MY First DIY Bridge Hammock

**bigfanboy** · 10-06-2015, 14:39

I just finished my first DIY Bridge hammock. I used HikerDad's Videos, and it worked out fine, I think.

Materials Used:

Body: 1.6 Hyper D Woodland Camo
Side Suspension: Mule Tape left over from a Fibre Cable run done in my shop last year. Yes my shop has 1gig Fibre access (Be Jealous)
The rest was pretty much exactly as HikerDad suggested in his videos, Dutch Bridge Ends, Alum Spreaderbars 7/64 Amsteel dogbones.

The only things that is different is my woopies area a pair I made from Dynaglide a few months back, that have Dutch Bling, Whoppie hooks, rather than Lark Heading the whoopies onto the dogbones. I am constantly experimenting with this stuff and being able to easily remove the whoopies is often very convenient.

Here are the pics;
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2015-10-06 12.33.22.jpg

By the way I am 6'2" 320 Lbs, and this hammock took my weight fine. Would it put up with regular camping use? I am not sure, I have hung in a 1.6 gathered end about 20 times and no issues.

To be honest I wanted to build this to try out a Bridge Hammock. I have seen them at many hangs and always wanted to try one, but the owners are much smaller than me, and I did not want to be in a position of ruining someone's hammock, and have to buy them a new one.

After laying in this thing for about 30 minutes, I think I will stick with Gathered end.

You may see this up for sale soon.

**Eidson** · 10-06-2015, 16:13

By the pics, your project turned out looking great!

I've been curious about bridge hammocks for quite some time as well. However, anytime I think about starting to build one, I come up with projects that supplement my current setup and keep pushing the bridge back.
I had actually planned on using the woodland camo hyperD as well for my build. Maybe someday I'll finally get around to it.

Since I've never had the pleasure of experiencing one, may I ask what you didn't like about it or at least have you still preferring your GE?

**gmcttr** · 10-06-2015, 16:15

Nice work.

Most people find bridge hammocks to be most comfortable when they are hung at a flatter angle than the standard 30° used for gathered end hammocks.

20-25° is typical. Because this places more stress on the suspension, I don't recommend dynaglide for suspension, although I do use it for the dog bones.

**bigfanboy** · 10-06-2015, 16:42

Originally Posted by gmcttr

Nice work.

Most people find bridge hammocks to be most comfortable when they are hung at a flatter angle than the standard 30° used for gathered end hammocks.

20-25° is typical. Because this places more stress on the suspension, I don't recommend dynaglide for suspension, although I do use it for the dog bones.

Yeah those whoopies were simply convenient. And I do not make my whoppies out of Dynaglide anymore as I have noticed some of mine get "sticky" and the bury does not slide so easy. Not sure why, might be the batch I got. Also it is just easier to work with 7/64 Amsteel than the thinner Dynaglide. I have some left I might make soft shackles and continuous loops out of. I had thought to make my dogbones out of it, but did not have enough.

**bigfanboy** · 10-06-2015, 16:51

Originally Posted by Eidson

Since I've never had the pleasure of experiencing one, may I ask what you didn't like about it or at least have you still preferring your GE?

Even though it's looks very wide, my shoulders were right on the edges, and the mule tape was digging into the edge of my shoulders. I do have a very wide chest and shoulders. I think my jacket is 56.

From gmcttr's post I will hang this at a lower angle 20-25 degrees and see if it get's better. Though I doubt a lower angle will make the hammock wider, it may change the overall feel of the hammock. My testing spot is built for gathered end hammocks so the hang points, big steel loops bolted into my shop, are a bit too high for a bridge hammock I guess.

**bigfanboy** · 10-06-2015, 17:06

Originally Posted by gmcttr

Nice work.

Most people find bridge hammocks to be most comfortable when they are hung at a flatter angle than the standard 30° used for gathered end hammocks.

20-25° is typical. Because this places more stress on the suspension, I don't recommend dynaglide for suspension, although I do use it for the dog bones.

I used a Dynaglide whoopie sling set on a recent outing. I initially picked two trees that were a just a wee bit too far apart and I did not hang the mule tape tree hugger high enough to compensate. This lowered the hangle pretty low, and my SRL was tight enough to play like a bass guitar. I had been in the hammock about 5 minutes when all of a sudden the hammock slid down about 10 to 15 inches. This put me about 3 inches off the ground so I had to roll out. Once I was up and looking at the cause I realize, as I assume you can guess, the whoppies had slipped. In fact the only thing stopping them from pulling through the long bury completely was the large "node" ", "Lump" whatever you want to call it, I had put at the end of the line. I reset, picked two different trees and slept fine for two nights. When I went to tear down I noticed that the Mule tape had left an indentation in the tree. It was very slight and honestly you would not know it was there and caused by my actions if you were not taking the huggers off to see it.

I am a big person, I weigh more than I wish. I don't mind pushing the gear a bit to see where I can take it. I know I can hang fine from Mule tape and Dynaglide. That said I have already changed to 1 inch tree straps.