Posts
Hammocking, backpacking and hiking resources for all levels of adventurers
All About Zippers
When you make your own camping or backpacking equipment, you have the advantage of making something that best fits your unique needs. When you buy something from the store, it may not do everything you need it to, or it may have extras you don’t need. Making your own equipment with a zipper lets you…
Backpacking Gear List for Beginners
Getting into any new activity or hobby means you have to get through a learning curve. Whether it’s learning the basic skills necessary to do it or picking up the right gear and equipment, it may take a little bit to get through this period. Backpacking is a great activity because almost anyone can do…
Beginner’s Guide To Choosing The Right Hammock
Hammocks have an incredible history. Native people in Central and South America created hammocks to help them stay cool while they slept in the hot, humid environment. In the Galapagos, people slept in “hamacas” woven from tree bark and later from cloth. The hammock allows air to circulate beneath sleepers and carry heat away. Secondly, the hammock suspended…
12 Tips for Hammocking in the Rain
12 Tips for Hammocking in the Rain While others may feel that rain during hammocking is a hassle, it’s actually not that bad. Sure, there are disadvantages every time it rains while you’re in the woods, but there are certainly a lot of great things you can do when this happens. Here are some tips…
Curtis Differential Underquilt
Overview: The YouTube video provided will give full details but basically I constructed a rectangular Underquilt with a my own way of achieving a differential cut both length and width wise (I think both are helpful or even necessary) and a kinda prototype clew suspension although I can hang it with traditional incubator type suspension …
Choosing A Top For Your Hammock
Take a look outside. You know there are two perfect trees out there somewhere, waiting for you and your hammock. Figure out how many vacation days you can take, mark off the weekends on your calendar, make a camping gear checklist, and get ready to reunite with the outdoors!…
DIY Cowboy D.A.R.T. (Dyneema Asym Recon Tarp)
This DIY tutorial article covers complete steps for the construction of an 11-foot Cowboy D.A.R.T. — the Dyneema Advanced Recon Tarp — designed by kitsapcowboy AKA Christian Bynum of Bynum Graphic Design. It is a compact directional parallelogram asym tarp — ultralight weather protection for the hardcore hammock camper — that weighs about 3 ounces;…
DIY Cowboy Trail Boss Multipurpose Tarp
This DIY tutorial article covers complete steps for the construction of an 11-foot Cowboy Trail Boss multipurpose tarp, designed by kitsapcowboy AKA Christian Bynum of Bynum Graphic Design. It is constructed using Dutch’s Xenon Sil Wide fabric. The Trail Boss is an efficient, all-season widebody hammock tarp that is optimized for additional pitches on the…
DIYers’ Guide to Cat Cuts & Cat Cut Tarps
Have you ever found yourself asking what in the heck is a Cat Cut? This article should explain everything you need to know about Cat Cuts and their application in DIY gear making. What is a Cat Cut? A cat cut is actually a shortened term that refers to a catenary curve. Catenary curves have been…
DIY Bottom Entry Bug-Net
In this tutorial article we will show you how to make your own DIY Bottom Entry Bug-Net. This bug-net is a fantastic addition to any netless hammock during the buggy seasons. Its a simple design and is a lightweight option for bug protection. These plans are to create an 11′ Bottom Entry Bug-Net but the length…
DIY Horizontal Compression Stuff Sack
In this tutorial article we will show you how to make your own DIY compression stuff sack This stuff sack is lightweight and serves as great storage for hammocks, quilts, clothes or any compressible items. This is a larger stuff sack, compression is horizontal along the length of the stuff sack. Compresses on the short…
Simple Drawstring Backpack (Great for Beginners!)
In this tutorial article, we will show you how to make your own Drawstring Backpack. This is a great project for anyone just getting started with DIY gear making and produces a beautiful, useful piece of gear! It is simple and cheap to make and can be a great tool for getting young campers into…