Paco, you inspired this old dog to actually backpack Marion Lk with my tarp/hammock in tow. I just turned 55 and haven't backpacked since I was a kid. I made a lot of rookie mistakes... But had a blast doing it. I made my own pack frame from wood and extremely over packed it. For that I paid... (and am still paying lol) I used an old blue tarp, which was an experiment that I used at home first. Not recommended...but thank you, thank you. My son, (his gf) and I had a good hike (2 nights)
I'm glad it helped. When I got back into camping (after a 15-year hiatus), it was from looking at websites where people made their own gear, and I realized that you don't have to spend a bundle. I've gone camping and frozen all night, or forgot my lighter and had to eat cold, uncooked food (oatmeal and the like), or had homemade equipment break on me. But it's a small price to pay for getting back out into the wilderness.
Paco, you inspired this old dog to actually backpack Marion Lk with my tarp/hammock in tow. I just turned 55 and haven't backpacked since I was a kid. I made a lot of rookie mistakes... But had a blast doing it. I made my own pack frame from wood and extremely over packed it. For that I paid... (and am still paying lol) I used an old blue tarp, which was an experiment that I used at home first. Not recommended...but thank you, thank you. My son, (his gf) and I had a good hike (2 nights).
I have a better technique for sealing the ends of Paracord. $2 scalpel handle from Amazon, $0.10 scalpel blade, $4 butane torch from DealExtreme.
Heat the blade with the torch until it is red hot (5 seconds or so), and just basically set it on the spot you want to cut and let gravity do all the work (it goes through like a lightsaber through Stormtroopers). You will get a PERFECTLY round, flat, and fused end with no ugly brown melted nylon globs like a lighter creates.
@PacoWarabi Yeah, the paper-thin blade heats up very quickly and cuts a straight line through the cord, producing a flat end, and because it goes through in a split second, it has no time to melt the nylon into a blob.
Works well for melting the end of a cord into the side of a knot, as well, as you can just press it against the tiny spot rather than burning a large area with a lighter.
Just make sure you do it on a surface you don't care about, because it will burn straight through wood too.
Did you notice the working load on the carabiners was 150 lbs?!?! What's the load rating on your bed sheet? You can't be serious!!! This is meant to be a joke, right?
No joke. I've been using 150 lb working load biners to hang my hammocks for 5 years now. I've given plenty of these away as presents, and have never had a failure yet.
I estimate the safe working load of the fabric to be a few thousand pounds, if not more. When it's bunched up like that, we're talking a 2 inch thick rope!
You forgot the paracord -- it's as likely to break as the biners.
Once again, we're talking 3 feet off the ground, not 50. Relax!
I'm 250lbs and use a paracord wrap with my hammock. Not a problem. I did wake because I heard screams though... the cord suffered but quickly recovered in the morning. ;)
nice video, i was curious if those caribiners are climbing quality ones or the normal everyday "Not for climbing" ones. and if they are the cheap ones, do you think they could support larger people?
These are the el-cheapos I found at Home Depot for a dollar apiece. You can always upgrade to the quicklinks they make for connecting chain. Some of them have a break strength of 1 ton or more. If you're worried about biner strength, you may also think about using climbing rope instead of paracord.
By the way, the biners say they're rated to 150 lbs. Since we're using two of them, I think that means that they can hold 300 lbs together. But I never took physics, so I may be interpreting the laws wrong.
@PacoWarabi your right, if the load of the person sleeping is evenly spread across the hammock, the hammock should put even and split tension to the biners, so in this case, it can hold 150 each, paco likely doesn't weight much more then 150 himself, so it can easily hold him and likely another, when they rate these biners, they usually lower the number for safety sake, but I bet those biners can hold a extra 50 lbs, so that's 400lbs of strength, respectable and reliable.
That's what I figured as well. But it didn't stop me from being nervous the first time I set it up! That was five years ago, and I haven't fallen yet, so I'm not worried anymore.
I've made a 48" width hammock, and while it works, it's not the most comfortable. I prefer closer to 60". The fabric in this video is a 60" piece, and it feels lovely.
