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  1. #1
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    Cordura? Canvas? Taffeta?

    Hello; thought I would like to get a more clearer answer from you guys...

    I am looking to make a sort of bridge/spreader bar hammock; and since I am one heavy dude, would like to know if the material I am looking at would support my weight.....

    I have a standing account at the RainShed for fabrics, since they are my primary supplier for my recreational shooters equipment fabrics....
    Anyways, I am looking at the following fabrics;
    -330D Lightweight uncoated Cordura, Woodland camouflage pattern; 58-60" nominal width

    -Expedition Canvas Carhart Brown; 12 oz; 65" width

    -coated Taffeta; or 70D ripstop 60" width

    for a shallow bridge hammock to support 300-500 pounds, at 3 yards; using a similar design to either Duluth packs Pathfinder hammock or the New Tribe Treeboat; which of these materials would be better for my needs? I am leaning towards the taffeta or the 330D Cordura...

  2. #2
    Senior Member FLRider's Avatar
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    For 300-500 lbs, the 70d would likely be too light unless you do multiple layers. A good fabric weight vs. comfort chart can be found here.

    Hope it helps!
    "Just prepare what you can and enjoy the rest."
    --Floridahanger

  3. #3
    Senior Member Mrprez's Avatar
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    Have you tried a bridge style hammock? The reason I ask is, I tried one and found it very difficult to get out of. At the time, I was probably 220 lbs and in my late 50s. After trying on rout, I sold it immediately. YMMV.

  4. #4
    Senior Member Ramblinrev's Avatar
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    stay away from coated fabrics. You could easily end up in a puddle from condensation. Also 9' long is really long for a bridge hammock unless things have changed drastically since I was messing with them. A shallow bridge hammock is likely to be unsteady as well. The less depth there is, the more tippy they can be. I would suggest playing with some real cheap stuff stuff first before you use good fabric for a design you don't like. While testing the design, don't hang higher than you are willing to fall.
    I may be slow... But I sure am gimpy.

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  5. #5
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    well I've been playing around with designs...and The Rainshed doesn't sell fabric in half yards; only whole yards for certain fabrics...so I was thinking start with 3 yards and reduce from there......OR 4 yards of fabric and build it so that there's room for a 2nd person to lay inline/tandem.... somewhat...but I'm thinking this would end up with one of us kicking the other in the nuts....so probably 3 yards and reduce from there,and use the excess materials for something else.... like reinforcement.
    EDIT: I found uncoated Taffeta; with DWR on one side, for $6 a yard, at 2.2oz for Military Olive Drab color at The Rainshed, and on the same page, polyester taffeta /imitation silk at 2.7 oz/sq yard with no coating/no DWR, but in really ugly colors to me lol.

    and on the same website, they have uncoated Cordura at 5oz weight in camouflage... 330D....

    if single layer, then 5oz 330D Cordura would be basically bulletproof for up to 500 pounds?
    Last edited by CamoDeafie82; 12-30-2013 at 17:13.

  6. #6
    Senior Member BrianWillan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by CamoDeafie82 View Post
    Hello; thought I would like to get a more clearer answer from you guys...

    I am looking to make a sort of bridge/spreader bar hammock; and since I am one heavy dude, would like to know if the material I am looking at would support my weight.....

    I have a standing account at the RainShed for fabrics, since they are my primary supplier for my recreational shooters equipment fabrics....
    Anyways, I am looking at the following fabrics;
    -330D Lightweight uncoated Cordura, Woodland camouflage pattern; 58-60" nominal width

    -Expedition Canvas Carhart Brown; 12 oz; 65" width

    -coated Taffeta; or 70D ripstop 60" width

    for a shallow bridge hammock to support 300-500 pounds, at 3 yards; using a similar design to either Duluth packs Pathfinder hammock or the New Tribe Treeboat; which of these materials would be better for my needs? I am leaning towards the taffeta or the 330D Cordura...
    Your easiest bet for a bridge hammock for a larger girth person is to use the crinkle polyester taffeta tablecloths from tableclothsfactory.com. They are quite inexpensive and often on sale or with free shipping.

    I am a person of a large girth and have made two bridge hammocks from this fabric and they are holding up just fine. I followed the instructions from the series of videos that GrizzlyAdams posted in the DIY sticky section.

    Cheers

    Brian
    Good judgment comes from experience, and often experience comes from bad judgment. - Unknown

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