Paging all sages of Hammock Forums. Looking for a history lesson/discussion.

[OutandBack]

A HF Sage to me a member with a join dates of 2009 or earlier. Hangers on this forum that have witnessed the progression of our hobby.

Has anyone ever put together a timeline of gathered end hammock features? The when and who of it all.
Now I'm not talking about the first canvas hammock used in 1876 on wooden ships.
But more of the modern features we all use and enjoy today.

The stuff I'm interested in learning about is:

Who was the first, and not as important but the second, & third to use light weight nylon
Who was the first, second, third to use a sewn end channel over gathering
Who was the first, second, third to offer an intergrated bug net
Who was the first, second, third to offer zippered bugnets
Who was the first, second, third to offer full length zippers
Who was the first, second, third to offer double layers for pads
Who was the first, second, third to offer RL's and RL organizers
Who was the first, second, third to offer whoopies slings and tree strapes
Who was the first, second, third to offer removable bug nets
Who was the first, second, third to offer a zip on top cover

I am sure there are some features I have forgotten. Please feel free to add to my list.

When you really think about it our hammocks have evolved over the years big time
and I did not even cover all the new materials.

If you know any of these answers please give us some of your time and share your knowledge we have generations
of new members that probably have no idea that all of these features weren't always available.

thanks

[pgibson]

We at Arrowhead were the first to make whoopie slings and sell them through our store. Other stores joined in within the following days and weeks. We did not come up with the idea, constricted suspension was first introduced by a member that made a single post about it and never posted to the forum again.

We were the first to make straps custom to length rather than pre-determined lengths.

I was the first to suggest the use of prussic knots for tarp Ridgelines and guylines.

I was the firs to make Suspension Extensions...aka Dog bones and offer them as a way of extending the reach of your suspension system.

First Hammock Chair...with design credit going to Bushman of the Yukon and Mule for their preliminary designs.

The first to make a pillow with shock cord attached to keep the pillow in place and off the ground.

And more recently the first to offer a complete kit of all the basics needed to start hammock camping.

[dkurfiss]

We at Arrowhead were the first to make whoopie slings and sell them through our store. Other stores joined in within the following days and weeks. We did not come up with the idea, constricted suspension was first introduced by a member that made a single post about it and never posted to the forum again.

We were the first to make straps custom to length rather than pre-determined lengths.

I was the first to suggest the use of prussic knots for tarp Ridgelines and guylines.

I was the firs to make Suspension Extensions...aka Dog bones and offer them as a way of extending the reach of your suspension system.

First Hammock Chair...with design credit going to Bushman of the Yukon and Mule for their preliminary designs.

The first to make a pillow with shock cord attached to keep the pillow in place and off the ground.

And more recently the first to offer a complete kit of all the basics needed to start hammock camping.

Any idea on when you did all these things? Year/month perhaps?

[pgibson]

Most would have been in 2009. I came up with the pillow in August and started Arrowhead soon after. That was about the time that Whoopies came on the scene and we added them, the chair, straps, and about 30 other products in the first few months that we were open. Late September or early October is when we took over KAQ and more products followed right along with that. It would take a bit to search out but it's all here on HF. I was more even more involved and the community was much closer back then so there were extensive discussions back then that don't really happen any more.

[oldsoldier]

My first introduction to hammocks were DD hammocks. Mine was a DD travel hammock, I bought it 2006. It was the first year they made that. I had to order it from Britain. Thge stitching on it (the bug net) was missed. I contacted them, with an offer to send it back in exchange for one with the correct stitching, but, they said it cost too much, and simply refunded my money. I used that one for about a year.
I then went with an HH Asym about 2007 or so, as it was complete. The bottom entry was novel. I ended up getting the complete under insulation kit with it, which made getting into the hammock with that setup, well, difficult.
Enter 2QZQ. He began modding HH hammocks with zips, offering several different options. To my knowledge, he was the first to offer this. I quickly jumped on this, as it solved my, and others, issues. HH has since made this an option, then made it an entire model line. I like to think 2QZQ was the pioneer for that .
Then, about 2009 I was introduced to a Warbonnet Blackbird, and I was truly hooked. Brandon was just starting out, and it was the "in" thing to own. He went through some growing pains-largely because of this community (it was he and his family making these), but in the end, WELL worth it. I got one of his first models, have since sold it-but now have a bridge hammock. Brandon incorporated a LOT of features found on other hammocks, innovated some cool features, and is now the hammock to beat for most people. I do believe he innovated the ridgeline (or, if not, he was the first to explain the use of it, etc), the footbox, the buckle system for tree straps, a shelf. I'm not sure if he was the first to innovate a zipper bug net that can be moved out of the way (not removed), but, if not, he was close.

[arczeneb]

Might find some answers groups that posted. Sgt Rock Around the Campfire forum with a section on hammock camping also reviews not sure the official date one post on this forum shows 01/2003 with photos late 90's. If folks remember this is where we went for information. Still active.
Yahoo group hammock camping 12/2002. Closed 2011 content available.
Whiteblaze AT with a section hammock camping was the other. Hammock Forum created as the go to source 10/2006. Any others out there.

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/hammockcamping/info

http://hikinghq.net

[nothermark]

According to his page Hennessy started selling hammocks in 1999. I had an early Hennessy. At that time my buddy bought a Clark and Ed Speers book about knotted end hammocks. Clark claims to go back to the 1960's with nylon hammocks.

What I can add is that I saw major changes between ~2000 and the state of hammocking when I first started reading the forum ~ 2011 or 12.

[OutandBack]

According to his page Hennessy started selling hammocks in 1999. I had an early Hennessy. At that time my buddy bought a Clark and Ed Speers book about knotted end hammocks. Clark claims to go back to the 1960's with nylon hammocks.

What I can add is that I saw major changes between ~2000 and the state of hammocking when I first started reading the forum ~ 2011 or 12.

The book? Would that have been Ed Speers?

[arczeneb]

This book? One of the first on hammock camping.

http://www.jacksrbetter.com/shop/hammock-camping-book/

[DuctTape]

There was also the hammock yahoogroups back in the day. As to who was first to... that would be hard to deyetmine as there were likely thousands of people doing hammock things before the internet and/or not posting on it.