Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Bug Net Completed

I made a video of my hammock with bug net. I think it's pretty nifty. The net weighs about 200 grams (7.4 oz). The zipper along the side was clearly a good idea (I was considering not having one at first, and entering through the end of the tube).



To hold the netting above my face, I use a thin rope with a line tensioner. The hammock used is the inexpensive Grand Trunk Ultralight Hammock. It weighs about 400 grams, including the tree-hugging ropes. Materials for the bug net were ordered from thru-hiker.com.

Why all this trouble? Why not just get a "Skeeter Beeter" hammock from the same company (Grand Trunk) and enjoy the built-in bug net, saving quite a bit of time and money? Because it doesn't fully enclose the hammock, and I'm not sure that the hammock material is mosquito-proof. I don't want to get bitten from beneath. Actually, come to think of it, the weave probably is tight enough that bugs can't bite through it, but this is still unconfirmed. I didn't want to risk it. Another reason is that I wanted to be able to use the bug net by itself when forced to sleep on the ground. Of course, I could get into the Skeeter Beeter on the ground, and the effect would be about the same. Oh well...

1 comment:

  1. I'm, of course, reading this far too later, but when I was using my Hennessy on the AT, mosquitos certainly bit through the bottom of the hammock. Boy, did that suck.

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