Warning This post is for entertainment purposes only. Make and use hammocks at your own risk Warning



Here are some photos of the Hennessy Hammock clone that I came up with. It is designed to be used stand alone between to anchor points with the use of a ridge line. It can also be set up as shown by attaching it to an SRT traverse.



The hammock starts out as a 12' X 5' rectangle of fabric. I folded the edges and then wrapped them in polyester webbing before stitching them. I tested the hammock for strength without doing this and it is possible to make one without any sewing. I think the trim adds a lot of durability though.

Lay the fabric flat and then fold each side so that the two sides meet in the middle. Then, fold each side in half over and over until you get down to having each side about 1 1/2" wide. Lay the two halves together and tie them in an overhand knot.

The next step is to rig the attachment loops. Begin with a piece of webbing about 4 feet long. Push a bight through the overhand knot in the hammock fabric from the inside of the hammock. This will be the rig loop for the hammock. Adjust the tails of the webbing so that one leg is about a foot long and the other leg is about 18". Tie these in an overhand around the hammock fabric. Now tuck the longer tail back through both overhands to the outside of the hammock and tie it in a double fisherman’s knot. This creates the loop on the inside of the hammock for the ridge line attachments.



To make the attachments for the asymmetric spreader pole I started by cutting a piece of 1”tubular webbing about 6” long. I held one end open and sealed the edges with a lighter to make the opening for the pole. The other end will be sewn onto the hammock as seen in the photo below. To position these attachments find the center of the hammock. Measure 15” from center in opposite directions for each side of the hammock and mark those spots. I sewed the webbing on so that a pocket was formed so I could slide old fiberglass tent pole sections in them. This works pretty well but this is the first one I’ve made so I am sure I may refine this.



The finished product is an extremely comfortable hammock that allows a person to lay nearly flat. It is very lightweight, very affordable and very easy to make. I bought the fabric using a coupon that brought the price to $3.50 per yard. The webbing for the edges cost about $4.00. Tubular webbing was about $4.00. So if you can find an old tent pole you can make one for under $25. Considering I spent over $250 on my hennesy I am pretty happy with this DIY project, and even happier to share it with all of you.

Enjoy!!!




P.S. If you still don't feel like making it yourself just send me a PM and I'll help you get one.

I LOVE it! Cheap as all heck, too. Plus most of the attachment stuff we already own; rope, carabiners, webbing, accessory cord.

What I like best is perhaps the ability to rig it on a SRT line. Those hitches let you adjust it perfectly. You can rig up a hammock anywhere you can set up a line, that will make finding places much easier. Can even tie off on trunks with girth hitches or timber hitches.

I see what you meant by the spreader pole, too. Roomy.

I think the only downside might be the lack of a quick descent line when you are at altitude. You'd have to rig up another rope on a nearby anchor or try some kind of skyline (which I know nothing about).

I think I may rig up my Hennessy like this. It'll be a bit goofier, since the ridgeline of the HH will fall below the rope.

Thanks for the pictures!

Love it. Now mow your lawn and pick up that trash pile or Suzy is gonna make you sleep in that thing every night.

I am in love... I just told April that we now have one more project on top of some other gear projects... (She can sew and I can't!!!)

Very clever - I can't wait to try it out!!!!

The design is so elegant and simple!

That's what every outdoors person needs - a talented seamstress Not planning on learning how to work a sewing machine yet, Glenn?

She loves to sew, so why bother

Hey Hunabku, any plans to add a sleeve or some way to contain the pad, or is this prototype done?

It was just that, a prototype. So I am done with that on and the other two I made just like it.

I still have fabric for two more (I went back to Joann's)

The next ones I make are going to be pretty technical. I am going to do the attachments using the Hennessy method to streamline them a bit and cut a little weight down. Don't get me wrong, the knots work awesome and look good too, but they are not as streamlined as they are on a Hennessy.

I'm still debating about the sleeve. It kind of solves a problem that I don't really have. It will use more fabric and cause more weight and bulk too.

I think I'll do one just to see if I like it.

Other things I want to do are sew on a couple of side pockets that can be flipped in or out of the hammock. And I want to device a good way to make the pole captive. I can see where it could be knocked loose.

I think it would work well to have a ridge line even if it is hung on a rope as I displayed. There is less guess work about the proper sag that way. It would also be a good support for the spreader pole. If there if to much sag in the way I show it set up the traverse rope will pull the pole out of the sleeves. I have some ideas to solve this to be shared shortly. (gotta try them first).

I still have yet to set it up at height but I am very confident in the hammock itself. It is super stable and I can flip and spin around in it and sit hanging off the edge or sideways like an easy chair very easily

I will be giving one of the final versions away here on the forum. I just need to come up with some sort of contest to figure out who will get it.

Any suggestions

I also wanted to convey that setting up a hammock along an SRT traverse like I suggested is definitely only for the more advanced climber. There are a lot of things to consider before trying something like that. Getting to the ground quick is one of them bu that is entirely possible for any point on the traverse line if set up properly. There are also some serious forces to carefully consider before doing anything on an SRT traverse, much less set up and hang out in a hammock.

How about a contest to see which Canadian sends you the most handmade aluminum widgets?

Works for me. If that's the only idea submitted, that's what I'm going with


I've been thinking about the sleeve. That is the beauty of the knotted system. I will be able to lay in it with my pad and mark its position when I get it how I want it.

Then untie the hammock and sew in the sleeve (or get April to do it (whoever she is)). Then I will have one done and a layout for the next one. I have also thought about fleece lining it with an incorporated sleeve for a pad.


A Velcro on bug screen is going to be easy to make happen too.

Neat idea and follow through Hunabku! Just the sort of creative project I expect from you. Please email me some drawings or dimensions when you get it all worked out. I GOTTA make me one of these.
Wiley Coyote Stone

That would mean a trip to Atlanta