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  1. #1

    Join Date
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    marlin sp./whoopie
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    Whats next for the bridge hammock design?

    What's next? The great diy explores have moved the legs beyond the foot end spreader bar and the head is just beyond the head spreader bar so the shoulders rest at the widest point. The bars are wide for comfort, the bugnet is open and easy to build. Making light weight suspension has shown you can have a very light hammock. And now side pockets have made the bridge very convienant. As important, various experiments have shown what not to do and what doesn't seem to make a difference.

    What's the next thing? Is it darting the hammock body? Is it someone making a Cuben bridge? Is it figuring how to intergrate the trap into the hamkock so smaller tarps can be used and still get good coverage and weather protection?

    I know that tarps for bridge hammocks are large if you want good weather protection. What if a tarp was made with two different sides? One side would function as a normal tarp while the other would be more like a hammock sock and fit around the ends and the other side? That means you could only enter and exit from one side. I imagine you could use less fabric and can incorporate the suspension triangle in attaching the tarp to the hammock. I'll draw some pictures up in the next few days. Any thoughts? If you don't think it would work please provide why you think that.

  2. #2
    Senior Member SteelToe's Avatar
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    May 2012
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    Henny Asym
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    "What's Next" Should be a Sticky!

    I've been exploring a few ideas, and hopefully, I'll have a hang-able example of them in a few days. It's held together with twine and pins for sizing, so it could only hold a mannequine. Just gotta get the suspension connections sewed on and I should be in business.



    1) Large cutouts at the shoulders so the arms exit the center of the hammock, and sit in their own "sleeves" --shoulder squeeze is solved, and much shorter spreader bars can be used (if even needed). A cool byproduct of this setup is that the arms are far more mobile than if they were confined by tensioned fabric, so reachable stowage on the outside of the hammock is now a possibility in addition to the ridgeline. So is stretching

    2) The hammock floor is made of segments of different widths, which combine to make a custom-contoured sleep surface resembling that of a flattened-out recliner chair. No need for a pillow, no more knee hyperextension. Gaps are left where support is not necessary, which both reduces weight (and volume) and makes the interior much more breathable. They will be closed with mesh when I do the bug net after this first phase. The hammock pictured crumples up to the size of a soda can (sans suspension, tarp, insulation, and netting )

    3) Each leg sits in its own pocket, to elminate knee and thigh sqeeze. The two pockets are supported in the middle by fabric panels attaching to the ridgeline. Elevation of the feet will be adjustable for either comfort or reduction of swelling after a long hike.

    4) The entry/exit is a vertical opening between the fabric panels separating the legs. Much like the Hennessey velcro opening, only more vertical, and held closed by tension alone. Pull legs up out of pockets, push through the opening (now untensioned since legs are no longer hanging), and roll forward into a standing position.

    5) As a bonus of lying so far below the suspension lines, the top-view profile of the hammock is nearly identical to a gathered-end style, so narrow diamond-shaped rainflies can probably be used. The sides/end of the foot pockets may end up needing to be a waterproof fabric, since they hang low enough that splash, blow-by may be more of an issue, but the rest is very narrow/compact.

    If my luck is any good, I'll find that at least one of these ideas is worth applying to my gear going forward.

    If I can get the hammock off the ground () in the next few weeks, I'll turn my focus to "Phase 2" and get to work designing the bug/weather shielding. Insulation will of course have to be a completely new design, but I'm gonna try for a button-on modular setup that will allow for different quilts, windbreaks, and bug-nets to be attached as the season requires. The blankets would go around the legs/arms so they do not become "thermally isolated" like fingers in a glove.
    www.hammockforums.net --I get it!

  3. #3
    Senior Member breyman's Avatar
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    Aug 2012
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    SteelToe, I like the creative thinking! I'm sure there are definitely some keepers in there. I personally like moving around a lot when I sleep, including side sleeping, etc. I'm not sure how well this would work for that, but I'm sure variations from this would suit many folks.

    Keep it up!
    Brian
    Denver, CO
    Father. Husband. Scoutmaster.

  4. #4
    Member Swehanger's Avatar
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    Mar 2012
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    Light valley, Sweden
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    DH Roaming Gnome 11"
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    Whoopie, UCR
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    You are definitely on to something! looks like some kind of body mapping that klymit x-frame uses.
    Rock on dude.

  5. #5
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    oh man! that's OUTSIDE THE BOX!

