As simple as it gets

A couple of years ago on an AT section hike I saw my first HH. A long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away I had a US Army surplus jungle hammock. Seeing that HH hammock on the AT made me green with envy, but I'm too cheap to spring for a couple of C's for something that I haven't even tried. After too many years and too many uncomfortable nights on the ground in Boy Scout tents and AT shelter wooden platforms, I decided to DIY.

Not much on the web at the time...

So.. I went to the store, bought 3 yards of rip-stop nylon (60 inches wide) (4.29 per foot), tied an over hand knot in each end, cut up some 1" nylon webbing I had in the garage from a different project, and created 2 - 2 foot loops by tying a square knot in each, made a lark's head (?) knot, slipped them over the knots in the hammock body, and tied them to trees with some more webbing. Voila! a hammock without a bug net or tarp.

Walmart has/had 60" mosquito netting. 3 yards ($1.99 per foot), plus a parachute cord for a ridge line, paper clips for closing, and the bugs are held off. In the deep south, in the summer, night time bug protection is more critical than temperature management or water repellency!

In a new housing development I talked some workers into selling me a couple of feet of Tyvek for a couple of bucks. Add stakes and cords to the bugnet ridgeline and we now have protection from the rain! (Used wooden decorative dowel ends/ screw hole covers / something like that (about the size of a used wad of chewing gum) plus slip knots in the tie downs to hold the tyvek.. no holes or tape in the tyvek)

It looks like "who'd a thought it", but it works, is infinitely more comfortable than 2x4's in an AT shelter, is light weight, and was cheap!

Since then, I've probably spent more than the cost of a HH on trying out various upgrades, etc. but it's been a fun trip (except for the sewing frustrations.)

Next step, buy Ed's book.

As long as your system works for you....And it sounds like youve got a good one. I remember someone on this site (no names) talking about using an old shower curtain back in the day as a tarp. BD

Back during the days when I was working for a news outfit decades ago, I saw a ragtag rebel band camped out in a clearing near a farm. Those guys were equipped with hammocks made out of discarded rice sackings. Many of their rainfly was of shower curtain in forest pattern. It was quite effective as camouflage! But one thing that really struck me as odd and hilarious was this teenage rebel with an m-16. He was chewing a gum while lounging in a white rice sack hammock under a shower curtain canopy in floral pattern! Man, talking about flowers , revolution, and the cheapest most colorful hammock/tarp set-up ever!:rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by rptinker

Back during the days when I was working for a news outfit decades ago, I saw a ragtag rebel band camped out in a clearing near a farm. Those guys were equipped with hammocks made out of discarded rice sackings. Many of their rainfly was of shower curtain in forest pattern. It was quite effective as camouflage! But one thing that really struck me as odd and hilarious was this teenage rebel with an m-16. He was chewing a gum while lounging in a white rice sack hammock under a shower curtain canopy in floral pattern! Man, talking about flowers , revolution, and the cheapest most colorful hammock/tarp set-up ever!:rolleyes:

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now that would have made a great photo.

Speer's book is free if you order over $65. I am sure you can figure out what to do with that much material. I did.

We must think alike - probably while you were typing I was calling, and actually had a nice chat with Ed. I think I will look at the pictures, er, that is read the book, before I try to invent anything else. Seems you folk have already thought of everything and multiple ways to do it.