Bridge Hammock

[schrochem]

My ridgeline attaches to the suspension cord beneath the buckle, not to the buckle itself. I use a larkshead on one end of the ridge and a 'biner on the other for easy removal, although I haven't needed to remove mine yet.

On the Bridge hammock I don;t think there's any other choice but to use the buckle (or ring) because of the dual suspension.

[schrochem]

Wow this thing is cool.
I went ahead and adjusted the side lines down to 700mm like I found Tee Dee did. That makes the ridgeline come down quite a bit. It seems like you have a bit of room in the ridgeline where it will be flat (enough). Currently mine is at 115"
Here's a wide shot that has my 6 yr old in it.


I don't know if it's going to be a concern but once I started getting in and out of the hammock and putting weight on it, it started bunching a little in the middle. I can respread it back out but it will bunch again. It's not much and it doesn't effect the lay of the hammock, but I'm just going to have to keep an eye on it. I could sew the fabric to the cord every foot or so. Here's a pic


Here's a pic of me laying in it.


One thing I liked about laying on my side is where my knees ended up. They are below the arc so squeeze isn't a big deal. It's strange but the squeeze in the very middle isn't objectionable at all. It pushes against your pelvis and kind of holds you there. My arm is back because I reaching for the cable release to take the photo.


Yep you'll probably need a pillow. I made this one awhile back with some foam and an electric knife.


Yes, you can use it as a chair. However, it's a bit of like sitting in a 'U' There is a bit of stress with the hammock under your legs. If you were to sit for long you'd want something under them. As it is I find it quite comfortable compared to sitting on the ground against a tree


I was concerned about how it would feel to just hang out. Well it's quite nice. I might want my head propped up a little more, but you still get a nice view. You can see out the arc cutouts and as a bonus through where your feet are. Of course you could turn over on your belly and look out the head end. This pic is with my head on the pillow.


Oh yea, you can my 'other' project I'm working on...the pergola almost done with it.

Other thoughts.
Right now I'm using 1X2s for the spreaders. I'll need to come up with another idea. I was thinking of using webbing to make a tube all the way across and makeing slot to insert a tent pole. That should help with undo forces.

I'll agree with Tee Dee with moving around is a bit cumbersome. However, I think it's nothing too bad. I'll take it over trying to reposition myself over and over in other hammocks. In this hammock,once you get to the lay you like I think you'll be comfortable for a very long time before you may want to change positions.

If you like to do a full fetal with your knees up toward you chest I don't see that as being very comfortable. As I mentioned earlier there is a squeeze in the pelvic region. Not a problem laying on your back, side or tummy, but trying to put your knees in there also is going to be problematic. In the pic above you can see where my knees are. You could pull them in a little more and be comfy.

Let's see, other stuff. Oh yea, on my tummy, my toes go off the end of the hammock because I lay with them pointed in that position. Not objectionable to me but putting ends on will need to accomodate this.

Right now I wouldn't do much different with the sewing. Probably the biggest thing I would do is use 2" bias tape. Huge I know but here's what I think. After applying the bias as normal, you'd have 1" on each side. Then you could make the rope channel giving you bias on each side <1/2". This would allow more fabric to withstand the forces of the rope. Right now, my bias tape is to the side and so the upward force of the rope hits the single layer 1.9.

Very cool hammock!

[slowhike]

looking good scott. so is the pergola.
one thing that i think would bother me about that style hammock is having the walls on the side come up as high as they do, restricting my vision as i lay on my side.
do you think it could be made more narrow so you would end up w/ shorter walls on the side, w/ less arch?
the way i imagine it, the arch would be so low in the middle that there would basically be no wall in the middle.
that might give your knees a little more freedom when you lay on your side. and it might eliminate the discomfort when sitting up, using it as a chair.
just a thought. ...tim

[TeeDee]

Welcome to the Bridge Hammock Scott.

It is indeed comfortable.

With use you find it even more so.

Great job.

[schrochem]

looking good scott. so is the pergola.
one thing that i think would bother me about that style hammock is having the walls on the side come up as high as they do, restricting my vision as i lay on my side.
do you think it could be made more narrow so you would end up w/ shorter walls on the side, w/ less arch?
the way i imagine it, the arch would be so low in the middle that there would basically be no wall in the middle.
that might give your knees a little more freedom when you lay on your side. and it might eliminate the discomfort when sitting up, using it as a chair.
just a thought. ...tim

Tim, I just went back out and took it for a spin again
It's kind of getting a new car!
Rain keeps threatening so I'm taking down each time. With the buckles and biners it sets up in a snap.

So when I went back out there I envisioned it with deeper cuts. I'm not sure that would pan out so well. The deeper you go the more your pelvis is going to be half/half on/off fabric and I don't think that will be too comfortable. If you go ALL the way down it will be like a G-string and I think that would be a bit too narrow for comfort. You might also wake up with your but hanging out.

