New Twist on a peak bag?

[GvilleDave]

I know about the growing MYOG list! I have to say that my time on HF the last two years my knowledge of hammocks and camping gear in general has exploded. IMO there is not another site out there where folks are so genuinely interested in sharing info and helping others. I'm just glad to contribute in some small way.

I like the draw string closure, for me it was no harder to make than a typical stuff sack. Having a closable bag means that my peak bag can act as my clothes bag and get stuffed in my pack already filled with my clothes. That way it does double duty and when I get to camp I pull it out of the pack and clip it to a prussic on the ridge line and I am done. At night I still have room in the bag for a few night time items that don't fit in my ridgeline organizer.

[rjcress]

Here is a quick trial of the vertical opening on a conical peak bag.

Non-bulky, heavier items pull the opening shut.
Stuffing it full of bulky items spread the opening apart a bit, just as you might expect it would.
Really easy to put stuff in or take stuff out of the bag with one hand.

I put a stripe of white binding along the edge of the outer flap of the opening so I could more easily see and feel where the opening is. Partly necessitated by the black fabric I used.

I should have measured my starting dimensions, but didn't, as I was using a triangular scrap left over from my gear hammock project. Finished dimensions are 14" on the seam that has the opening, 22" diameter circle at the bottom.
So that means the starting size was a triangle with 2 x 15" sides and a long side of 23".
The bottom works out to a 7" circle. I added 1" for a seam allowance and used an 8" diameter bowl to make a circle of fabric.

BTW, I was not a math major and had to look up the formula for the size of the circle for the base of the cone.
In my case, I had a 22" circumference.
22"/3.14 = 7" diameter
+ 1" for a 1/2" seam allowance all the way around gave me an 8" circle to cut.

If I make another one It will have bit larger diameter bottom, as this one is pretty modest volume/capacity. Then again, if all I want to put in it is a few small items, it may be a good size as is.

I used a 3" piece of 1/2" grosgrain folded over the pointed end to make a loop. Through that loop is a velcro strip that I fastened in a loop over the ridgeline.
The velcro strip/loop is off of a spool that I got at Lowes or Home Depot. They are sold for things like bundling wires/cables and pretty handy to have around.
I slide the whole thing down the ridgeline to the head end.

The 14" seam length (from base to point of the cone) seems about right. Much longer and it would touch my head when lying in the hammock.

The opening slit is just a bit over 6". It was closer to 4.5" at first, but that was a bit snug to fit my hand in, so I enlarged it.

I had a long triangular scrap from the tapered cover flap from my proof-of-concept gear hammock. Just trued it up so the short edges were equal length, roll hemmed both short edges, and sewed them together with about a 1/2 inch overlap. The fabric is a very soft nylon (I assume, it was poorly labeled) I got from the 5yd sale display at WW a couple of months ago. Not DWR and too stretchy. I think this would be much better in RS or a polyester taffeta that doesn't stretch so much.

It was a fun little 20 minute test project. You can see that I already have mesh pockets sewn into the sides of the head end of my DIY FrankenBird. Along with a ridgeline organizer and extra large side shelf. So I don't actually need this peak bag. Looks like my son will get a peak bag for his HH clone.

[MacEntyre]

News Flash!

When it's 24*F outside, and you put your water bottle in a peak bag, it doesn't freeze!

I did this with a Snugfit, so the hammock ends were insulated, but I bet this will work for other outfits as well.

[ShadowAlpha]

Love it! nice work

[MacEntyre]

Oohhh! You posted pictures! Nice, very nice!

It occurs to me that one could modify a drawstring stuff sack to serve the same purpose. Just install the vertical-self closing-opening near the bottom, and hang it by the closed drawstring.

[myles to go]

I finished a vertical slit style peak bag last night. I started by making a round bottom stuff sack with a mess bottom so I can see at a glance if there is something small in the bottom. I sewed the seam up the side only about 2 1/2" to help hold things in and left the rest open. I then whipped the top edge with a little warbonnet nob with a loop of line stinking out to attach to the ridge line. This thing will hold a pile of stuff and the slit stays closed.

[rjcress]

It occurs to me that one could modify a drawstring stuff sack to serve the same purpose. Just install the vertical-self closing-opening near the bottom, and hang it by the closed drawstring.

This idea just keeps getting better.

[rjcress]

I finished a vertical slit style peak bag last night...

I want you to know that I believe you, Myles.
Really.
However, there are some around HF that only accept that you did something if you post pictures.

[myles to go]

I want you to know that I believe you, Myles.
Really.
However, there are some around HF that only accept that you did something if you post pictures.

I know,I know. I know the rules so I will have to unstuff my hammock later and get some pics .

[OutandBack]

I know about the growing MYOG list! I have to say that my time on HF the last two years my knowledge of hammocks and camping gear in general has exploded. IMO there is not another site out there where folks are so genuinely interested in sharing info and helping others. I'm just glad to contribute in some small way.

I like the draw string closure, for me it was no harder to make than a typical stuff sack. Having a closable bag means that my peak bag can act as my clothes bag and get stuffed in my pack already filled with my clothes. That way it does double duty and when I get to camp I pull it out of the pack and clip it to a prussic on the ridge line and I am done. At night I still have room in the bag for a few night time items that don't fit in my ridgeline organizer.

Hi Dave, I really like your design and prefer it over the slit or the original design. Do you plan to make any to sell? I would love buy 2 if you do.