Lucked up on this forum when I saw a link at another forum for another forum...you get the idea.
Anyway, by way of introduction I spend more time in my truck than on the ground and want a complete set up that I can grab and go hiking or camping, especially when I can't get out of a hurricane, tornado, earthquake, or flooded area. This pack will have a stove which is covered by my Jetboil, shelter and a water purification element to it. Going in style is not an option due to limited space and weight.
I had been thinking about trying out a hammock and then I found this forum where everyone is making their own with the "ripstop" material from Wallytown so I picked up about 8 yards yesterday. We surged the edges of the whole thing until I decide what to do with it to refine it further and then started tying it up.
After spending a bit of time on the 'net learning about knots and how to secure one to a tree w/o leaving a trace I dug out some old supplies in the shed and put it up. I doubled up the material and kept it low to the ground. I only got to lay in it for a few minutes before my wife saw it and ran me out. She spent the rest of the evening rocking back and forth while I cooked us up some marshmallows and Bratwurst on the open fire.
I greatly appreciate all the posts and videos here that showed me how to do this. It was a blast. Now that I am sure I want to add a hammock to my pack I need to refine the design and that leads to several questions.
I am 6 feet 1 inch, and 270 with shorts on. Assuming a winter load you can figure I will weigh 300 pounds so I will stay with the doubled up material for the foreseeable future.
What size/type of rope would you recommend?
What length would you recommend? Overall length is over 15 feet now. Would 12 feet from end to end be sufficient for me or still too long?
The material is 60 inches wide and envelopes me with my broad shoulders. It is still very comfortable but I would like to be able to see better. Could I cut a block two layers thick 50 inches wide and 120 inches long?
How should I sew that up? Have two rectangles of material sewn on three sides with one end left open for a sleeping pad?
That is all I can think of now. Thanks for everyone's help.
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