What recommendations do folks have for bridge fabric. I have a 10 yards of 1.6 Hyper-D and about 5 of 1.7 Mtn-X both in XL width.
How do the weight limits on fabric change with a bridge vs. gathered end.
Also with the webbing used does nylon have too much stretch, I have a ton of that in 1/2 inch just didn't know if poly was the thing and if so which poly.
Thanks!
I have done a few bridges now, I tend to overbuild a bit, dropping in the wee hours is something I like to avoid. I also like to use 2 layers to avoid the chance of bugs biting through, I would pair either of those with a 1.1 hyperD (for soft feel) inner and call it a day. That of course assumes you are average size .... if you are larger than you need to scale somewhat.
Polyester and kevlar are good picks for siderails, as they have little stretch.
Again side rails are occupant size dependent , for average (200-225#s) I use 1/2" tubular polyester tubing .... https://ripstopbytheroll.com/collect...nt=24092824321 good strength and easy to work with.
For an oversize build I am starting soon, I intend to fold and use this for side rails .... https://dutchwaregear.com/product/kevlar-3-3-webbing/
Brian
When, starting out, I read that “two layers will protect you from skeeter’s bite through …", so first hammocks were all double layer. Later, I realized I seldom lay just in the hammock. I usually have an under quilt and/or under quilt protector - both of which would provide a skeeter barrier. So now I can loose some gear weight/bulk by going single layer - unless I know I’ll really need the DL for some pad/ground/bivi situation.
Last edited by cougarmeat; 12-02-2020 at 17:56.
In order to see what few have seen, you must go where few have gone. And DO what few have done.
Roughly speaking-Originally Posted by DerNageler
Figure 2/3 of the fabric's GE rating when building a bridge.
Mountain Hybrid is the best bridge fabric IMO. The right balance of durability, feel, stretch, etc.
Do other fabrics work, yes.
I dislike rolled webbing bridges- but it is a complicated question. The webbing and fabric both stretch when loaded.
So while it sounds like a good idea to have zero stretch in your webbing this can cause failures/premature wear as the webbing becomes the 'immovable object' and gravity is the 'irresistible force'. Stitch elongation or failure is the result as this tension is expressed in the fabric.
That said-
Option one is what Cruiser alluded to- overbuild. Much can be forgiven when the fabric is heavier (or doubled or both). As you venture into the UL side of things, these issues magnify or even become game ending.
Option two is more of a vendor trick- With Dutch and RBTR offering a bridge kit... which webbing do they sell with that fabric? Webbing is a messy business and much less standardized than it first appears. Simple nylon vs poly may not be as important as the weave or weight per foot (density). But the shortcut is just check out which webbing that vendor supplies with their fabric... webbing is cheap enough that you might as well pick up some new webbing rather than bet the project on what you have on hand if you're not sure what it is. By simple dint of 'customer complaints' you can rest mildly assured that the vendor doesn't want complaints and has selected a webbing that works fairly well with the kit they put together based upon user feedback over time.
I have built with half inch grosgrain along the rolled web edge. The fabric fails before the grosgrain... so don't get too hung up on webbing weight ratings... but generally a Mil-spec rated webbing is a 'best practice' for the end loops regardless of the rest of the bridge construction.
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