Thank you, Grizz, both for the background and the encouragement.Originally Posted by GrizzlyAdams
When I was formulating my action plan for this build and doing some impromptu number-crunching, I did consider the very valid point you make, that if I were truly looking to shave every excess gram, a no-hardware version of the Web Slinger would be a valid first step.
The Web Slinger as outlined in this thread weighs about 6.5 ounces, and the component weights break down approximately like this:
Titanium corner bling -- 1 ounce
1/2" Kevlar webbing (double layer in each edge, 1100 lbs breaking strength, 220 lb safe working load) -- 1/2 ounce
7/64" Amsteel Blue suspension triangles -- 1/2 ounce
Everything else (hammock body, double-layer end caps, reinforcement patches, thread) -- 4 ounces
There's about 26 grams of weight at stake in the titanium corner pieces, so if I were to figure out how to eliminate them and connect the webbing directly to the Amsteel with no added material, I could in theory drop almost a full ounce and make this a sub-six-ounce build. Splicing the Amsteel directly through the turnaround loop at each corner of the Kevlar would be easy enough -- although neither aesthetically pleasing nor likely to be good for the longevity of the webbing -- but the hitch would be in finding a way to capture the spreader bar tips effectively while adding negligible weight. There are a number of possible methods, including small cord loops, lightweight ring hardware, and other hacks, but none of them seemed to offer the security, longevity, and general bombproof fit of the Dutch bling (which also solves the issue of underquilt attachment).
By a combination of other choices, a true gram weenie could knock off an ounce in other places in the Web Slinger's design. First thing to go would be the double-layer end caps, which form convenient storage pockets at the head and foot of the hammock; I used 0.67 oz mesh in this build, which is pretty darn light, but the two inner pocket layers comprises over half a square yard of nonstructural fabric, so eliminating them would have shaved about 10 grams. Making the end cap panels out of mesh instead of the Hexon fabric would save another 2 or 3 grams, and if we scalloped or relieved them we could probably increase the total weight savings to 6 grams. So we're 62% of the way toward cancelling out the weight penalty of the bling just by getting creative with more minimalist end caps.
Throwing caution to the wind and deleting the reinforcements and sleeves at the corners made from 300D pack cloth would give us another 5 or 6 grams, and eliminating the end caps wholesale -- however awkward, ungainly, and inconvenient -- would afford us the few remaining grams we'd need to let us keep the titanium corner hardware at zero net weight.
From this point on we would start to get truly draconian. If one were to throw the 1:5 safety margin out the window and limit the use of the Web Slinger to brave occupants under 150 lbs (ideally with health insurance), a single layer of 1/2" Kevlar webbing could serve as the in-edge suspension component; with about 12 feet of Kevlar removed, we'd reduce the weight by another 6 or 7 grams, approaching a truly "stupid light" total hammock weight of just over 5 ounces. If one then implemented the aforementioned hardware-deletion protocol and lived with the potential wonkiness of the spreader bar connections, you'd be looking at a sub-five-ounce bridge hammock. It would probably blow up if you sneezed in it, but it would be light.
As it stands, I think the way I built this particular hammock is about as light as I am comfortable with, given my own personal preferences and biases. It assembles fairly easily, has extremely positive connections where the spreaders join the suspension, and retains the luxuries of a properly enclosed hammock body, integral storage solutions, and insulation compatibility. As log as the high-stress structural areas of this build hold up adequately, I'll call it a qualified success.
All in all, for me this build was significantly more demanding technically than the Rope Bridge hammock inspired in part by your Ariel design. I really love the strength, elegant simplicity, and straightforward assembly of the all-in-one spliced Amsteel suspension, and it is really quite light. The real hit on my riff on your build, of course, is using the wide folded grosgrain to form expediently the required suspension channels for the cord; the ribbon adds about 3 full ounces to the Rope Bridge build -- nearly half the weight of the entire Web Slinger -- but it speeds up the assembly, makes for a strong and durable connection to the fabric of the hammock body, and demands much less sewing skill than triple-stitching two layers of 1/2" Kevlar inside a roll hem, as was necessary on this hammock.
If I were to build a titanium/Kevlar hammock like this again using a much sturdier body fabric like Hexon 1.6 or 1.7 oz ROBIC Hybrid, I'd have a full-size bridge hammock that would weigh just over half a pound and would be well nigh indestructable for any user under 220 pounds. That would be good enough for me.
As always, I am grateful for your dedication and groundbreaking work on DIY bridge hammocks, as well as your assistance in refining these ideas and combinations of techniques.
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