Treeboat-like hammock with built in insulation?

[CamoDeafie82]

first off; I am going to acquire an off-the-peg hammock before I make my own....to see if I like hanging more or not... That said;
I've been eyeballing the Treeboat and the Duluth Packs Pathfinder hammocks....what attracted me to them is the fact they don't act like the tautly pitched patio hammocks, and looks to be as comfortable as sleeping on an airbed or a cot...which I've many years of experience with airbeds, and lived on an army styled cot for 9 months before tossing it into the trash, thanks to my habit of sitting on the edges on a daily basis and bending the aluminum rails..

Anyways.... I've been looking at JustJeff's homemade warm-hammocks and down-hammock designs, and a thought came up to me; what would be a good way to somewhat save time setting up a shallow semi-bridge styled hammock like a Treeboat.....for colder weather? I am thinking might it be possible to make it so that it has a built in underquilt on the bottom, without much compression on the down fill or whatever fill I can find? I am a thrift store junkie, and I go through a great many stores, mostly for deals, and am going to add looking for down filled items to my list of things to acquire lol.

here is how I am considering the construction of it;
box styled bottom fabric, stretchable and lightweight, and a sturdy fabric top layer done in the style of the TreeBoat or the Duluth Packs Pathfinder hammock (simple rectangle with bars at each end and rope channels on each side)... I would have a zipper on one side to add or subtract fill; maybe I could get away with just having a folded down sleeping bag in the gap? it would be similar to a double layer bridge that usually use a CCF pad for the bottom (I have two CCF pads)..... would this work in theory?

[JP_dog]

It looks like a cool idea. I hope you fill us in on your results. I like the idea of the down zipper, but it could be a pain if it came open in transit, so if that is possible be sure you have a way to lock that zipper closed! I am sure a down stuffing pro can weigh in on that. I am a bit of a thrift store junkie too.

[FireInMyBones]

I think what you're thinking of here is a bridge hammock with built in insulation? Honestly, I think it'd be easier than those of us who have made gathered-end hammocks with built in insulation.

Have you watched Gizz's videos on making your own bridge hammock? It might be a place to start.

I look forward to seeing what you come up with.

[CamoDeafie82]

Well; I'm thinking more like THIS design of bridge if one calls it a bridge;


or a lighter version of this;



but with built in insulation I've been watching the DIY Bridge Hammock videos...I am rather curious though.... how is a cat cut bridge better than a rectangular bridge? I mean; they are both better than a typical spreader bar hammock..... by having suspension lines on the edges; but how much of a significant difference does the shape make?

[psyculman]

[/QUOTE]I would have a zipper on one side to add or subtract fill; maybe I could get away with just having a folded down sleeping bag in the gap? it would be similar to a double layer bridge that usually use a CCF pad for the bottom (I have two CCF pads)..... would this work in theory?[/QUOTE]

I tried this too, as I too wanted to maybe add more down later, which I did.

A zipper gets all full of down, and won't close. Fortunately, I also had a flap over the zipper, on the inside filled side, which prevented much down leakage. On the outside another flap which had Velcro, and thus no down can leak out at all. Even the Velcro got a little down caught up in it, but not so much it didn't function. But, the zipper is a total loss. Completely clogged up with down. Maybe a larger toothed sport zipper might have been better.

[CamoDeafie82]

hmm thats a good point about the down and zipper.....

[egrant5329]

What do you plan on using your hammock for? Honestly I would hate to pack either of those hammocks unless I was just car camping.

I would suggest trying some hammocks out if you can find someone local that has them before dropping a lot of cash on ones you're interested in. Just looking at the hammock designs above it makes my knees hurt.

The cat cut in a bridge helps keep the bottom of the hammock flat. You still get some sinking where you are the heaviest, but nothing like in the photos you posted.

Good luck with the hammock and after you have slept in it a few nights be sure and post how you like it.

[boulderv7]

You could make the second layer attached by baffles and sew up your down in prepacked pillows that you could slide in each baffle to provide insulation. If you make the baffles large enough and run a channel along each side you could run some cord through each channel and make the baffle height adjustable by tightening or loosening the cord. I saw someone on here did that with a gathered end hammock. (Don't remember who though......) Then they could adjust the height for the conditions. I think they even used like grass and plastic bags and whatnot for insulation. Anything you can stuff in these baffles. Might work on a bridge....

[Bic]

how is a cat cut bridge better than a rectangular bridge? I mean; they are both better than a typical spreader bar hammock..... by having suspension lines on the edges; but how much of a significant difference does the shape make?

the cat-cut bridge hammocks will be more comfortable. The cut in the sides gives the hammock a flatter lay. when you pull the hammock tight, the sides try to go straight, thus pulling the bottom of the hammock up, and flat. It also, from the looks of it, will make it easier to get in and out of.

[FireInMyBones]

...
how much of a significant difference does the shape make?

The cat cut allows for a flatter lay and also makes it easier to get in and out of. I've made a bridge hammock once before. It was a ver comfortable hammock, but It weighed too much with spreader bars (even if I would have purchased carbon fiber bars). Weight and comfort play your biggest roles here in determining the style of hammock you use.

...
I would have a zipper on one side to add or subtract fill; maybe I could get away with just having a folded down sleeping bag in the gap?
.... would this work in theory?

How did I miss this? Consider if you add insulation, down would not work here. Down would go everywhere. Down has a mind of its own.

Multiple pads would work, so would varied insulation. If you want a versatile system, you'd either need sewn up tubes of down to add to already enclosed insulation (not loose) or have a set insulation value built in and supplement with traditional UQs when it became very cold (this is what I do).