swampsnyper
Well-Known Member
Since I started making hammocks I couldn't help but think of them as a saddle. I've been thinking of how to attach it to a BOD harness. Hammock material can be found in a material that's very light, packable, comfortable, soft, quiet and with a little stretch. Those qualities will work perfect for a saddle where they can spread out the support and give in the high stress areas relieving pressure points. I'm thinking of having it in a small stuff pouch on the side of the harness and pull it out once in the tree. What makes it a comfortable saddle also makes it vulnerable to catching briars so it's not something I want to wear in. It's not a material I would trust to support my life so other considerations are being analyzed where I'm supported by the safety harness but pressure is taken off of the harness slightly by the hammock seat and if the seat would start to give way, weight would be transferred more to the harness. Not in a drop, but gradually transferred.
I had a scrap piece of tarp material I tried out at ground level without connecting to a BOD harness yet because I don't have that worked out yet. So it's not what I would feel as safe yet. It's not the material of choice but I just wanted to see how it felt. It was great! Very little pressure points and I think I can take that out completely with a slight design change. Plus the material I want to use will be a lot softer and has more stretch.
I had a scrap piece of tarp material I tried out at ground level without connecting to a BOD harness yet because I don't have that worked out yet. So it's not what I would feel as safe yet. It's not the material of choice but I just wanted to see how it felt. It was great! Very little pressure points and I think I can take that out completely with a slight design change. Plus the material I want to use will be a lot softer and has more stretch.