View Full Version : Hammock pad design
2Questions
02-26-2007, 20:18
I've been using a CCF pad for a while now and have gotten used to the comfort and warmth it provides. Although I believe an underquilt for fall/winter use may be more comfortable, I'm used to the CCF pad concept.
What I am now trying to accomplish is to create a design that can be flexible with the weather and also be muti purpose if possible. So, I've designed a pad with detachable sections via good ol velcro. This winter I've used the wing sections loose and realized they need to be fastened to the main part of the pad. They tended to walk as I moved around...result cold elbows. The main pad is 25" wide, wide enough for me. Walmart provided. The lower section is designed to fit in my crazy creek chair if I take it along or just to sit it on a log around the fire. The upper section will usually hold my Packa as a pillow unless its raining, then I will use clothing to form a pillow of sorts. It can also hold a CCF pad as well. All the pieces are slipcovered with Neatsheet material. I've found the Neatsheet material provides just the right amount of stick and slip required to move around.
I know there are many engineers out there with creative minds. I've appreciated your contributions to my hammocking pleasure. I'm a hanger through and though. Any suggestions/imput on my design is appreciated. I plan to build the pieces soon and try it out. Thanks. See my gallery for the design drawing.:)
slowhike
02-26-2007, 21:28
i have read about some of the staff at backpackinglight.com using barge cement to glue different type pads together.
i don't know how long they have used them but that might hold the velcro.
but i would have to wonder if you wouldn't come out better in the long run if you made a custom sleeve /w compartments for each section. i wouldn't think it would weigh over 5 or 6 ozs, & that would be replacing the velcro & glue that would be used in the original idea.
parts that weren't being used could just be tucked underneath. i've done that w/ a SPE.
2Questions
02-26-2007, 22:23
I was thinking of sleeving all pieces with Neatsheet material. This way I can sew the velcro to that.
slowhike
02-26-2007, 22:27
I was thinking of sleeving all pieces with Neatsheet material. This way I can sew the velcro to that.
yep, that would probably work well. and you probably wouldn't need to put velcro all the way across each of the sleeve openings... just a strip to keep the pad sections from being able to come out.
headchange4u
02-27-2007, 10:35
Barge cement works well on pads. I recently trimmed one of my Gossamer Gear Thinlight pads down to a mummy shape. I used the scraps to make a cozy for freezer bag cooking. The cement worked very well.
JRB uses barge cement to glue the Omni tape on their Down To Earth Pad Converter.
slowhike
02-27-2007, 20:45
that's good to hear.
i just bought a tube of barge cement to try gluing pad material together & to other stuff.
i could tell what i have planned... but then i'd have to........ no i wouldn't!!!:p
Where is a good place to buy the cement and can you give me any brand names?
I am going to glue velcro to my trail runners and gaiters so that I do not need to have the cord going underneath my shoe.
slowhike
02-28-2007, 07:52
BARGE all purpose cement
Quabaug corp, North Brookfield , MA
the only place i remember seeing it for sure is the backpacking stores, but they probably have it in some of the other stores too.
try googling it.
headchange4u
02-28-2007, 19:19
Where is a good place to buy the cement and can you give me any brand names?
I am going to glue velcro to my trail runners and gaiters so that I do not need to have the cord going underneath my shoe.
The cheapest place I have found it is Ebay. That's where I bought mine. I found a shoe repair shop here locally that sold it. I think it 's used mostly for repair footwear so check your local shoe repair shop.
You might have already covered this, but wouldn't a hardware store have something?
headchange4u
02-28-2007, 20:56
I checked my local Ace Hardware store as well as another small hardware store and at both places they told me they had never heard of Barge Cement. You might try somewhere like Lowe's or Home Depot.
You can get it here (http://cgi.ebay.com/Barge-cement-2-oz-tube-for-leather-belt-or-shoe-repair_W0QQitemZ170084412419QQihZ007QQcategoryZ422 82QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem)for 4.86 shipped. It was $6-7 for the same size tube at the shoe repair shop.
Is this stuff similar to barge cement?
http://www.weplay.com/Shoe/Goo/
used it a few times in my youth when I skateboarded, I was under the impression it was easily obtainable in the states, if so it could be a useful alternative.
slowhike
02-28-2007, 21:56
Is this stuff similar to barge cement?
http://www.weplay.com/Shoe/Goo/
used it a few times in my youth when I skateboarded, I was under the impression it was easily obtainable in the states, if so it could be a useful alternative.
it's not the same stuff, but i couldn't tell you the differences.
but i have herd good reports about people using shoe goo to repair sneakers & boots for long hikes.
might be worth comparing it's holding ability on ccf, velcro, etc, against barge cement.
backpackinggeartests.org might be a good place to check for reviews on both.
blackbishop351
02-28-2007, 21:59
it's not the same stuff, but i couldn't tell you the differences.
but i have herd good reports about people using shoe goo to repair sneakers & boots for long hikes.
might be worth comparing it's holding ability on ccf, velcro, etc, against barge cement.
backpackinggeartests.org might be a good place to check for reviews on both.
I've personally had problems with Shoe Goo on SHOES....so I don't think I'd try it on anything else :p
slowhike
02-28-2007, 22:05
I've personally had problems with Shoe Goo on SHOES....so I don't think I'd try it on anything else :p
well there's one report already!
since the people are using barge cement on the BPL.com staff, i believe i'd probably go w/ that... unless you just want to do some testing.
Off the top of my head so to speak:
My only question would be what do you use to attach the velcro to the ccf pad?
Glue or sew it? In my experience, glue "ages", hardens and cracks, especially when exposed to varying temperatures and humidity levels. Probably not all glues. The glue would have to be flexible when set, otherwise you might have hard spots that could prove to be uncomfortable after laying on them for hours. Some of the modern adhesives or double sided tapes like carpet tape might work. Some of those tend to dry and lose their adhesion. Some research would have to be done on that. Sewing would avoid those difficulties, but I don't know how well the ccf pad would hold up to a line of stitches. Might that introduce a weakness that could tear? Any weakness introduced into the pad would be aggravated by separating the velcro - it takes quite a bit of force to pull the hooks and loops apart. Over time any weakness would lead to breakdown of the pad. The structure of the pad would have to be stronger than the force required to separate the velcro, otherwise you would simply pull the pad apart instead of the velcro.
It is similar in concept to the SPE, but without the ripstop sleeve which would save about 3.5 oz for the SPE. Adding to the head and foot ends cannot be done with the SPE, at least not without major modifications to that design.
Neoprene glue would work very well. Divers use it to repare dive suits. It stays very flexible and obviously works well in wet conditions.