So.... where does 83% come from??

[GadgetUK437]

It's widely said that having your ridgeline at 83% of the length of your hammock is a good starting point.
It's also said that 30° is a good angle to hang you hammock.

Recently, I've been messing around with Frank's (fwbutler) Hammock Math Calculator and came up with a bit less complex and visually cleaner version, here,
https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...4&d=1467211327
or,
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...ulator001.xlsx



I started throwing numbers at it, and found a 30° hammock angle does not result in a 83% ridgeline. I assumed that there was a calculation error somewhere. So, I went over to The Ultimate Hang and checked with Derek's Hammock Hang Calculator, same issue though.

A 83% ridgeline gives you a hammock angle of 33.9°, and a 30° hammock angle give you a ridgeline of 86.6%

So, are both the spreadsheet and the calculator wrong... or is something else going on?

[Phantom Grappler]

Good eye, GadgetUK437, they can both be wrong, or both be real close to bring right. In case of any minor discrepancies--strive for comfort and safety. I like a tight hammock ridgeline and so I hang at a little less than 30 degrees--at least I think it's less--as ridge line is tight when I'm in hammock. I allow for this by using strong rope and straps--1/8 amsteel and Dutch's strongest Kevlar straps. Sorry I'm of no help on the mathematical differences! Maybe an engineer will reply!


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[GadgetUK437]

Yeah, just wondered where the 83% came from. Searching the forum doesn't help for two reasons. Firstly, the search won't accept a 3 character search string. And secondly, even if I Google the site, there are a gazillion instances of it!!

--
Gadget.

[sqidmark]

I suspect that the 30° angle was "selected" as the best compromise between force applied across mount points and practical mount point height. I also suspect that the 83% ridgeline start point was derived as an average satisfaction level based on trial and error by many people over time. It was not so much about the theoretical math, but rather what seemed to work best for the most folks. The numbers are simply a way of quantifying a reference we can all use as starting points.

[sidvicious]

Yeah, just wondered where the 83% came from. Searching the forum doesn't help for two reasons. Firstly, the search won't accept a 3 character search string. And secondly, even if I Google the site, there are a gazillion instances of it!!

--
Gadget.

83%, 86% - i don't understand.

gazillion - i understand!

sv-

[Foxpoop]

I find that 83% is usually a good number for me. However, to get a good hang at 83% with average RL tension (able to make a 45* bend while in the hammock), my unloaded hang angles are closer to 35-40*. The hang calculators also don't address having the head end lower than the foot end, which is an absolute must for me.

My foot end straps are always higher on the tree than would be predicted by the calculator due to these factors. Not a big deal for me, I am 6'3" and can usually find trees 13-14' apart for my hang. If I have to go farther than 14', it starts to get dicey on being able to reach high enough without using my trekking poles to get the strap high enough.

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[OneClick]

My foot end straps are always higher on the tree than would be predicted by the calculator due to these factors. Not a big deal for me, I am 6'3" and can usually find trees 13-14' apart for my hang. If I have to go farther than 14', it starts to get dicey on being able to reach high enough without using my trekking poles to get the strap high enough.

That seems high. Do you hang well off the ground or have a stretchy suspension? At 5'9", I often hang about 15' apart and have some reach in me to spare.

[Foxpoop]

That seems high. Do you hang well off the ground or have a stretchy suspension? At 5'9", I often hang about 15' apart and have some reach in me to spare.

Nope. I use poly or Kevlar straps and Amsteel continuous loops. I do live in the mountains, so there aren't many level spots. I also choose to have my head end on the downhill tree if I'm not on a level spot, so that accentuates the difference in height on the foot end. It's probably mental, but I just do it that way. I pretty much always get a good hang. Takes some fiddling sometimes.

[OneClick]

^ OK, looks normal to me. I guess that uneven ground could be a problem. Even a little can throw me off.

[OutandBack]

Hammock hang angle 30
Suspension hang angle 25

First I've ever heard of this.
The 30 degree measurement has always been the tree strap and or whoopie angle when the hammock was empty.

I've never once heard anyone recommend you hang your hammocks suspension at 25 degrees to get a 30 degree hammock angle.