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  1. #1
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    11'x8' vs 11'x5' (or sizes in between) ?

    What are the goods and bads of wider versus narrow hammocks, specifically in the range of 11'x8' vs 11'x5' (or sizes in between) ? I have done some searching & reading but havent really found a popular consensus outside of "don't go too narrow, the average finished size after buying 60" wide fabric works ok and is about the good size of a finished hammock."

    I have my hammock stand set up & am currently using a prefab brazilian style hammock while looking at getting or making an 11 ft long gathered end hammock to see if the lay is any better with the same 9'5" stand.

    BUT, my tentmaker bit the dust, and it will be a bit before I can save the money for a decent used industrial machine. my current options are a really old singer sewing machine that won't run the really heavy uphostery fabrics, or a juki that I have no idea whether it will or not (going to test it on some nomex).

    So, I am considering buying an 11ft while I plan & obtain another machine. I found 2 made from ripstop fabrics, both with about a 200kg capacity. one is 8ft wide and one is 5ft wide (96" vs 60").

    I have read the opinion of one user who feels that going wider isn't smart. but I am looking for a collection of opinions or articles explaining the physics & dynamics that would rule out the 8ft hammock. I am a big boy @ 22 stones & 183 cm. Not as tall as some on here but I am using the a frame stand from the "super easy" diy thread with a configuration that sets the ends of the ridge pole just about 9'5". Which, I am told is perfect if I want to properly secure/lash the ends of the hammock right to the ends of the ridge pole.

    So, whether I buy or sew, I am trying to decide which width I should attempt first on an 11ft hammock. Opinions? (and why?) Articles? Science? Explanations?

    Thanks so much.

  2. #2
    Senior Member TrailSlug's Avatar
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    Hum. This could turn into a Ford vs Chevy discussion but personally for me the "wider" hammocks make getting the perfect angle in the hammock easier to obtain for a flatter lie but their will be extra material to possibly flap. This is why some hammock manufactures add the Knotty mod. I would suggest trying multiple hammocks and see which one you find comfortable.

  3. #3
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    forgive the ignorance but I am a n00b. and while I am going to the DIY stickies in hopes of answering this question. what is the "knotty mod"? whips & chains with square knots?

  4. #4
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    I'm 5'11" and 165 lbs. I've never experimented with wider hammocks, always sticking to 55" to 60" wide. I can say that 55" is too narrow for me, but 58" to 60" wide is perfectly comfortable. Since I don't care to increase the weight of my hammock, I'm happy with that width.

    Larger people seem to like wider hammocks, possibly because they're wider themselves. Do larger people not care about carrying extra weight? That is for the larger people to decide.
    "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." Ralph Waldo Emerson

  5. #5
    Senior Member TrailSlug's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by FunkTastic View Post
    forgive the ignorance but I am a n00b. and while I am going to the DIY stickies in hopes of answering this question. what is the "knotty mod"? whips & chains with square knots?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSyWFOXgNfA

  6. #6
    Senior Member hutzelbein's Avatar
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    I have experimented a lot with different lengths, widths, fabrics, gathering/whipping methods and I don't have a simple answer. Provided the fabric works for me, I have not had problems with hammocks that were 5' or wider. For me, a 63" width is pretty much perfect. I'm only 5'4" and even with very wide hammocks I don't lie diagonal enough to make use of more width. When weight is not an issue, I don't mind my hammocks being very wide (e.g. my bed replacement hammock is 75" wide). I have never been bothered by "floppy" fabric, though. At the moment, my most comfortable hammock is a single layer 1.95oz nylon ripstop 11.5' x 5' Hennessy style folded hammock. All of my least comfortable DIY hammocks are 58" or less.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by TrailSlug View Post
    Thanks for the video on the mod.

    Quote Originally Posted by hutzelbein View Post
    (e.g. my bed replacement hammock is 75" wide). I have never been bothered by "floppy" fabric, though. At the moment, my most comfortable hammock is a single layer 1.95oz nylon ripstop 11.5' x 5' Hennessy style folded hammock. All of my least comfortable DIY hammocks are 58" or less.
    This is what I am doing, a bed replacement. I am using the A frame design from the super easy thread (not able to hang from wall studs or ceiling joists).

    Because it's a bed replacement, I'm not worried about hammock weight (not being used for backpacking). I'm also not terribly worried about it getting wet as I don't think I've wet the bed since I was a child :P. And I don't eat in bed so . . . This is why I've been considering using a 7oz or 10oz painters canvas drop cloth as discussed in a thread here (that I've been unable to locate again) & cutting it down to proper size. at 16 to 20 bucks for a 9x12 piece that can be cut & sewn to an 11' hammock of the width of my choosing, it's cheaper than doing a double layer of ripstop & I haven't found any canvas or similar fabric that would be cheaper.

    One thing I do like about the prefab that I'm using now is the soft feel & its ability to trap heat in the actual hammock fabric. I've used it comfortably down to 50 deg. f without my butt getting cold. I've bought a comforter from Goodwill for 5.00 but havent really gotten into the under quilt project yet since my tent maker died. I'll be testing the juki out soon (have had it for a while but never used it). It's a small one so I won't get my hopes up but maybe it can handle heavy upholstery thread. I want to put a channel all the way across the sides of the comforter to allow for adjustments in placement. If the juki can't handle the upholstery frabric, I'll likely sew loops of paracord Just to get something in place.

    I'm also working on modifying the a-frame design from the above mentioned thread to use 8 fittings, still with 4 legs, but 2 top rails. instead of the inner fittings holding a leg, they will run across to the other ridge pole. This will, theoretically, allow for 2 hammocks to be hung side by side. This is important to my wife, who has MS, and wants to sleep in the same bed, AND is starting to consider trying the hammock, IF I can arrange something that will give us the closeness of being together that a bed would give. We don't spoon as her leg spasms @ night keep her on the other side of the bed, but this would give her the closeness she wants.

    I'm attaching a rough diagram of my idea & once I have the funds set aside I'll probably buy the larger fittings from canopies & tarps since tarps.com doesn't offer them.

    BUT, if it seems feasible structurally, I'll do it. My concern is how it shifts the weight bearing. But here's a (very rough) diagram.

    & I'm still hoping to hear from several others on width as well. as my wife is tiny (8 stones & 157 cm) compared to me, this might make a difference in how I structure a hammock for her. given the heights you mentioned, If I'm doing my math right, she might fare better in a 70" to 75" wide 11ft, versus a 96" wide.

    (rough diagram of the possible hammock frame mod):
    Dual-Hammock-STand-Diagram.jpg

  8. #8
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    OH MY GOD. It took almost an HOUR to get this last post to be accepted by this server. Suddenly I'm getting an error that I've logged in since I opened the thread & the submission could not be processed, please reload the page. I tried that multiple times with no success. then I logged out & back in & it STILL gave me grief. THank gd I copy to clipboard in case of connection errors. I'd never get my questions answered.

  9. #9
    Senior Member OneClick's Avatar
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    I never understood the "flat lay" thing. I'm 5'9" and if you give me a rather short and narrow hammock, I feel flat and comfortable even at a low angle, say 15° or so. Then I see photos online of people lying at 45°, making it seem impossible for an underquilt to fit that.

  10. #10
    Senior Member TrailSlug's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by markr6 View Post
    I never understood the "flat lay" thing. I'm 5'9" and if you give me a rather short and narrow hammock, I feel flat and comfortable even at a low angle, say 15° or so. Then I see photos online of people lying at 45°, making it seem impossible for an underquilt to fit that.
    This is the very reason I went with a bridge hammock. Straight lay, straight fit for under quilt, so simple.

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