johnthebaton
11-24-2005, 05:59
I have not used a hammock yet (but am an experienced tarp user), and I am thinking about making my own Hennessy Hammock to make use of lighter weight noseeum mesh sold at thru-hiker.com and due to cost. I have a question for those of you familiar with Hammocks.
It seems that all of the major hammock manufacturers use an uncoated, untreated fabric for the bottom of the hammock. I will be moving to the Pacific Northwest this summer, and I have heard that wind-driven rain or dense rolling fog can wet the bottom fabric even under a tarp. There are waterproof covers, but I would like this to be as light as possible.
What are your thoughts on using 1.1oz silnylon as a bottom fabric (the same weight as HH's adventure racer and light racer)? I understand that breathability is an issue since it wraps around you, which is very different than sleeping on a silnylon ground sheet. But I have decided to use a combination closed cell foam and inflatable pad inside the hammock for insulation, which is not breathable anyway. And while the foam might offer me a waterproof layer, the sides above the foam might be prone to soak through. Silnylon would also allow me to go to gound if I had to, without the need of a separate ground sheet.
Does anybody see any major disadvantages of this, assuming regular night temps below 50 deg? I imagine it will be more slippery inside, but I've found Evazote foam to be quite grippy on silnylon. If you think silnylon would be way too clammy, do you think a treated fabric, such as Teflon DWR sold at thru-hiker.com, would be more acceptable? Am I missing some obvious reason to use completely untreated fabric for a cool/wet-weather hammock?
Thanks in advance for any replies.
It seems that all of the major hammock manufacturers use an uncoated, untreated fabric for the bottom of the hammock. I will be moving to the Pacific Northwest this summer, and I have heard that wind-driven rain or dense rolling fog can wet the bottom fabric even under a tarp. There are waterproof covers, but I would like this to be as light as possible.
What are your thoughts on using 1.1oz silnylon as a bottom fabric (the same weight as HH's adventure racer and light racer)? I understand that breathability is an issue since it wraps around you, which is very different than sleeping on a silnylon ground sheet. But I have decided to use a combination closed cell foam and inflatable pad inside the hammock for insulation, which is not breathable anyway. And while the foam might offer me a waterproof layer, the sides above the foam might be prone to soak through. Silnylon would also allow me to go to gound if I had to, without the need of a separate ground sheet.
Does anybody see any major disadvantages of this, assuming regular night temps below 50 deg? I imagine it will be more slippery inside, but I've found Evazote foam to be quite grippy on silnylon. If you think silnylon would be way too clammy, do you think a treated fabric, such as Teflon DWR sold at thru-hiker.com, would be more acceptable? Am I missing some obvious reason to use completely untreated fabric for a cool/wet-weather hammock?
Thanks in advance for any replies.