View Full Version : stronger fabric
I have been thinking of a project that will require my hammock to be made from something stronger than rip-stop. Although I would still like to keep the weight down I know it will be heavier than 1.9 per yard. I would also like to have the same properties of not stretching much. Oh and if it comes in camouflage that would be a plus to. I was looking at Cordura , and I think it is the best choice for being abrasive resistant.
Does anyone know of something better than Cordura?
warbonnetguy
10-19-2007, 18:42
for a hammock, you will probably much prefer a slick nylon. you can slide around easier and it feels good to your skin.
i wouldn't want one made of cordura or anything with a texture like that for a hammock. that includes supplex/taslan
you can get nylon taffeta a little heavier than 1.9 ripstop.
also consider just using two layers of 1.1 or 1.9 or one of each. this should give you plenty of strength.
What Warbonnet said....
Cordura (and other texturized nylons) are generally optimized for wear and feel rather than for pure strength. Yes they come much heavier but thats not really what you want.
The other option is something like plain uncoated 210D (210 denier) nylon... It'll be heavier and stronger... But since a 1.9-2.0 oz nylon easily holds 2 people at over 350 lbs I can't imagine why you'd need MORE than that...
Cannibal
10-22-2007, 07:39
But since a 1.9-2.0 oz nylon easily holds 2 people at over 350 lbs I can't imagine why you'd need MORE than that...
My bet, dynamic forces. ;)
Welllll....
I've done the "dynamic forces test with two people and had no issues... ;)
The whipping even held up.
GrizzlyAdams
10-22-2007, 09:57
If the she-Frolicking dino were here, she's be flailing her tail around !
Let's look carefully at Dutch's requirements...
a) low stretch
b) camo
c) abrasion resistant
me-thinks he has something other than physics experiments in mind.
I'd think the heavier weight untreated nylon would be the ticket. If it's rough to the skin you can bring along a silk bag liner to slip into.
Grizz
warbonnetguy
10-22-2007, 10:14
i don't like the 210d oxford nylon either, it's better than cordura and supplex, but still not as comfy as ripstop or eno fabric.
but you could always use whatever you needed (strengthwise), and just cover the sleeping side with 1.1R.
what are you needing all this extra strength for by the way?
I was just wondering why it seems only various types of nylon are being discussed and not other fabrics, especially since one of the requirements is "not stretching much". Anyone tried different fabrics (other than silk)?
Cannibal
10-22-2007, 11:12
I've used bed sheet material (cotton) and made some very comfy hangs. I attempted a hammock made from a Mexican Blanket (the good ones, not the street vendor models). I had a very difficult time getting my machine to go thru the folded material and cordage, so I scrubbed the experiment. I was going for a Brazilian style hang with that one. I need a bigger & badder sewing machine, or more patience. My money is on the machine option.
Stretch would be less with other fabrics... ones with high tech fibres or with Polyester... But those tend to be harder to find, at least without cotton in them, than nylon is.
Also it should be noted that heavier fabrics will stretch less under a given load. Just like a thicker elastic band will stretch less with a given force, or take more force to get the same stretch.
Abrasive resistance is my highest priority for characteristics which led me to Cordura. I plan on making a bridge hammock that converts into a backpack. It sounds silly but the shape of the bridge lends itself well. It has also been done (hammock/backpack) before with other designs. The problem I have is if I get a tiny hole in my backpack no big deal. But if I plan on sleeping in it at night I don’t want a perforated hammock. I am careless, clumsy and hike over PA rocks.
So the 210D nylon sounds interesting. I don’t mind if the material is rough because I would probably use a pad since it will be the backrest of my pack. I was thinking I could make it half out of cordura or 210d and half another lighter material yet to be decided. As Brandon pointed out once before the forces on a bridge are side to side and not end to end. This way the outside on the backpack would be the foot of the hammock where texture is less important.
Another idea is to make a double layer hammock with the bottom layer not being very load bearing. The bottom layer would also be the outside of the pack and it wouldn’t be a big deal if I got a small hole in it. The pad then could go between the layers which is preferable to me.
All the people chiming in on this are exactly the ones I wanted to hear from. So any ideas would be appreciated. It would also be nice if the whole thing weighed about a pound without the pad and was camouflaged.