Hammock Sock material

[Nest]

I went to the last RRG trip, and discovered I need a hammock sock. I wasn't really cold at night, but I could tell I was at the limits of my cold weather setup. I know most people have DWR hammock socks, and I believe Headchange is using untreated. I have about 40 yards of green untreated that I think is 1.9 oz. Would that work ok for a hammock sock? It will be used in places like Speer's New Years Eve hangout on Springer. It will also be used at the winter hangout, and go on my thru hike next year. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks.

[slowhike]

for a hammock sock, i would use the lightest fabric i could. but if that's what you already have, i think there would be very little difference in weight for something that size.

i would just get a can of DWR spray & treat it w/ that after it's finished.
the DWR will not only help to repel rain & mist but make it much more wind resistant while leaving it breathable.

[Nest]

Well, weight is an issue. What material would you suggest? Is there anything lighter than 1.9 DWR? Also, something that isn't too expensive.

[slowhike]

i know it's hit & miss but i've found a fair amount of really thin rip stop at wal-mart's $1.00 bin. i would say it's about 1.1 ozs.
maybe jeff still has some if you can't find it there.
if not, i'll look & see if i do. i don't want to get rid of to much of the good & cheap stuff i found, but for someone getting ready for a long hike....
i guess i could:rolleyes: :D

[headchange4u]

IMHO, untreated material is a must for a sock. It's very breathable, which helps to cut down on condensation and allows air flow in for breathing, which is a good thing. I prefer 1.1oz but my HH top cover and my HH clone zip on winter cover are both made from 1.9oz untreated.

[Nest]

i know it's hit & miss but i've found a fair amount of really thin rip stop at wal-mart's $1.00 bin. i would say it's about 1.1 ozs.
maybe jeff still has some if you can't find it there.
if not, i'll look & see if i do. i don't want to get rid of to much of the good & cheap stuff i found, but for someone getting ready for a long hike....
i guess i could:rolleyes: :D

I would hate to take any since the sock will require a fair amount of material. I think a WalMart near me has some OD Green 1.9 DWR. Also I was looknig at OFW, and found what I thnk may be the best stuff. I think it is 1.1 oz DWR.
http://www.owfinc.com/Fabrics/NylonWoven/Ripstop.asp#Nylon%20Ripstop:%20Coated
RIPB+wt+color
I am looking that the thrid one on that page. RIPB+wt+color, the 1.1 oz. If I am reading it right, that is 1.1 DWR. My mom is thinknig of maknig a Potomac underquilt, so we could share the shipping.

[Nest]

IMHO, untreated material is a must for a sock. It's very breathable, which helps to cut down on condensation and allows air flow in for breathing, which is a good thing. I prefer 1.1oz but my HH top cover and my HH clone zip on winter cover are both made from 1.9oz untreated.


For weight and cost, I preffer untreated. What about wind passing through the material though? I remember you and Hooch saying how you got hot with the covers, and how it made the difference. So I know untreated makes a difference.

[headchange4u]

The socks acts as a wind stopper for the most part. At Mt rogers when we were experiencing wind of 35-45 mph I could feel air moving through the HH top cover just barely when the wind managed to find it's way to my hammock. I couldn't imagine what it would have been like if I didn't have the cover. Unless there is a strong wind blowing directly against the sock I don't think wind would be much of an issue. That's where site location and tarp setup becomes key.

[slowhike]

headchange would be the voice of experience here. i haven't even made my hammock sock or travel pod yet.
i just know it will be a real benefit this winter.

[Nest]

I think I will go with HC here. I will use the 1.9 I have on hand and make one. Hopefully it will be done to be tested at the next hangout Neo is having in Dec. Thanks.

[Nest]

Ok, now I have a problem. What should the measurements be? I figure 110" long. The width is a problem though. My material isn't very wide, and it looks like I will have to sew three pieces together lengthwise to be able to go around my underquilt and ridgeline. That's gonna make this thing really heavy. Might have to wait until I can hang my hammock and measure around everything to see the needed width.

[warbonnetguy]

so these hammock socks just hang loose? when the wind blows does it just get pushed up against the hammock? is it for keeping wind from penetrating the hammock fabric, or more for keeping it from coming in through the netting?

[slowhike]

Ok, now I have a problem. What should the measurements be? I figure 110" long. The width is a problem though. My material isn't very wide, and it looks like I will have to sew three pieces together lengthwise to be able to go around my underquilt and ridgeline. That's gonna make this thing really heavy. Might have to wait until I can hang my hammock and measure around everything to see the needed width.

i like the idea of joining the pieces of fabric together & hanging them over the ridge line, w/ a pad & maybe some weight in the hammock & the under quilt on too.
then pin it underneath, take it off & sew.
this will give you a more realistic idea about what's needed for your hammock.

[slowhike]

so these hammock socks just hang loose? when the wind blows does it just get pushed up against the hammock? is it for keeping wind from penetrating the hammock fabric, or more for keeping it from coming in through the netting?

i believe they can vary quite a bit in how they are put together but the basic idea is kinda like being inside a double wall tent... a separate, waterproof fly on top & a breathable, wind free environment inside the body, or in this case the sock.

but i think to much excess, loose fabric that blows in the wind is going to take some away from the sock because of the billows action.

that's why i'm working on a travel pod (which is basically a sock w/ a zipper) that will be held out a few inches by the spreader bars & weighted from below by a few gear items. this should create a more stable, breathable, shell.

