Homemade bug net?

[Frank_the_cat]

I keep looking for a bug net for my hammock and don't really want to pay what they want for them.

Is it possible to make a cheap, light weight bug net? It has to be! Any suggestions?

[Dochartaigh]

Honestly, for the bug netting and shock cord (or cord + cord locks), you're looking at maybe a $10-15 difference between making it yourself and DIY. You'll need about 7-8 yards of bug netting $25 + $5 for shock cord + $1 cord lock = $31 + shipping. Here's one for $45 complete:

http://dutchwaregear.com/fronkey-style-bugnet.html

[Just Bill]

http://www.tothewoods.net/HammockCampingBugfree.html

You can/should check out Fronkey inspired bug nets too.

Ripstop by the roll carries a cheap and flexible netting- http://ripstopbytheroll.com/collections/noseeum-mesh

[Dochartaigh]

There's some tutorials on using sheer Walmart shower curtains (maybe just regular cheap-o window curtains) to make one too (think that was found to be extremely cheap, thus using the unconventional materials).

[Frank_the_cat]

Honestly, for the bug netting and shock cord (or cord + cord locks), you're looking at maybe a $10-15 difference between making it yourself and DIY. You'll need about 7-8 yards of bug netting $25 + $5 for shock cord + $1 cord lock = $31 + shipping. Here's one for $45 complete:

http://dutchwaregear.com/fronkey-style-bugnet.html


First of all, how have I hammocked this long and not known about dutchware. I just lost an hour browsing the site.

Second, I think you're right. Pricing out mesh fabric has been expensive. I'm going to keep my eye out for a sale, until I absolutely can't wait.

[Tprunty8]

+1 on the dutchwaregear.com like. I'm placing an order there too

[Dochartaigh]

First of all, how have I hammocked this long and not known about dutchware. I just lost an hour browsing the site.

Second, I think you're right. Pricing out mesh fabric has been expensive. I'm going to keep my eye out for a sale, until I absolutely can't wait.

I have no clue how you didn't know about Dutch! He's an awesome cottage vendor. I currently buy/use from him:

-Zing-It for ridgelines and guylines (and it's nice you can splice this kind of rope so no more knots needed)
-Line Locks for the guylines (8x line locks for my tarp weighs a whopping 0.28 ounces, and again, no more tying knots!)
-7/64" Amsteel rope (make your own Whoopie Sling suspension for cheap)
-1" Tree straps are really cheap
-Wasps (for a quick, light, titanium attachment method of my tarps' ridgeline)
-Speed Hooks (you need something to be detachable on your suspension tying the hammock to the tree, and these are a quick and light method of doing that).

And you can't beat his $32, 11' long hammocks (then buy some Amsteel and make all your own suspension for them for around $7 + $6 for a pair of treestraps).

[Dogwood]

For you hammock geeks, if I wanted to squeeze out another 1 oz or so from tree straps as a 200 lb 6'4" person using a 11 ft long hammock what's the minimum length and width of the tree straps do you think I could get away with? I'm looking to save wt on tree straps. What are your suggestions.

Yeah, I alraedy know I'd have to not use really large diam trees and find the right spacing between trees but what else?

[Dochartaigh]

You need 1" tree straps so you don't damage the tree. You can get away with 4' ones in the northeast but fully expect some of the Amsteel line to go through the loop of the tree strap when you're dealing with bigger trees (so the tree strap is on the back of the tree, then the Amsteel makes up the difference in the front where it's not really pressing against the tree - keep in mind this will shorten your hang distance by a little bit as you're using more Amsteel).

A pair of 4' tree huggers from Dutch are 2.44 ounces. You can use Dyneema line (1,000lb breaking strength) for like .2 ounce savings, but as I'm a big guy (and like the safety net) I use 7/64" Amsteel rated at 1,500 pounds. I use a Speed Hook as the connection method. Here's my breakdown:



--110" Amsteel 7/64" Adjustable Ridgeline +/- ~12"




0.75


--8" Continuous Loops, x2




0.245


--Dutch Titanium Speed Hook with 7' Amsteel lead




1.03


--4' Tree Huggers




2.44



4.465 ounces total for all suspension.



If you don't count the stuff attached to the Hammock itself (ridgeline, and 2x continuous loops), my suspension for my Dream Hammock and Hammeck hammocks are 3.39 and 3.45 ounces (that's for tree straps, around 7' of Amsteel leads, and titanium Speed Hooks).

[Frank_the_cat]

I have no clue how you didn't know about Dutch! He's an awesome cottage vendor.

Dude, I super geeked out and bought new steaks and wasps and have a running wish list of stuff to get "for my birthday". I think before now I just sort of wandered around hardware stores until I saw something that sort of worked for what I needed.

[Dochartaigh]

Just wait until you get into splicing your own Amsteel which Dutch also sells...I've built like 6 complete suspensions for hammocks in the last month or two! (and even spliced beautiful Zing-It lines for the tie downs for my tarp and tent ;)

[gunner76]

The Fronky Style Bug net is very easy to make ( I made and use one ). The bug netting sold by places like RipStopBytheRoll, DutchGear, DIYGear Supply is not expensive and will hold up better than that sheer shower curtain stuff.