Waxed Canvas Bedroll/Hammock

[redhandfilms]

So, I spent about 6 hours yesterday just waxing stuff. I present my new bedroll hammock!

I started with a 3 ft by 15 ft canvas and basically turned it into a sleeping bag. The bottom section is completely wax. The top sheet section is splotchy because wax seeped through while waxing the bottom. Oh well, it gets some spotty waterproofing and is still breathable. It's not meant to be a waterproof bivy sack as I'll be using a tarp shelter. The top sheet is sewn mostly up the left side and only about a foot up the right side to make a toe pocket. I'll be using this with a wool blanket inside.

At either end, I sewed in a sleeve. Run some poles through the sleeves, tie on some rope and you've got a hammock!




I know, a hammock may not be very ranger-y but surely there were hammocks in Middle Earth. They've been around in our world for at least a thousand years and used on ships for hundreds. Regardless, it will be a comfort on my trip and weighs nothing to stitch the sleeves in.

Bonus, I also waxed a hood.

Before the waxed fabric was crumpled to soften it, it could literally stand on it's own.

[Erfaron]

I’ve been trying to figure out a good hammock setup for a month and this is brilliant, how heavy is it/ how bulky is it?

[Erfaron]

Also, I agree that hammocks are appropriate for descendants of numenor, the hammock is a seafarers sleeping system for sure, and using a hammock helps you get off the ground and stay dry in wet climates and conditions

[redhandfilms]

I’ve been trying to figure out a good hammock setup for a month and this is brilliant, how heavy is it/ how bulky is it?

With nothing else in it, like my wool blanket, I rolled this up to a cylinder about 6 inch diameter and 2 ft long. If you don't fold in the sides and left it 3 ft long it'd obviously roll thinner. I don't know the weight. I'll check tonight as well as with the wool blanket. The great thing is, if you're doing a bed roll anyway, this becomes a hammock with no extra weight. Just stitch the sleeves at the end. I assume you're already carrying rope and you can add found branches. I'm using my walking staff that breaks down into a stool. See here for instructions on that. I haven't quite finished mine yet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdNuBuJ7scM&t=87s It might work without the poles too, just thread rope through. Haven't tried that yet.
My inspiration for the bedroll/hammock is here. I just did my own spin on it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ztWA-Qrikk&t=534s

[Manveruon]

Interestingly, my own bedroll setup is kind of similar! It’s also designed to be used as a tarp, ground cloth, or hammock, as needed! I’ve used it as a hammock once, and I have to say I was uncomfortable as hell, but I now realize that I should have rigged up my wool blanket UNDERNEATH it rather than laying it under me in the hammock itself, because that compresses the fibers and makes it nearly useless. It was mid-July and I just about froze my butt off!
That being said, hammocks appeal to me because I am not overly fond of sleeping amongst the ants and spiders and ticks, so getting up off the ground is an attractive idea.
Never thought about the spreader bars, but that’s kind of brilliant! I could probably figure out a way to do that with my own, using some foraged branches, actually. Gonna have to try it sometime!
The fabric I used for mine was from Hamilton Dry Goods/Period Fabric (https://periodfabric.com/), and it has held up really well! It’s just a simple, mid-weight oiled cotton - which I recognize isn’t necessarily perfect, Middle-earth technically not having cotton according to the Professsor, but it has served me quite well so far!

[Greg]

Very nice looking hammock! Excellent handiwork. Looking forward to seeing it in action.

[theowl]

Love it! I have a hammock in my kit as well, but the waxed canvas one with the slots for sticks is genius

[redhandfilms]

So the bedroll weighs about 5 pounds. Bedroll, blanket, tarp, rope, stakes, etc, I'm looking at about 15 lbs for my camp setup. Not exactly ultralight. I should note, I'm not doing a snapsack, but rather an adventurer's pack. This one. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09YX ... UTF8&psc=1 I've altered it by adding leather lash tabs to the bottom and sides and gluing down the magnetic clasps so you actually use the straps.

[Tom_Ranger]

I looks like the makings of a Tundra kit.

[Eofor]

So the bedroll weighs about 5 pounds. Bedroll, blanket, tarp, rope, stakes, etc, I'm looking at about 15 lbs for my camp setup. Not exactly ultralight. I should note, I'm not doing a snapsack, but rather an adventurer's pack. This one. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09YX ... UTF8&psc=1 I've altered it by adding leather lash tabs to the bottom and sides and gluing down the magnetic clasps so you actually use the straps.

I would take that sucker out for a good trial run before you head off on your big adventure. I believe that's the same pack that Cortharyn had seriously fail his first testing on facebook (though I could be mistaken)

[redhandfilms]

I believe that's the same pack that Cortharyn had seriously fail his first testing on facebook (though I could be mistaken)

I went and found that post on the facebook group. Yikes. Torn in half. Well I do have a sewing/repair kit. haha. So far I've been taking it out on day hikes with a partial load.

[Iodo]

Nice bedroll setup, and the hammock idea is great looking

[redhandfilms]

Now that I've used this... I may never again. Okay, it worked as intended, everything was fine and I was dry. This setup is just way too heavy for backpacking. It may be relegated strictly to base camp (with a car or pack animal).

[Erfaron]

What was the part that caused the most weight?

[redhandfilms]

Just the bedroll was 5 lbs. Then I had a thin foam 3/4 camp pad, a wool blanket, 8x10 canvas tarp, 50 ft of sisal rope, and a few tent pegs. Probably about 15 - 20 lbs for that setup. I also had a bug net, but at only 4 oz, that's a modern luxury I'll keep. (I did wake up to a couple massive spiders on the net that would have been on me.) A modern tent, sleeping bag, and pad could do all that under 5 lbs.
I think I can get this with a lighter, oilskin tarp. On my trip, I set up my tarp in a "flat roof lean-to" configuration. If I do a "C-Fly Wedge" configuration then the tarp wraps around to be a ground cloth as well and a light linen oilskin will be much lighter than the canvas tarp.