Condensation?

**Jakenull** · 03-31-2009, 11:28

If i build my hammock out of 1.4 silnylon am I gonna wake up in a puddle, with my sleeping bag soaked?

I'm still in the process of material selection and while researching i see hammocks made from plain ripstop or teffeta but then some are two-ply or wrapped in huge quilts and their sleeping bags have thermal protection on the bottom. Some setups weigh more than my tent!

Is there really gonna be that much condensation if the hammock is non-breathable and the opening (under the tarp) is wide open?

I can deal with being cold, but not wet!

I guess its important to mention i'm on the west (wet) coast and the air is pretty heavy most times of the year + plus lots of wind.

**headchange4u** · 03-31-2009, 13:19

Originally Posted by Jakenull

If i build my hammock out of 1.4 silnylon am I gonna wake up in a puddle, with my sleeping bag soaked?

It is a distinct possibility. NCPatrick played around with a sil hammock. Maybe he will chime in.

**fin** · 03-31-2009, 13:55

The ATTH is a non-breathable hammock, and it does OK. Not sil, but non-breathable PU coated ripstop poly.

**NCPatrick** · 03-31-2009, 13:59

Originally Posted by Jakenull

If i build my hammock out of 1.4 silnylon am I gonna wake up in a puddle, with my sleeping bag soaked?
<snip>

Is there really gonna be that much condensation if the hammock is non-breathable and the opening (under the tarp) is wide open?

No, I never used silnylon for a hammock, although I did play around with waterproof nylon as a vapor barrier. With the temps in the high 30's, I put a vb (vapor barrier) under my hammock and under my underquilt. I woke up with lots of water in the vb. After moving the vb up to right up under my breatheable nylon hammock (between uq and hammock), I had no condensation.

I do think you'd wake up with condensation, depending on the relative humidity, and that sleeping right on silnylon would be uncomfortable since it doesn't breathe, but that's just an opinion... if you research sensible vs. insensible perspiration here on the site, there are many scientific-type discussions (most involving Youngblood) about how this works and what might work for you.

--That's a pretty long winded answer to just say I don't know.

**Jakenull** · 03-31-2009, 14:42

Thanks NCPatrick, i searched what you suggested and found some useful comments.
Im gonna build it out of silnylon but large enough so it can dismantle it and re-use it for my tarp if things dont work out so well after testing. -- Sounds likely.

Appreciate that link FishinFinn. Love the K.I.S.S design. That is almost exactly what I was aiming for!

**Peter_pan** · 03-31-2009, 15:55

Be sure to keep your soap handly.... dual use hammock as wash basin....

.....Seriously, one out of some 17 or so manufacturers using a non breathable bottom and comments like, "it does OK".... should tell you something.

Pan

**Mustardman** · 03-31-2009, 16:10

Originally Posted by Peter_pan

Be sure to keep your soap handly.... dual use hammock as wash basin....

.....Seriously, one out of some 17 or so manufacturers using a non breathable bottom and comments like, "it does OK".... should tell you something.

Pan

In all fairness, the ATHH isn't the only hammock with a waterproof bottom. Off the top of my head, I know DD sells at least one model with a waterproof bottom, and I'd guess there might be others out there as well.

**fin** · 03-31-2009, 19:48

Originally Posted by Mustardman

In all fairness, the ATHH isn't the only hammock with a waterproof bottom. Off the top of my head, I know DD sells at least one model with a waterproof bottom, and I'd guess there might be others out there as well.

Yeah, I'm not advocating the use of non-breathable material for a hammock, just pointing out that it has been done, and people use these with some success. Personally, I'd save the sil for a tarp or something, but if someone wants to try something different, I'm all for that as well.

Just post the results.