1.1oz nylon weight limit

**jbo_c** · 07-16-2009, 07:12

I can only seem to find the light nylon ripstop on the sale racks. I assume it's OK for a people hammock (vs gear hammock) since WB has them available in 1.1 single layer. What kind of weight limit should I plan on?

Yes, I'm sure this info is already here somewhere, but all my searches brought back "no results found".

Also, is the stuff you guys(and gals) find at WalMart marked with a weight? Everything I find is marked "material of unknown origin". I'm assuming that it is the 1.1oz too. Is there a way to tell besides experience(which I don't have yet)?

Thanks.

Jbo

**Ramblinrev** · 07-16-2009, 07:16

Originally Posted by jbo_c

Is there a way to tell besides experience(which I don't have yet)? Jbo

A scale is about it.

**jbo_c** · 07-16-2009, 07:37

Thanks Rev. That would do too. Just watched all your intro videos. Learned a lot. Thanks. My daughter thinks it's hysterical that I'm going to sew . . . er, make gear . . . on her machine.

I did find some more info, but nothing on whether or not to be comfortable making a hammock for myself out of the 1.1oz yet. BTW I'm about 200 pounds.

Thanks, again.

Jbo

**BOB1520** · 07-16-2009, 07:40

Weighing the material is one method of determining what the material weight is. One (1) linear yard of material equals approximately 1.67 square yards. If you already knew that, sorry for being redundant.

All the WM ripstop that I have purchased has been a form of 1.1-1.4 ripstop with some level of DRW on it. The bolt is never marked to what it really is.

In another thread it’s mentioned that you can do a burn test. The way it burns and smells indicates the type of material it is.

As for “load” weight, I recall 1.1 can support up to ~150 pounds. I made a test hammock out the WM stuff (before I knew the weight limit) and I noticed some stretch to it (I weigh ~170). So if I were to make a DIY out this material, I would double it for better weight support.

**PuckerFactor** · 07-16-2009, 07:47

1.1 feels really thin. 1.9 feels almost the thickness of a sheet of paper.
It's pretty easy to tell them apart when you have them side by side.

If you can only find 1.1, you could just do a double layer hammock...

Hope that helps,
Acer

**Ramblinrev** · 07-16-2009, 07:51

Originally Posted by BOB1520

Weighing the material is one method of determining what the material weight is. One (1) linear yard of material equals approximately 1.67 square yards. If you already knew that, sorry for being redundant.

I hate to be a nit picky lil twit but that depends on the width of the fabric. Such is especially important when shopping the Wally World bargain bins because I have found fabric all over the map there. Obviouswly 42" fabric is going to be a different square yardage than 62" and I have found both and lots inbetween. I found a 65" one time. That hit the motherlode since it was treated and useful for a tarp.

In point of fact... and speaking _only_ for myself, I don't give a rat's pitootie about the weight of the fabric. I have successfully hung my lard butt in a hammock so thin you just about read through it. Not that I would want to rely on that for the AT but my suspicion is the weight is given way more importance by the gram weenies than is required.

Having said that... I usually look to the bargain bins for prototype and "disposable" projects. If I were making something where I wanted to know the quality was there I would buy known fabric from known vendors. The fiber content and the weight are only two unknowns in dealing with the WW bargain stuff. If "good enuf" is good enough (nothing wrong with that) then the WW stuff is fine. But for the best you can get... It's worth the investment in known materials. YMMV.

**animalcontrol** · 07-16-2009, 07:52

I also bought about 15 yds of 1.7oz ripstop from walmart...it can be found. (well, my walmart no longer carries fabric so it can't be found there!)

**animalcontrol** · 07-16-2009, 07:59

Originally Posted by Ramblinrev

I hate to be a nit picky lil twit but that depends on the width of the fabric. Such is especially important when shopping the Wally World bargain bins because I have found fabric all over the map there. Obviouswly 42" fabric is going to be a different square yardage than 62" and I have found both and lots inbetween. I found a 65" one time. That hit the motherlode since it was treated and useful for a tarp.

Good point RR...simple solution
measure and weigh...
WxL (in inches) divided by 1296 (# of sq inches in one sq yard of fabric)
Example (10' long hammock)
62"x120"/1296=5.74 sq yds (double if it is a double layer)
put the material on a scale...9.8oz
9.8oz divided by 5.74 sq yds = 1.7 oz/yd material

clear as mud?

**jbo_c** · 07-16-2009, 08:33

Yep, I'm good with figuring the areas for weight calculations.

And, Rev, I'm mostly looking for "prototyping" stuff for me with my first projects. I've already put an order together over at owfinc for the good stuff. I just want some cheap stuff to practice on.

As long as I'm at it, is the polypro web at owf good for hammock suspension? They say it isn't for climbing, etc, but I'm guessing that's more for liability reasons. It'd be nice to be able to get theirs so I only have to pay shipping once.

Thanks for all the responses.

Jbo

**nacra533** · 07-16-2009, 08:49

On the nylong ripstop fabric I have purchased, 1.7 and 1.9oz has about 1/4" square grids. Mine ranges from 7/32" to 1/4". The 1.1oz stuff usually has smaller squares, about half the size.

That said, I have some 2.2oz riptstop polyester (I think) that has squares the same size as the 1.1oz nylon and have seen some very lightweight (see through) nylon with almost 1/4" squares.

Calculating the square yardage and weighing is about the only way.