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  1. #1
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    Lightbulb Need to make a hammock into my van

    As my username may suggest I live in my van full time. Freedom camping all the time. I guess it is called boondocking in US?
    I have some health issues after a spinal injury doing paragliding. I have recovered enough to walk with canes so life is not too bad
    When I am sleeping in a normal bed, I do not turn often enough so I often wake up with sore arm if I slept on that side. When I sleep in my HennessyHammock in the bush I get a really good sleep and I have used the hammock inside my vans.
    So I would like to make a customised hammock which I could hang up diagonally in my van. I have a Mercedes Sprinter 2002 medium wheelbase van and the diagonal distance to hang up my hammock is about 3500mm. So I think I can make my own hammock o fit the space.
    I do not need a mosquito net as i would be inside my van. I used my HH inside the van but I want to keep it for guests when I travel with somebody.
    Another advantage of using a hammock in my van is that it makes stealth camping possible in cities. Parking on uphill or tilted sideways makes it look like nobody could sleep inside on that angle and hopefully i will be left alone by the officials?
    So any suggestions how to make my first DIY hammock. Should I just use a bed sheet fabric?

  2. #2
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    I totally get that you're seeking information, but if you don't mind, how are you hanging that inside the van??

    (04 Sprinter here I'd like to "hang in"...)

    Also, would you mind sharing your weight?? (kg is fine....there are plenty of options to convert!!)

    Thanks!

    P.S - Are ENO hammocks available to you over there? Ready built and would work well for what you're describing...worth a try at least...??

  3. #3
    Senior Member Silverlion's Avatar
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    I have a $20 Stansport hanging in my Suburban.

    http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=30521

    It's just short enough for me to hang it. I nap in it daily at lunchtime when I'm at work.
    We must all learn to live together as brothers--or we will all perish together as fools. MLK

  4. #4
    Senior Member oldgringo's Avatar
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    That's 11'6"...more than enough room for just about anything. I second the ENO Doublenest recommendation. I hang in my van in a Grand Trunk double, which is essentially the same thing.
    Dave

    "Loneliness is the poverty of self; solitude is the richness of self."~~~May Sarton

  5. #5
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    Impossible to hang with 3500 mm however if you had 11.5 foot well.......

    What they said.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by MrClean417 View Post
    Impossible to hang with 3500 mm however if you had 11.5 foot well.......

    What they said.
    Not impossible as I have done it before on my short wheelbase Hiace. I had a shorter model of Hennessy Hammock (HH) then, do not remember which one but it was a tight fit. I had high roof on that Hiace so there was one place inside I could stand straight.

    Now on my MB Sprinter I have a platform bed on the windowsill level 800 mm above the floor plus 100 mm thickness for the latex mattress squabs. So with this setup I have not enough space under the hammock.
    I trialled my HH Ultralite Explorer Asym on my Sprinter a few days ago. I hung it between the door pillar of passenger door and sliding door and other end on the corner diagonally across on the top of the back door there are holes on the panels where I can hook a climbing carabiner.
    The result was that midsection was resting on top of the matress so I could not use it.
    The length was perfect but not enough space below.
    On the Hennessy Hammock there are holes on the end of the hammock fabric to tie the ropes into. Holes are big enough for to put the carabiner through and strong enough as the holes are melted on the fabric.
    I am ordering a new Hennessy Hammock but that is not going to be used inside my van as it is going to be slightly longer than my current model which I have already sold to my mate.

    So I could use a simpler hammock providing I could sleep on it reasonably level.
    On HH I can sleep diagonally allowing me to sleep more straight than on a cheap hammock. So I could copy the pattern of HH and get a friend of me to make me a copy of HH using her industrial sewing machine. I think there was a thread how to make one on this forum

    In any case I am changing the layout of my van and opt for more traditional sofa bed which has space for hammock over it.

  7. #7
    Senior Member Doctari's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MrClean417 View Post
    Impossible to hang with 3500 mm however if you had 11.5 foot well.......

    What they said.

    FYI: 3500mm IS 11.5 feet.
    Mr clean was being,,,,, silly.

    I've seen the inside of that van, it's prolly long enough. Remember to make double sure whatever you use to tie to is sturdy enough. There is a lot of force on the support, more than you would expect.

    I too would like to see pics. Wish I could work out how to hang inside my Jeep, but I only got about 7 feet at max spread. I Can get my 8.5 foot long Halberd in, but just barely, but it's only 2" wide. I think that if I could remove or move the front passenger seat,,,,,,,,,,,

    Sorry about the above non metric measurements, working out that 3500 mm is 11.5 feet taxed my brain.
    When you have a backpack on, no matter where you are, you’re home.
    PAIN is INEVITABLE. MISERY is OPTIONAL.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Doctari View Post

    FYI: 3500mm IS 11.5 feet.
    Mr clean was being,,,,, silly.

    I've seen the inside of that van, it's prolly long enough. Remember to make double sure whatever you use to tie to is sturdy enough. There is a lot of force on the support, more than you would expect.

    I too would like to see pics. Wish I could work out how to hang inside my Jeep, but I only got about 7 feet at max spread. I Can get my 8.5 foot long Halberd in, but just barely, but it's only 2" wide. I think that if I could remove or move the front passenger seat,,,,,,,,,,,

    Sorry about the above non metric measurements, working out that 3500 mm is 11.5 feet taxed my brain.
    I will not allow anybody over 100 kg on it inside my van.
    I have been wondering about you Americans still using Imperial measurements?? Me coming from Finland I was always using metric but my parents sometimes talked about peninkulma. Peninkulma is the distance of a Peni ( a dog) needing to stop for a pee. About 10 kilometres that is.

  9. #9
    Senior Member KerMegan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by VanCampa View Post
    Me coming from Finland I was always using metric but my parents sometimes talked about peninkulma. Peninkulma is the distance of a Peni ( a dog) needing to stop for a pee. About 10 kilometres that is.
    that is very interesting to know, thank you!

  10. #10
    Senior Member hppyfngy's Avatar
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    So how much room is there above the mattress, or whatever surface you're hanging above and the points you want to hang from? Because that's really the issue isn't it?

    3500mm (138") is plenty long for a typical hammock of 100" ridge line, but that's with a 3' sag or so. I take it you don't have that much room.

    Sounds like it all depends on your height, the way you hang and what you can fit in the space.

    That's where I'd start. Just drape a line across from the points of your attachment and see that you can get away with, then make a hammock! You can start with tying up a bed sheet until you get the size right. Or just use a sheet!
    Some say I'm apathetic, but I don't care. - Randy

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