KP Bridge Hammock, Tarp,viseća Ležaljka,šatorsko Krilo

As a outdoor hiker, always i take full equipment to spend my time in woods, mountains, hidden springs  and so on.
KP tepee is my favorite for overnight, but I want to try outdoor sleep in hammock, about what i reed very much on the web. Pros and cons. Well,... industries do not offer to me what i have in mind, do not to mentioned steep, shameless prices, 
So, if you want something, scroll  the  sleeves and...spoke to me my father.

Step 1: Materials, Drawings, Scisors ....

I was happy to found a store with cheep, but very suitable material from army surplus. Therefore masking colors. Other side was impregnated with silicon reflective cover, so it is waterproof.  I have a plane to incorporate in hammock my camping air bed and so I adjust hammock measures to fit this task. Air bed shall bring additional space as therm-insulation on pressing body points. Length was determined to fit me, and it was taken as 200 cm total. Curve is parabolic equation and deepest section was 20 cm. Usual sewing chalk was to draw the line. Electric scissors was great tool. Under grandson supervision I menage to cut in one try both sides at once.  Air bed and plain hammock sheet fits each other. So far.

Step 2: Testing If Cut Was As Hopped...

I bought a cheep colored tapes (strength 80 kg), 25 mm wide. Uni color tapes was twice in price. Staple machine do the job to assemble tapes and hammock body for testing before sawing. To fasten tapes  I made simple fasteners from steel tape. Poles for stretching  hammock was made from steel broomstick, very light, length 85 cm. Wooden insert on the both ends serve as nail holder.
 In the yard I stretch the hammock and observe all details how they work in such conditions. Mean hanging conditions.  Curves, forms are as expected, so now on the next step. Sleeves are still scrolled up...

Step 3: Adding Hammock Ends...

Space from spread bars to tree rope/tape, looking from above is a triangle ( I chose that should be isosceles triangle), should be fulfilled as additional bags/space to accommodate things. So I add on both ends such "bags", first connected with staples as to be able to determine proper form for cutting and  final sawing. 

Step 4: Adding Double Bottom and Thermo-layer...

As mentioned, I want to sleep on air bed and to prevent movements left right I add double bottom in hammock, so I made a shelf  in which I can insert air bed.   To help sawing I use a contact glue to bend material for overlapping and then to be sewed. Sew is always so called "french sew".  Also, reading about cold nights and how the cold hammock sides affect on shoulders and hips, I decided to add therm-layer on both sides of my bridge hammock. It is a 5 mm thick material for making jackets.  I got on the both sides a pockets for small things(watch/radio/lamp etc.) After that I stretch again hammock to determine a ridge line  for above cover....

Step 5: Upper Cover on Bridge Hamock...

I like to sleep under "roof", so sleeping in  open hammock is for me unpleasant.  A stretch the hammock and put ridge tape to determine upper cover on hammock, one side full covered and the other on both ends. In the middle shall be bugs net for fresh air as a door to climb in hammock, After I add translucent vinyl for additional cover in cold air case over net. On ridge tape I lay over the material, step with staples, mark with chalk, cut and saw together.
I don't mentioned that this process was cut and try job several times. But it is the only way to get proper lines for sewing.... 

Step 6: Assembling and Set Up

After determine the length of spread bars, I cut them in half and insert wooden dowels - one side is glued in bar. On the ends are mounted screws to fasten spread bars inside hammock.
And the day come to see this one month work in the field.  As the pictures tell much more then words, you can see how satisfied I am.
It's fulfill all my wishes for 4 season bridge hammock. Well, 3 season. For the 4th season (from - 20C  up to +5C) I need a tarp - a second layer.

Step 7: Tarp an Other Way

After I cut out material according my drawings, need to sew them together because material was in roll 1,4 m wide. Overlapping for ends and french sew for stitching i use a contact glue as most convenient. To insert  translucent roof and side windows made out from vinyl 0,3 mm, For help I use the glue tape both sided. To get a narrow strip, I use a knife, sides are smear with small amount of grease. Then I apply strip one side on vinyl, cut exactly to fit opening on tarp. Then I adjust window on tarp and removing slowly paper protection, stitch window on tarp. Sewing after was easy job.
Tarp shell be a triangle form, where one triangle edge is supported by m hiking pole. It looks like. Each edge has a zipper from bottom to cca 90 cm height and then is a velcro tape to the upper end to allow tape passing through. Each tarp sides with windows ca serve as a entrance door, depending of wind direction.  

See pictures...

Step 8: KP Bridge Hammock Under Tarp on the Test Set Up ....

On the 14. December I go out in the woods to test all things I made,  The 4 season hammock+tarp. Sleeping part of  camp.
My buddy Miro accompany me  in this historical moment, to be benevolent critic on all details of this achievement. He develop own idea about hammocking and tarps...

So, I can sit inside on my KP solowheel chair under tarp , Look through window on both left and right sides. Translucent roof allow me to see the trees, clouds, rain, snow, stars, all this laying in the hammock or sitting in the chair. Benefit of this roof is that at day with IR rays I have greenhouse effect - inside temp is 5 degree higher then outside temperature. In the hammock  is warm and I am completely protected against coldness... Packing is simple. I got to drive/pull in my KP solowheel,  tarp 2,2 kg and 2,0 kg bridge hammock, packed in two casings.

Tent stove follows


Sincerelly yours,
Krešimir Pregernik
December 15. 2013