Had to run the gang up to PA this past weekend so my wife could take care of some issues with her mom, and found that her sister and family had driven in too. So . . . small house + lots of people = excuse to hang outside!

I found a great spot at the edge of the woods and set up camp, stopping only briefly to answer questions about why I was "hanging a tent in the trees." After they retreated to the house to enjoy all the comforts of sleeping on the couch or floor, fighting for pillows, and yelling "Who farted?!?", I nestled in to a nice cozy rest in my own private space. The nighttime low was 43 degrees, and my setup worked well, although I plan to add another layer or two to my IXUQ as more TV wrap becomes available, ha ha. Total cost of everything in my setup is less than $30, since all the polyester material was from the bargin bins at Wal-Mart and everything else was just odds-n-ends that I scrounged up. (Yeah, I know - see my signature below . . . )

Here's just the hammock with the underquilt. Dbl-layer polyester, camo outside / grey inside. The UQ is two layers of IX-wannabe (TV wrap) with a coated outer shell, so I'm calling it three layers. Didn't have enough shock cord at the time, so I ran braided masons line thru the side channels and had about a foot of shock cord where it attached to the hammock suspension. This will be corrected tonight.



Hammock suspension is 2,200# camo straps with a quick-link and the option of using toggles in a marlin spike hitch. Hollow-braid whoopie slings (since I didn't have Amsteel) are working better than expected and are cheap to replace if necessary. Tarp suspension is no-stretch paracord type stuff with a simple loop on the end. This goes around the tree, then just use a trail stick to grab the main line in the loop. A prusik knot loop for the s-biners to clip to gives plenty of adjustment and holds great.



The bug net is made from some heavy duty tulle and is tougher than I expected. It has an integrated ridgeline that clips to the suspension just above the knot. I added triangle covers with velcro on the bottom edge to seal the ends up nice and snug. The lower foot of the bug net is solid material and has 5 heavy ball bearings sewn into the lower edge to keep the net taught and sealed around the sides of the hammock. So far, this is working well, and allows easy entry/exit, or one side can be flipped over the back if you're sitting in the hammock. Also added a mesh stuff-pocket to the ridgeline that's been very handy.





The tarp is an asymmetrical diamond with cat-cut ridgeline, cut from a 10x10 Easy-Up tent that got destroyed at a windy softball tournament. The material is pretty tough yet not too heavy and is coated on the underside. Granted, this isn't for gram-weenies, but the price was right and it works well. I made guyline tensioners for the side tie-outs with some blue surgical tubing and they keep everything nice and taught throughout the night.



Although the hammock and the bug net have their own individual bags, they pack with the entire system into the stuff bag shown hanging from the suspension in the last pic.

-Klauss