Sleeping double in a single hammock

[wwk10]

To paraphrase Barbara Mandrel, what can you tell me about two people sleeping in a 60" wide hammock.

Next weekend will be my first hang. Webelos den and some of us are experimenting with hammocks. I don't plan on sleeping double, but I want my plan C and plan D etc in place. My 9 year old may decide he doesn't want to sleep alone. It may be cold etc.

I have a DIY gathered end Hancock fabric 1.9 ripstop single layer 60" wide hammock with 7/64 whoops and one inch wide supposedly non stretch ratchet straps rated at 900 lbs ( maybe 1200 I don't remember). I weigh 185' my son weighs 85. So call it 300 lbs.

Will my rig support the weight? How uncomfortable is sharing a hammock? Any suggestions such as sleeping head to toe?

Thanks

[bear bag hanger]

Depends on how well you like having a nine year old sleeping on top of you. You won't be sleeping side to side. I think the hammock, with 1.9 ripstop, will hold, but you might risk stretching it out a bit. With a nine year old, it's maybe not as much a problem as with younger children, but be careful not to roll on top of him while you are sound asleep.

[Bradley]

Might be more comfy to hang both hammocks side by each using the sme two trees . . .

. . . that way you are together but in your own.

Child will feel you but you won't be squishing each other.

[G.L.P.]

i think 300lbs will be pushing it ...thats just me

for me...a 1.9 hammock the most i would trust is 270lbs
i would go with what Bradley said and hang his hammock next to yours
or order a ENO DLb nest

[thekalimist]

i dont imagine you will be comfy in there. napping in a hammock is possible in relative comfort but ive found sleeping with someone else in there is near impossible. AS far as weight goes though i think youll be fine.

granted all my testing was done with my GF so the scenario and 'variables' were a little different.

VOTED: make sure he's in a warm hammock

[wwk10]

OK side by side in two hammock from the same trees it is. This is a plan C anyway.

[miisterwright]

Some people claim they do just fine with two in a hammock, but they are few and far between.

We hang two hammocks side by side, under one tarp, usually from three trees, but two works if one is pretty big. Spread the head ends apart. Ideally the third tree will move the hammocks about a body width apart so you can walk between the hammocks to get in. It's nice to be in close proximity so you can talk and help get the other person adjusted if need be. You need a good size tarp to hang side by side. I use a 12x10. It depends on the hammock lengths and such.

One tip: hang your hammock a bit lower (or at the same height if you are a good deal heavier than the other) so the you don't bump butts every time you move. Also, zippers to the inside, facing each other. That gives you the most head room, and access to one another while in the hammocks.

If you are using two trees, you obviously need to run the straps opposite directions and try to get the straps coming off of either side of the tree to create space between the hammocks.

[Bunk]

I've tried sleeping in my HH Exped with my 80lb dog. It would have been fine but since I move around way too much I ended up knocking her out in the middle of the night...too bad because we were both snug and warm under the Winter Burrow! I can't imagine trying to do this with a person and I was in a double!

[wwk10]

Misterright,
When you hang two hammocks side by side under one tarp, do you pitch an A frame with a shallow pitch?

We have two hammocks, but only one 12 x 9 Chinook tarp. I was going to blue tarp it this time for the second tarp.

[Fronkey]

Might be more comfy to hang both hammocks side by each using the sme two trees . . .

. . . that way you are together but in your own.

Child will feel you but you won't be squishing each other.

+1 to Bradley.

I also think it would give them the security of having you near them, but, also the independence of using their own system.

Fronkey