Originally Posted by
FLRider
Nylon is simply the type of material woven together. There're various kinds of nylon, most of whose names refer to the weave type. Ripstop is one of those (note that there're other kinds of ripstop: cotton blends and polyester are both very common in addition to nylon).
To know whether something is ripstop or not, look for a grid of slightly larger threads running through the base fabric: they're there to stop tears that might propagate through the thinner threads.
All that being said, the "sport" nylon that I've seen at JoAnne's was ripstop, in the 1.9 oz/sq yd range. That doesn't mean that it's the only kind they carry, just that it's the only one I've seen there.
Hope it helps!
Edit: An hammock need not be made out of ripstop; ripstop is just often sold in very light weights per square yard compared to other weaves. Which is why it's favored for hammocks, since the majority of folks hike in with 'em on their backs.
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