Very nice, Paco. I have a hammock by Eagle's Nest Outfitters that ran me $60 at Gander Mountain. This is a much better and cheaper alternative (wish I had known this before forking out $60).
Better because it is cheaper, you get to choose the quality of the construction and material also if it gets damaged by one means or another (or accidentally left behind), it is easily and cheaply replaced by a stop at the local Walmart or Goodwill.
Paco, you inspired this old dog to actually backpack Marion Lk with my tarp/hammock in tow. I just turned 55 and haven't backpacked since I was a kid. I made a lot of rookie mistakes... But had a blast doing it. I made my own pack frame from wood and extremely over packed it. For that I paid... (and am still paying lol) I used an old blue tarp, which was an experiment that I used at home first. Not recommended...but thank you, thank you. My son, (his gf) and I had a good hike (2 nights)
srwilks 6 months ago
@srwilks
I'm glad it helped. When I got back into camping (after a 15-year hiatus), it was from looking at websites where people made their own gear, and I realized that you don't have to spend a bundle. I've gone camping and frozen all night, or forgot my lighter and had to eat cold, uncooked food (oatmeal and the like), or had homemade equipment break on me. But it's a small price to pay for getting back out into the wilderness.
PacoWarabi 6 months ago
Paco, you inspired this old dog to actually backpack Marion Lk with my tarp/hammock in tow. I just turned 55 and haven't backpacked since I was a kid. I made a lot of rookie mistakes... But had a blast doing it. I made my own pack frame from wood and extremely over packed it. For that I paid... (and am still paying lol) I used an old blue tarp, which was an experiment that I used at home first. Not recommended...but thank you, thank you. My son, (his gf) and I had a good hike (2 nights).
srwilks 6 months ago
@srwilks regarding using my old blue tarp. I did video it, but problems were:
* It rattled every time I moved.
* I am not light, 6'4" 215lbs. on second night fabric started separating where my shoulder was.
* the tarp is not as light as some other fabric would be and I doubled it for security.
* my rope was way to large for need.
Next trip I will video again and possibly share it.
srwilks 6 months ago
Looking at the video again and comparing it to other videos, I'm pretty sure it's right. Anybody want to correct me if I'm wrong?
PacoWarabi 8 months ago
I have a better technique for sealing the ends of Paracord. $2 scalpel handle from Amazon, $0.10 scalpel blade, $4 butane torch from DealExtreme.
Heat the blade with the torch until it is red hot (5 seconds or so), and just basically set it on the spot you want to cut and let gravity do all the work (it goes through like a lightsaber through Stormtroopers). You will get a PERFECTLY round, flat, and fused end with no ugly brown melted nylon globs like a lighter creates.
Supermassively 1 year ago
@Supermassively
Great idea! And bonus points for Star Wars reference!
I've got a butane-heated hot knife, but it always seemed to make a bigger mess than the lighter. Maybe I'll have to try the scalpel method. Thanks!
PacoWarabi 1 year ago
@PacoWarabi Yeah, the paper-thin blade heats up very quickly and cuts a straight line through the cord, producing a flat end, and because it goes through in a split second, it has no time to melt the nylon into a blob.
Works well for melting the end of a cord into the side of a knot, as well, as you can just press it against the tiny spot rather than burning a large area with a lighter.
Just make sure you do it on a surface you don't care about, because it will burn straight through wood too.
Supermassively 1 year ago
HAHAHA, the first few seconds... freaking hilarious.
Supermassively 1 year ago
yup, just have to change the paracord to webbing and it's basically the same thing.
flamedrag18 1 year ago
great job! getting the materials today!
BigLenIsHere 1 year ago
Did you notice the working load on the carabiners was 150 lbs?!?! What's the load rating on your bed sheet? You can't be serious!!! This is meant to be a joke, right?
Aircat100 1 year ago
@Aircat100
No joke. I've been using 150 lb working load biners to hang my hammocks for 5 years now. I've given plenty of these away as presents, and have never had a failure yet.