[headchange4u]

NCPatrick has made several socks so he may be able answer better than me, but the last one I made used 2 pieces of 50" 1.1oz fabric sewn together and tapered on the ends with zipper access. I thought that the 2 pieces of 50" fabric sewn together was no going to be enough but it ended up being a little more than needed. As far as weight, it ended up being about 10oz and was about 125" long when finished.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v704/headchange4u/TravelPod002.jpg

[Nest]

Thanks SlowHike and Headchange. I will sew two pieces together, and drape them over my hammock. Then maybe pin were I want the other seam to go.

[beamarshall]

Try and find a "Body double" for the pinning part! the hang of my hammock changes a lot between the occupied and empty states....
HTH, Betsy

[slowhike]

Try and find a "Body double" for the pinning part! the hang of my hammock changes a lot between the occupied and empty states....
HTH, Betsy

good advice. & hang it basically the way you normally do.

[Just Jeff]

Here are the pages where I made socks:

http://www.tothewoods.net/HomemadeGearTravelPod.html
http://www.tothewoods.net/HomemadeGearHammockSock.html

One thing I've noticed is that having the zipper run right across the top of the hammock can stress it when you get in and out...so make sure the zipper is long enough that you'll have enough sag, and all of the force goes on the hammock and not the zipper. You can rotate the sock while you get in depending on how you make it...that'll help.

warbonnet - yes, they hang loose either over a fixed ridgeline or just around the hammock. It gives dead air space below and stops airflow above. In strong winds it can blow up against the hammock on the windward side but it still provides ~10F increase in temps. If it's big enough to go over the ridgeline, you can hang your pack from the ridgeline and over the windward side of the hammock, inside the sock, to keep the sock farther away from the hammock.

I can immediately tell a difference on my nose and toes when I use my sock...even a slight wind blowing over the hammock can chill my face and feet, but with the sock it's not an issue. Just the temps to deal with.

[NCPatrick]

When I made mine (http://picasaweb.google.com/brownpatri/HammockSockPod) (based on Just Jeff's and blackbishop351's ideas as well as some others) I made the zipper really long. I use it more like a travel pod. There's NO pressure on the zipper on mine.

I used 1.9 DWR, and get lots of ventilation from the ends, which I don't cinch completely closed. It may be heavier than you need, or that you would make for yourself, although I do think the DWR can block more of the wind. I recently slept in the backyard at 28F with it, and it worked fine.

I made mine (thread is here (http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php?p=28412#post28412)) with
2 sheets of 125" x 60" 1.9 oz. DWR ripstop sewn together to form a tube, with a 96'-ish #3 zipper (with 2 reversable pulls that close head-to-head) at one seam and paracord drawstrings at the ends.

[headchange4u]

When I made mine (http://picasaweb.google.com/brownpatri/HammockSockPod) (based on Just Jeff's and blackbishop351's ideas as well as some others) I made the zipper really long. I use it more like a travel pod. There's NO pressure on the zipper on mine.

I used 1.9 DWR, and get lots of ventilation from the ends, which I don't cinch completely closed. It may be heavier than you need, or that you would make for yourself, although I do think the DWR can block more of the wind. I recently slept in the backyard at 28F with it, and it worked fine.

I made mine (thread is here (http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php?p=28412#post28412)) with

You use DWR nylon? Don't you have problems with condensation or a stuffy, humid environment inside the sock? The DWR I have experience with would not allow much air movement through the fabric, which would be great for it's wind stopper properties, but not so great for beathability.

[NCPatrick]

Nope, no condensation I've ever noticed, and hasn't been stuffy either.

I get a small bit of air in through the slightly open ends (I don't cinch the ends completely closed), that keeps the air fresh in there, but doesn't steal much heat (it's a very slight air movement). If it ever did feel stuffy, I'd just zip open a small hole for some fresh air.

No problems so far... last test was this past weekend at 28F with 5mph breeze.

I still haven't had an opportunity to weigh mine. If I were going to try to save more weight, I'd most likely use 1.1 DWR, or maybe 1/2 sil and 1/2 1.1 DWR...? or something like that.

[Nest]

How about one side of the sock be untreated, and the other side DWR. That would allow air through the untreated side, but the DWR side would prevent drafts and actual air flow.

[schrochem]

How about one side of the sock be untreated, and the other side DWR. That would allow air through the untreated side, but the DWR side would prevent drafts and actual air flow.

Oh...now it's getting to sound cool!
How bout make the bottom half dwr and top untreated?
Or just have a small bit at the top like a roof's ridge vent!

[Nest]

Oh...now it's getting to sound cool!
How bout make the bottom half dwr and top untreated?
Or just have a small bit at the top like a roof's ridge vent!

That's what i was thinknig afterwards. You want DWR on most of it to stop the wind. The ridge vent would probably be best. Maybe a foot wide and centered over the ridgeline with untreated. Then DWR on the rest.

[headchange4u]

I let Hooch use a really ugly, Frankenstein of a hammock sock I made a long time ago to use with a hammock that had side tie outs. It was tan untreated 1.9oz on top, olive drab 1.1oz DWR on the bottom, and gray 1.1oz silnylon on each end for splash protection. I had completely forgotten about having it until I was going through my gear for the RRG hang out.

EDIT:
Found some pics. (http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showpost.php?p=7827&postcount=13)

[Nest]

Ok, where can I get 1.1 untreated, and 1.1 DWR? I've looked at a few of the online fabric stores that a lot of people here use, but have trouble understanding the fabric descriptions.

[headchange4u]

Try OWF (http://www.owfinc.com/) or thru-hiker.com

[NCPatrick]

You could look at Quest Outfitters (http://www.questoutfitters.com/uncoated_fabrics.htm)...