The perfect Hammock

[camoxjeep]

OK OK, I dont have the answer thats why I'm asking the forum

What features do you all think make the perfect hammock? These can either be bought or DIY projects that you think are the best.

I know everyone has different tastes but we can all have some kind of conses-is. Price, Lightweight/Heavy - doenst matter. Just what do you think would be the best options.

1. Hammock (material, adj RL, features or anything else)

2. Suspension (what material and what is it)

3. Bugnet (yes/no at what kind)

4. Tarp (Integrated, separate, material, size, features)

5. Accessories (Shelves, pillows, organizers or anything else)

6. Bottom/Top Quilt (anything here)

7. Anything else I'm forgetting or you'd like to see

[camoxjeep]

For me it would be
1. I love Warbonnets XLC 1.7 DL Blackbird (size is perfect even for only being 5' 6". Would love to see Adj Ridgeline integrated, integrated bottom quilt hooks.

2. Dutch's Cinch Buckle Suspension with Dutch Clips

3. Integrated/removable bug net

4. Not attached but some lightweight material, diamond shape with an adj ridgleline using Dutch Hooks and tarp flyz with zing it.

5. Small integrated removable down pillow, of course WBBB has a built in shelf that I love, lightweight ridgeline organizer.

6. Small rings attached to it to connect to the hammock in varying degrees of warmth and sizes.

[brown4914]

I'm still learning an upgrading with each hang! But regardless of set-up I quickly learned that the best set-up is one that you made yourself. DIY projects always feel ten times better knowing that you personally put time (and mistakes) into them. A whole new perspective on learning about gear.

[camoxjeep]

I'm still learning an upgrading with each hang! But regardless of set-up I quickly learned that the best set-up is one that you made yourself. DIY projects always feel ten times better knowing that you personally put time (and mistakes) into them. A whole new perspective on learning about gear.

I completely agree but what have you learned that you liked? Thats what I'm looking for.

[olddog]

cxj, I just finished the weekend with my new system and though it still needs some more refinements it was very satisfactory. Most of my kit is DIY with some cottage industry items. The best way to describe it is to go thru the set up. First up is the UCR/SLS which has the Tadpole tarp attached. The tree huggers are fixed to the SLS and are attached to the tree by way of soft shackles. One end is connected to the tree, the SLS/tarp is fed out of it's bag and the other end connected to a tree and the UCRs tightened. Three min. max plus another three min. to stake out the tarp. The hammock/bugnet/UQ as a unit are then hung from the suspension with 2 soft shackles, another 2 or 3 min. Toss the TQ and pillow in the hammock and done.

The suspension is 7/64 amsteel with UCR's on each end with tree huggers and hammock suspension permanently attached.

The hammock is a DIY 132"x54", the bugnet is a top entry DIY and the UQ is a Wilderness Logic summer series. All carried as a unit with soft shackles for quick connection to the SLS.

I can hang this system quicker than I can type the explanation. It's probably not for everyone as we all tend to start with a system and stick with it. I showed it off this weekend but probably didn't make many converts. Which brings to mind the adage, HYOH.

[brown4914]

