My Take On DIY Hennessy Hammock. A Tutorial.

**Just Jeff** · 03-07-2007, 21:56

Yeah. Even bears know about Chuck. Let me know when you get a tarp with Chuck on it.

Probably shouldn't make a hammock with Chuck on it though. At least I wouldn't let Chuck see you sitting on his face. Might get ugly.

**blackbishop351** · 03-07-2007, 23:18

Originally Posted by TeeDee

3. Did you make the ridgeline permanent or did you use a carabiner on one end as I think some people have mentioned that they have done? A detachable ridgeline is one thing I sometimes wished the HH had, but I'm just too much of a coward to cut mine.

That's one thing being a wuss didn't stop me from doing to my HH. Jeff has pix of the mod on my ULB in his report from Hot Springs last fall. Check it out - REALLY easy to do. Takes 5 minutes and makes for SUPER nice lounging.

**gibmo** · 03-09-2007, 17:30

Headchange,
I may be too late on this. I found this source for zippers:

http://www.zipperstop.com/index.htm

Not sure what your needing exactly. They have lengths up to 250" and pretty good prices.

**headchange4u** · 03-11-2007, 19:09

I finished my first cover today. I made one out of netting first. I removed the zipper from the sleeping bags and first I sewed the zipper on the edge of the hammock with a double stitch:

I made reusable a pattern for my top cover from Tyvek and used it to cut the netting out. Then I roll hemmed the edges of the netting. and the while the zipper was still zipper together on the hammock body I pinned the netting in place making sure that the corners were positioned perfectly. I wasn't worried about a little extra fabric on the sides, but I wanted the head, foot, and assym. tie outs placement to be perfect so the zipper would line up. After pinning the netting in place I simply unzipped the zipper and and removed the netting and started sewing. If I had any extra/loose fabric in the sides I simply made a small fold to take up the slack:

Here's a pic of the finished top. I still have about 3-4 " of extra zipper on end that has to be trimmed as soon as I get some zipper stops:

Detail of everything zipped together:

**headchange4u** · 03-11-2007, 19:10

This has turned out to be my dream hammock. It's extremely comfortable to lay in and I found out today that I can even lay on my stomach comfortably. I still think that roll roll whip is the key to the way this hammock lays. I creates a flat spot that goes from the shoulder to just past my lower back that cradles me and a pocket on each side for my head ond feet. You can see how the middle is tight in the pics below.

You can enter from either side and lay in any direction; there is no real "head" or "foot". The zippers are mirrors of each other, with a double pull zipper at each end.

Specs:
Hammock body with zipper: 16.1 oz
Netting Top Cover: 3.5oz
2x 15' polyester webbing straps with biners: 8.5oz
Total: 28.1 oz

Lay in either direction.

Netting fully zipped:

1/2 of netting unzipped:

Both sides unzipped:

**headchange4u** · 03-11-2007, 19:12

Using as a lounger, side tie out un hooked and Walter (dog) checking everthing out:

My niece Mallery's first time in a hammock:

**lvleph** · 03-11-2007, 19:20

That is pretty sweet! How much does it weigh?

**headchange4u** · 03-11-2007, 19:23

Here's Specs

Specs:
Hammock body with zipper: 16.1 oz
Netting Top Cover: 3.5oz
2x 15' polyester webbing straps with biners: 8.5oz
Total: 28.1 oz

**slowhike** · 03-11-2007, 19:36

that's great headchange!
to have a hammock that is that comfortable, that light, & still have full zipper access... that's quite an accomplishment!
and it looks professionally done. great work! ...tim