What's a good hammock for backpacking? I want to buy or make one, but with so many choices, don't know what to get. Is nylon or polyester better? And how about making one from coated waterproof nylon? And is bridge hammock more comfortable than a regular one? And how about using 1.6oz. parachute nylon, would that be strong enough? BTW, I can't sleep on my back, would that be a problem? Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
I can't sleep on my back, either. In a bed, that is. Hammocks are another matter altogether. Sleep like a baby. My point being, you won't know until you try it.
If you go the diy route, do not use the coated, waterproof, non-breathable material. The para nylon should work fine, unless you are on the hefty end of the spectrum, in which case, doubling it may be necessary.
My advice: buy yourself an ENO, TrekLight, or Grand Trunk double (all, nearly identical), and get your feet wet. As in all things, there's a learning curve associated with hammocks, and you may ultimately want to try something else; but if you don't, these three are comfortable, affordable, and perfectly servicable.
Dave
"Loneliness is the poverty of self; solitude is the richness of self."~~~May Sarton
Good advice. I think it's worth noting that a WB Traveler is in the same price range, and it supports a cottage industry.Originally Posted by oldgringo
“I think that when the lies are all told and forgot the truth will be there yet. It dont move about from place to place and it dont change from time to time. You cant corrupt it any more than you can salt salt.” - Cormac McCarthy
My bad...you're correct. The Traveler may actually have a price advantage, in that it comes with a really good suspension system, which can't be said of those I listed.
Dave
"Loneliness is the poverty of self; solitude is the richness of self."~~~May Sarton
I would also suggest that you look into some of the cheap nylon hammocks. You wont know what you like until you've been in a few. Waterproof coated material will not breath. If you've got a rain jacket, put it on in the summer time and walk around. You're soon as wet on the inside as on the outside.
Back sleeping... I'm mostly on my side in my hammock. I've also been in the BB, and was very comfortable on my side. My cheapy nylon hammocks, I had more trouble being on my side but could still do it. Just had to watch out for rolling over or rolling out.
And your first question I left for last... that's because it's a different answer for everyone. For me, I don't go backpacking without my Clark. For other's it's whatever hammock they like. You'll have to try out different hammocks and figure out what your needs are and then come up with the hammock that fits your backpacking requirements.
To answer your question about the bridge hammock yes they are very comfortable. However, like most hammock styles (bridge vs gathered end) you either love them or hate them. Me I'm infinitely more comfortable in my JRB BMBH than my ENO doublenest. I would also echo others opinion to get a ENO type hammock to try out. Realize if you like the idea of hanging but dont like the problems that come with most gathered ends hammocks you shouldn't give up.
Another factor is whether you are a long distance backpacker where weight is also a primary consideration. There is a wide variation in weights, but also the ususal trade offs with comfort. The hammocks recommended are all pretty light weight, but in time you may choose to add a little more weight for additional comfort (example: double layer bottom like Traveler series offers). If you know you will backpack in cooler temps, you might want to even start with this type of option. You can get smaller hammocks that weigh less, but they are not as comfortable; never-the-less, they work if you count grams.
I've seen some cheap hammocks on Amazon, so I'll probably get one there. My main question would be if the bridge hammock is better than a regular one. I just don't see why so many people would go into trouble of making one, if it wasn't better than the regular ones, considering that hammocks aren't expensive. I also plan to make the underquilt from double or triple insultex instead of Climashield, in order to reduce bulk.
What to you mean by better?
Yeah...this is more of a blondes/brunettes/redheads issue. There is no "better."
Before you decide on IX instead of other synthetic insulations, do a lot of reading. They behave differently, and require different constructions.
Dave
"Loneliness is the poverty of self; solitude is the richness of self."~~~May Sarton
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