1.) Hammock - DIY 1.9 oz rip stop nylon blaze orange whipped end hammock. Special features off this hammock are, its extra short (I'm 5 ft 6), and wide as the roll came. So dimensions are 100 x 61, but taking into consideration the room it takes to whip the ends, a good deal shorter than 100 inches for actual laying room. Fixed ridge line set at about 74 inches, low amount of sag but I can lay diagonal easily because of my height.
2.) Suspension - Sgt Rock's UCR's made out of 7/64 blue am steel. If I were to make a new set they would be made out of high visibility dynaglide.
3.) Bugnet - haven't made one yet but will be DIY out of noseeum.
4.) Tarp - Kind of splurged here, I bought a used Zpacks Cuben Fiber tarp from the FS section on here. With winter and a thru hike coming up I wanted to takes no chances with not getting doors, plus the weight savings of cuben fiber is so extreme dropping $285 didn't seem bad at all. I used 1.4 mm slick line from zpacks website for the tie outs, this has undoubtedly beextry favorite line to work with so far. Tiny dyneema cord with 330 test strength, plus its blaze orange for visibility. So with all said and done the tarp weighs 13ozs with my 8 stakes included. Not bad.
5.) Accessories - Working on a pillow at the moment (using extra down from UQ project )along with RL organizer out of noseeum.
6.) Quilts - UQ is a 3/4 UQ shell from underquilts.com, I stuffed it with 8 Oz's of 900 FP down from thru hiker. This thing is warm! Turned out to weight 15 Oz's and its last me down to 20* so far. Real test coming further into winter. If I get too cold may add the good ole ccf pad as well. I have a 35* down sleeping bag for on top. Looking to upgrade to UL top quilt eventually.
7.) Anything Else - I use a small price of CCF wrapped in reflectix as a foot pad that doubles as a sit pad for quick trail breaks. Always looking for ways to double purpose my gear and find the lighter option.

Cheers!

Edit: re-read original post, I misunderstood early this morning when my reply was typed, I gave answers to what I have, not what would be best. Although they aren't far off...

[Boston]

1. Hammock (material, adj RL, features or anything else)
Material: lightest for your weight. I'm 160lbs and use 1.1
RL: Make 1 adjustable ridgeline to use with any hammock you make. Once it's dialed in, make a static one.
Features: Foot box - this works similar to shortening the edges. Effectively, adding a foot box gives you more usable width.

2. Suspension (what material and what is it)
I like dynaglide, but it depends on your weight and what safety factor you want. I prefer whoopie slings for their smaller minimum hang distance (vs UCR) and light weight (vs webbing). Don't forget tree straps and toggles.

3. Bugnet (yes/no at what kind)
I currently use a fronky style, but am toying with adding an attached bug net to my next hammock.

4. Tarp (Integrated, separate, material, size, features)
Integrated? never heard of it. Sil Nylon, if DIY get seconds from Noah Lamport for $3/yrd and buy enough for 2. Make a "Fair weather" WB Edge type hex (or Mamajamba if you want a bit more coverage), and a WB Superfly type with doors. There's lots of way to make the same style tarp. Do some research.

5. Accessories (Shelves, pillows, organizers or anything else)
A shelf can be nice, but not necessary. RL organizer is almost a must, just for stashing things away you'll want access to. I like a pillow to support my neck. I use a BPL inflatable with a pillow case made from scraps from a poncho liner.

6. Bottom/Top Quilt (anything here)
Yes. In colder weather a sleeping bag may retain more warmth by preventing drafts better, but is much more hassle to get in and out of.

7. Anything else I'm forgetting or you'd like to see
Bishop bag for the hammock. Skins for the tarp.

[oldpappy]

Fun question. I'm looking at just what I have/use to answer.

1. Hammock: material is Ripstop, an adj RL that can be loaded like on Hennessey. Also I like a-sym foot/shoulder pull outs - either side would be nice. 2 bottom layers for bugs protection in summer and to add pads in winter - bottom layer should breath yet provide wind/spray protection.

2. Suspension (what material and what is it) - just an attachment point (loop or ring) so you can choose your own.

3. Bugnet (yes/no at what kind). Only thing I don't like about my (bottom entry) Hennessey is that the bug net is not removable - so a removable bugnet that will handle no-see-ums.

4. Tarp (Integrated, separate, material, size, features) - separate.

5. Accessories (Shelves, pillows, organizers or anything else)
It would be nice to have a dry/warm place for shoes or wet gear.

6. Bottom/Top Quilt (anything here) - separate.

All parts should be repairable/replaceable/jerry riggable in the field.
No fancy hardware to fail/loose in the field - I don't like zippers either.
A 2 point suspension (tree to tree) is my preference. Just attachment points for other tie-outs would be my choice. Example: I don't stake out my a-sim tie-outs. If the tarp is on and staked out I sometimes tie to the tarp with shock cord - Hennessey style.
I keep hammock in snake skins and with the tarp in a fishnet bishop bag.