Question about WBBB XLC setup

[Scott_Adkins]

I am one of those people that have found I definitely like having my foot end higher , 18" or so, than my head end. My question comes in figuring hang angles. Not to bad to figure out when head and foot are equal but becomes more challenging with one is higher than the other. Looking for ideas of how others deal with this. Do you start out with them equal, get the angle close then raise the foot end. Or do you put the foot higher and adjust from there. For whatever reason seems harder to set right with foot higher. I also find for example I get in the hammock and the ridgeline is too loose having a hard time figuring which end to tighten. When I set them the same high I would just tighten each side the same. Any tricks that work for you.

[Spacelord]

I have a very scientific approach to this. I hang it level, then raise the foot the about the distance from my elbow to the knuckle on my fist. With is around 15 inches for me.

[TallPaul]

Nothing scientific here.
I set mine up, step back, and eye ball it. Then later get in to see how it feels.

[KiwiMark]

The angle doesn't need to be exact.
With the BB you have a ridgeline, get that about the right amount of tight and you will be in the right ballpark.

[TallPaul]

I will add this. When I backpack, I typically use hiking poles. When I get to camp, I use the poles to judge the distance between trees. This means I have a pretty consistent distance, so getting the angle down has one less variable.

[hutzelbein]

I rarely hit the sweet spot right away. I usually set up my BB with the foot end a bit higher, which can be a bit of a challenge when the ground slopes down. Then I get in the hammock and see how tight the ridgeline is. Usually, there is too much slack. I then tighten the suspension on the foot end until I can only bend the ridgeline a bit. Then I check where my center of gravity is when I'm lying in the hammock. 99 out of 100 times, it's too far in the middle. I know how far away I should be from the head end, so I simply slide the suspension on the foot end up the tree, until my body settles in the right place. It takes a couple of adjustments, so I'm not setting up fast - but my comfort is worth a bit of extra time for me.

[Scott_Adkins]

I rarely hit the sweet spot right away. I usually set up my BB with the foot end a bit higher, which can be a bit of a challenge when the ground slopes down. Then I get in the hammock and see how tight the ridgeline is. Usually, there is too much slack. I then tighten the suspension on the foot end until I can only bend the ridgeline a bit. Then I check where my center of gravity is when I'm lying in the hammock. 99 out of 100 times, it's too far in the middle. I know how far away I should be from the head end, so I simply slide the suspension on the foot end up the tree, until my body settles in the right place. It takes a couple of adjustments, so I'm not setting up fast - but my comfort is worth a bit of extra time for me.

Thanks. At least I know I'm not the only one who doesn't have it down to a science.

[Kaerous]

I set my XLC up completely level with extra slack on the whoopies so it hangs low. I try to aim to get the head strap height around shoulder height (I'm 6'-1"), set the foot strap as level as I can get it, and step back to verify. Once I'm happy it's level I go back to the foot end and raise it up ~12" (if it's level ground and its already at my shoulders, I adjust to the top of my head). Finally I adjust the whoopies to get a good amount of tension while still having some slack - this is verified by laying in the hammock and torquing the ridgeline with my thumb and forefinger (as shown on one of WB's setup videos). I've gotten a good feel for the right amount of tension, but it takes some trial and error to get the lay you like. If I'm set up for a day, I'll check the sit height of the hammock to make sure I'm comfortable for later on when everyone sits around the fire telling tall tales.

[kenbo]

I use the poles to judge the distance between trees. This means I have a pretty consistent distance, so getting the angle down has one less variable.

Nice idea Paul!

I have a built-in "tape measure"..... My Golf stride. Over the years I have developed a consistent step size to judge distance to the hole. I can do a very consistent 3 ft step. Instant tween-tree measurement in the piney woods...

[KiwiMark]

Nice idea Paul!

I have a built-in "tape measure"..... My Golf stride. Over the years I have developed a consistent step size to judge distance to the hole. I can do a very consistent 3 ft step. Instant tween-tree measurement in the piney woods...

I'm rubbish at guessing distance, but have a laser distance measuring device which I intend to take with me for checking the distance between trees (or from a tree to my hammock stand pole).