Hammock Length

[Morgoroth]

Minimum of 15 feet (2 feet on either side) to allow for adjustments. The 30 deg angle of the straps to the hammock is pretty standard for max comfort. If you get the best comfort level, "Twang" the ridgeline and next set up, duplicate the tension... Main reason ridgeline is important, to achieve reproducible amount of "Sag" in the hammock material.

Cool thanks! That answered another of my questions I had not even asked yet.

[stevebo]

In Ed speers book "hammock camping" He has a formula for hammock length. Im 6'5", and I like my hammocks long. Ive noticed that length helps comfort alot, but only to a point---it also needs to be alittle wider than the conventional 5 ft. If you can come up with some wider material, and make it 11 ft long, youre going to love it! I've been playing around with taffeta---its a little heavier than ripstop, but its dirt cheap, and you can get it in really wide sections ----alot of people have been ordering tablecloths from tableclothsfactory.com I know it sounds a little strange, but for 19.00 you can get a huge piece of material, prehemmed. (its under taffeta tablecloths) also, I think some one on ebay sell wide ripstop pieces. Good luck!

Edit http://stores.ebay.com/Fabricsupplie..._sid=114720793

[Morgoroth]

Like this: Taffeta
So I could just sew end channels. That is an interesting idea since this first one is just for the back yard.

What about weight capacity of taffeta?

I'm shooting for the thing to hold 600 pounds so the whole family can get in it.
Not for the night of course, I think this one will mostly be a backyard beast

[stevebo]

Papa smurf of Dream Hammocks uses this stuff alot----he un officially rates it at 300 lbs (ck out his website)-----------you could make a double layer hammock to hold the whole family! (if you get on the tablecloth factory mailing list, they frequently have sales and free shipping ! )

[Morgoroth]

Thanks! Mailing list added.

[DemostiX]

For the backyard length doesn't raise issues except small ones of marginal cost.

Put it in the field in need of a rain fly, though, and unless you put hoods over the ends, you will need to shield those rain-collectors funneling water to your body at the bottom of the hammock......with a longer rain fly.