year old. Gathering the ends and whipping is difficult because the material is very slippery but if you give the ends a light spray of adhesive before you gather/whip, it's very easy. I still bring my Tyvek hammock on canoe camping trips to use as a gear hammock.
How noisy is it? Tyvek is pretty crinkly.
hutzelbein
05-05-2019, 14:34
There have been a couple of people on the forum, who were crazy (or brave?) enough to hang from even Argon .67. It probably won't wear out immediately, but most kids like to play pretty rough with hammocks. I wouldn't let a child I'm responsible for hang in anything lighter than 40D. Even if they probably won't get hurt when falling, you might turn them off of hammock camping for a long time.
If you want your UQP to be multipurpose, consider a calendared fabric like 1.6oz HyperD (https://ripstopbytheroll.com/collections/downproof-nylon-fabric-1/products/1-6-oz-calendered-hyperd). If you want to make an inexpensive hammock, I have a couple of yards of 1.9oz ripstop or even some 1.6oz nylon I ordered at some Black Friday a couple of years ago that I would be willing to let go for what I paid myself. EU tax already paid.
Thank you, hutzelbein. It was just curiosity. I have already ordered 3 yards of 1.6oz fabric to make shorter hammock for my daughter and it will be in Hot Pink color because she like the color. It will be used mostly at home I think. We decided to make something like this 174639 so she can sleep either in bed or in hammock.
I also ordered 1.6oz fabric and 1.0oz Monolite Mesh to make 2 more full size (10-11') hammocks. So, we will totally have 4 full size (10-11') hammocks: wide and heavy but comfortable TTTM 'Double', ultralight unbreathable Lesovik (not bad despite unbreathable fabric, just not for every season), ultralight and ultrabreathable Monolite hammock and "regular" 1.6oz hammock. More than enough. For now. One month old son is growing and I'm looking forward for family camping in 2 sets of double hammocks (with a spreader bar) :)