DIY Hammock

A few months back my sister was about to begin an outdoor class for her bachelors program which would have her outside studying wildlife and what have you across many of the states parks. She would be staying in cabins and research facilities which in itself is neat, but also as a person without gear, a great opportunity for her. As far as I was aware, she had very few hours in a hammock and as a college kid with a limited budget I decided to make her one. I started with 3 and a half yards of 1.7oz ripstop nylon, hemmed the edges and sewed in a channel for the suspension. I had a pair of amsteel whoopie slings from my last DIY hammock and tied them in. In just a few hours I was in my front yard hanging in the freshly minted hammock. It was a nice feeling having built it, especially in such professional form. My original DIY hammock was a table cloth, so this is quite an improvement. I spent the night in it of course as a final quality assurance check. Although I had made it to be a quick hang and chill hammock, it made for an exceptionally comfortable evening. I made a stuff sack to go along with it and gave it to her.

Since having the hammock, she has paired it with a much needed bug net and tarp. Now that she has all the makings of a sleep system, it is time to test it in the field. This will be her first foray into overnight backpacking and I am stoked to test her mettle. We plan to attack Springer Mountain from the south, which I had only done once prior. Its not overly difficult, but it is considerably hotter now than it had been back when I did it. Being that its been over a month since my last outing, I am itching, regardless of the weather. Come to think of it, I just looked at the weather and its 100% chance of rain. Looks like it will be a muddy trek.