BUT, someone's just going to have to try it

[schrochem]

Welcome to the Bridge Hammock Scott.

It is indeed comfortable.

With use you find it even more so.

Great job.

Thank YOU for the inspiration.
I'm sure I would of put it off indefinitely if I didn't see your pictures
When I just went back out there I was wondering about the corners.
Do you think the extra piece of fabric is doing much?
It seems like it might be more harmful than helpful because of the stitching across the corner. Seems like unnecessary holes in the downward pull on the fabric. I might look into just reinforcing the VERY corner.

[funbun]

schrochem, you just sewed a channel for the spectra?

[TeeDee]

Wow this thing is cool.
I went ahead and adjusted the side lines down to 700mm like I found Tee Dee did. That makes the ridgeline come down quite a bit. It seems like you have a bit of room in the ridgeline where it will be flat (enough). Currently mine is at 115"

Yes there is seems to be a fairly long region on the ridge line where you can get flat. Currently mine is at 119". I want to leave it at that length so that making the bug netting is easier to make. 2 60" wide pieces will give me the 119" to 120" for the tube I want. I may have to shorten it an inch or 2 if the nanoseeum isn't as wide as I think it is.

I don't know if it's going to be a concern but once I started getting in and out of the hammock and putting weight on it, it started bunching a little in the middle. I can respread it back out but it will bunch again. It's not much and it doesn't effect the lay of the hammock, but I'm just going to have to keep an eye on it. I could sew the fabric to the cord every foot or so.

Yes. The bunching is the problem I wanted to avoid by using the 1/2" webbing and stitching the whole length. The ripstop on my sides is stretched drum tight from webbing to webbing and from my head almost to my feet. My feet don't apply enough pressure to pull the fabric really tight.

One thing I liked about laying on my side is where my knees ended up. They are below the arc so squeeze isn't a big deal. It's strange but the squeeze in the very middle isn't objectionable at all. It pushes against your pelvis and kind of holds you there.

Yes, back, side or stomach. All three sleeping positions I have found comfortable. More so than in any other hammock I have tried. This hammock must really be tried to understand.

Yep you'll probably need a pillow.

Yep !

Yes, you can use it as a chair. However, it's a bit of like sitting in a 'U' There is a bit of stress with the hammock under your legs. If you were to sit for long you'd want something under them.

With the 1/2" webbing, the webbing turns and lays somewhat flat at the bottom of the arc and the pressure is spread out across the full 1/2" width. That spreads the pressure on my back and under my knees enough that the pressure isn't bothersome. I find sitting in the hammock quite comfortable.

I was concerned about how it would feel to just hang out. Well it's quite nice. I might want my head propped up a little more, but you still get a nice view. You can see out the arc cutouts and as a bonus through where your feet are. Of course you could turn over on your belly and look out the head end.

Yes lounging in the hammock is quite comfortable. The view immediately to the right or left of your head is blocked, but then every hammock I have ever used blocks the view somewhere. The view over the arc cuts is very good, better than other hammocks where I have to raise my upper torso to see over the side. That isn't necessary with the arc cuts. And as you write, the view out over your feet can be great and in the opposite direction also. All in all, I think the view is blocked about the same or maybe less with the Bridge Hammock than with a lot of other hammocks.

Right now I'm using 1X2s for the spreaders. I'll need to come up with another idea. I was thinking of using webbing to make a tube all the way across and makeing slot to insert a tent pole. That should help with undo forces.

Please keep us posted on what you come up with and how it works. So far I really like the steel rings.

I'll agree with Tee Dee with moving around is a bit cumbersome. However, I think it's nothing too bad. I'll take it over trying to reposition myself over and over in other hammocks. In this hammock,once you get to the lay you like I think you'll be comfortable for a very long time before you may want to change positions.

I have found that moving around in hammocks is a learned behavior for each hammock. They all require slightly different maneuvers to move around.

If you like to do a full fetal with your knees up toward you chest I don't see that as being very comfortable.

Yes the full fetal position would be a real challenge alright.

Your hammock is looking good.

[TeeDee]

...
Do you think the extra piece of fabric is doing much?
It seems like it might be more harmful than helpful because of the stitching across the corner. Seems like unnecessary holes in the downward pull on the fabric. I might look into just reinforcing the VERY corner.

You mean the corner reinforment patches, right?

Not too sure just how totally necessary they really are. I assumed the originator put them there because he had problems and needed some reinforcement. Or maybe he was just being cautious. On mine I can see some forces stretching the corner material slightly differently than the surrounding fabric. I think I'll leave them there on my next one.

[headchange4u]

That looks great Scott. Awesome job. I really like the color of material you used.