I estimate the safe working load of the fabric to be a few thousand pounds, if not more. When it's bunched up like that, we're talking a 2 inch thick rope!
You forgot the paracord -- it's as likely to break as the biners.
Once again, we're talking 3 feet off the ground, not 50. Relax!
PacoWarabi 1 year ago
You seem like a crazy guy but this is a cool setup. Got a new subscriber. thanks for info.
Rocdenindy 1 year ago
Nice instructional and good illustrations for the knot tying...Thanks!
clockguy2 1 year ago
Cool Idea thanks for sharing. Sorry I didn't notice your hands I was to busy looking at your knots. Great idea. Thanks again.
cheers
teb0atoz 1 year ago
Love the Idea ! Great job !
brutallindigo 1 year ago
Paco, you really know your knots! I'm impressed!
Celebrate life...Laurie
LoveRise 1 year ago
Nice Paco ..... good to see you ... and your hands.
Shug
shugemery 1 year ago
@shugemery
I've got beautiful hands. I had a manicure right before going onscreen. Glad you noticed.
PacoWarabi 1 year ago
@Paco
I doubled my cord, made 2 turns around the tree and tied it off. It screams but it's sufficient. Councelling??? It was begs me to euthanize it! LOL
Thanks man b
AbdMalil1 1 year ago
I'm 250lbs and use a paracord wrap with my hammock. Not a problem. I did wake because I heard screams though... the cord suffered but quickly recovered in the morning. ;)
AbdMalil1 1 year ago
@AbdMalil1
What system of paracord were you using? A single strand, or multiple strands? And did your paracord need counseling later?
PacoWarabi 1 year ago
nice video, i was curious if those caribiners are climbing quality ones or the normal everyday "Not for climbing" ones. and if they are the cheap ones, do you think they could support larger people?
tronclay 1 year ago
@tronclay
These are the el-cheapos I found at Home Depot for a dollar apiece. You can always upgrade to the quicklinks they make for connecting chain. Some of them have a break strength of 1 ton or more. If you're worried about biner strength, you may also think about using climbing rope instead of paracord.
PacoWarabi 1 year ago
@tronclay
By the way, the biners say they're rated to 150 lbs. Since we're using two of them, I think that means that they can hold 300 lbs together. But I never took physics, so I may be interpreting the laws wrong.
PacoWarabi 1 year ago
@PacoWarabi your right, if the load of the person sleeping is evenly spread across the hammock, the hammock should put even and split tension to the biners, so in this case, it can hold 150 each, paco likely doesn't weight much more then 150 himself, so it can easily hold him and likely another, when they rate these biners, they usually lower the number for safety sake, but I bet those biners can hold a extra 50 lbs, so that's 400lbs of strength, respectable and reliable.
flamedrag18 1 year ago
@flamedrag18
That's what I figured as well. But it didn't stop me from being nervous the first time I set it up! That was five years ago, and I haven't fallen yet, so I'm not worried anymore.
PacoWarabi 1 year ago
what width of cloth do you recommend?
wvb93 1 year ago
@wvb93
I've made a 48" width hammock, and while it works, it's not the most comfortable. I prefer closer to 60". The fabric in this video is a 60" piece, and it feels lovely.
PacoWarabi 1 year ago
Very nice, Paco. I have a hammock by Eagle's Nest Outfitters that ran me $60 at Gander Mountain. This is a much better and cheaper alternative (wish I had known this before forking out $60).
otakop67 1 year ago
@otakop67
I don't know about better, but this method is definitely cheaper. And the setup is really easy.
PacoWarabi 1 year ago
@PacoWarabi
Better because it is cheaper, you get to choose the quality of the construction and material also if it gets damaged by one means or another (or accidentally left behind), it is easily and cheaply replaced by a stop at the local Walmart or Goodwill.
otakop67 1 year ago
@otakop67
Another way it's better is I get the satisfaction of knowing I made it myself. Plus bragging rights.
PacoWarabi 1 year ago