    Do you get jacked into the Matrix when you lay in that thing?!

    I love the originality, love it.

  6. #6
    Senior Member SteelToe's Avatar
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    looks like some kind of body mapping that klymit x-frame uses.
    I'm picturing a multi-million dollar laser scanner being used for...hammock design . The inspiration (going on 4 years ago at this point, I think) came from seeing an advertisement for a mattress with a "stress plot" graphic while I was in my Strength of Materials class, shortly after hammock camping for the first time . I figured; if a suspension bridge can deflect in such a way as to approximate a level surface under load, perhaps a hammock could assume a desired shape under load? The hammock isn't really "tailored," per se, but I did take some measurements for stuff like the length of the torso and where my head goes. I'm hoping to work in some adjustability so it could be made by others using paper templates, with no additional fuss.

    It definitely isn't the easiest way to approach the problem, but it's been a fun design and manufacture project for me. Who knows, it might even be useful . I started it before I figured out how to deal with shoulder-sqeeze and knee hyperextension, and made a prototype (with only one leg-well) that worked well enough for me to continue pursuing the idea.


    That one was plenty strong enough for me to lay in, and had zero shoulder sqeeze. Back/spine position was very La-Z-Boy like. Unfortunately, since I didn't know anything about hammock design at this point, it sat way too high in the "rails" and the suspension webbing really sqeezed at you, sorta "clamping" you into the thing, and making it quite difficult to get your shoulders back out by sitting upright . By making the head area a separate part (as in the new design) you can easily get back out by reaching back behind your head, and bringing the arms forward. You also had to have Olympic pommel-horse skills to get in by supporting your body weight with your arms while holding the rails open as you lowered you body with a "dip." The vertical inseam door simplies things greatly.

    TCB

    Do you get jacked into the Matrix when you lay in that thing?!
    God, I sure hope not ! Mostly I'm hoping I don't get dumped on my butt (or upper back, as the case may be )
    www.hammockforums.net --I get it!

  7. #7
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    Well I like it man. Do you think you could use girth hitches on your trekking poles to use as a spreader bar to reduce the squeeze?

  8. #8
    Senior Member SteelToe's Avatar
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    I suppose trekking poles might work better in this design than most since, at most, you'd only need a short (2ft or so) bar at the head end. I could easily attach some strap-sockets to stick the opposing ends into. Since some of the weight is borne by tension along the spine, the bars would also be under even less compression--this setup is kind of a hybrid between a gathered end with continous support around the sleeper, and a bridge with all its support on the sides/above. I just figured I'd always be hitting my head on it , but it might make getting in/out without having to roll your shoulders forward a bit easier.

    Right now I'm actually getting the suspension attachments put on the various pieces. I got some tubular polyester webbing that I will roll the edge hems over and run 1/8" Amsteel through. Once I get everything in a position I like, I'll sew the Amsteel in place. Hopefully that will be as tough as the last hammock where I sewed Nylon tubular webbing to channels on the edges with 3 or four passes. That was/is very strong, but I always figured the larger stretch in that webbing (especially over a multi-hour duration) would eventually start popping seams. Hence the poly webbing this go-around.

    I'm still undecided as to exactly how the rigging will work on this deal. I have a ridgeline, two rails typical to all bridge hammocks, a "spineline" at the top of the back, and two "tail lines" that split off from the inseam (the doorway is between them) that will all need to be Amsteel. I'm thinking I might try to make the spine/ridgelines the same member, with a Y-splice forming the two "tail lines." The two rails would be a continuous spliced loop. Somehow I'd keep the cables from sliding through the two support points they'd bend through .

    One additional blessing of this design is that it is very short. It basically carries load like a gathered end hammock, but doesn't scrunch you into the convergent ends, which allows the two support points to only be 10ft apart. I think it could actually be as short as 8ft, but the tensions would start getting higher than I like.

    TCB
    www.hammockforums.net --I get it!

  9. #9

    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Portland, OR
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    SteelToe- Wow! I dont even know what to call your hammock. Looking forward to seeing this completed and even more interested in how you are going to insulate the top of the body. If you finish the hammock and want to take it out before you figure out insulation maybe give this sleeping suit a try:
    http://www.musucbag.com/en/public/classic.html


  10. #10

    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
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    marlin sp./whoopie
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    I'm not sure why the video didn't work. Here is the link:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ld9Yr...ature=youtu.be

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