Sag

[WV]

zengringo

Oxy-malaprop?

[Hooch]

Hanging "by the numbers" is so overrated. The amount of sag that makes your hammock comfortable is one of the most highly individualized specifics in hammocking. This means that only you know how much sag works for you, regardless of what number it may be measured at. It's all a matter of trial and error, seeing what works and what doesn't. I stumbled into my sag and ridgeline length totally by accident and it's worked for me since. I've never, ever tried to measure the angle of my hang, there's no reason for it. Along the same lines, I've never measured the length of my ridgeline. My hammocks all hang the same way: comfortably. Yours should, too.

[WV]

Hanging "by the numbers" is so overrated. The amount of sag that makes your hammock comfortable is one of the most highly individualized specifics in hammocking. This means that only you know how much sag works for you, regardless of what number it may be measured at. It's all a matter of trial and error, seeing what works and what doesn't. I stumbled into my sag and ridgeline length totally by accident and it's worked for me since. I've never, ever tried to measure the angle of my hang, there's no reason for it. Along the same lines, I've never measured the length of my ridgeline. My hammocks all hang the same way: comfortably. Yours should, too.

+1
Well put. Accurately measuring the sag angle would be meaningful if I wanted to build a second hammock exactly like the first, but if it's for somebody else, their preference might be different. Besides, I keep thinking of new things to try. If I ever get to the point where I wanted to "mass produce" (i.e. - more than one ), I'd still use an adjustable ridgeline.

[exdiver]

Someone help me here...

I am understanding the sag angle of the suspension line is set by how tight you pull the lines at the point of attachment. The sag angle of the hammock is set by the length of the of the structural ridgeline in relation to the length of the hammock material. Comfort is determined by the sag of the hammock, and stress on the suspension system is determined by the sag angle of the suspension.

[Graybeard]

Someone help me here...

I am understanding the sag angle of the suspension line is set by how tight you pull the lines at the point of attachment. The sag angle of the hammock is set by the length of the of the structural ridgeline in relation to the length of the hammock material. Comfort is determined by the sag of the hammock, and stress on the suspension system is determined by the sag angle of the suspension.

Bingo!!! You not only got it right, you explained it well. The only thing I can think of to add is trivial: those who do without a structural ridgeline have only one angle, which is both of the above.

Many hangers don't realize that stress in the suspension line skyrockets as the angle of the suspension approaches horizontal. This not only places them in potential danger, it also increases the liklihood of damage to the tree.

[sir_n0thing]

Many hangers don't realize that stress in the suspension line skyrockets as the angle of the suspension approaches horizontal. This not only places them in potential danger, it also increases the liklihood of damage to the tree.

Has anyone noticed that in just about every Hennessy video out there, the hammock is strung up with the suspension line dang near horizontal and almost in-line with the ridgeline? Is that the way it should be on the Hennessy hammocks?

[SirCantaloupe]

Has anyone noticed that in just about every Hennessy video out there, the hammock is strung up with the suspension line dang near horizontal and almost in-line with the ridgeline? Is that the way it should be on the Hennessy hammocks?

This is something I've been curious about too. I'm new to hammocks (first post on these forums) but every time I hang my HH I feel instinctively driven to get that sucker as tight and horizontal as possible - sag is unacceptable!

Of course, it's still being broken in, so sag happens regardless.

[Just Jeff]

Welcome out of lurkerdom!

It certainly doesn't have to be that tight, and it's actually much easier to hang if you don't try to. It just needs to be tight enough that the ridgeline stays taut when you lay down.

[Graybeard]

This is something I've been curious about too. I'm new to hammocks (first post on these forums) but every time I hang my HH I feel instinctively driven to get that sucker as tight and horizontal as possible - sag is unacceptable!

Of course, it's still being broken in, so sag happens regardless.

.....and if you could get it perfectly horizontal it would break of it's own weight No math, no engineering, just observe. You will never see a powerline in a straight line from one pole to the next. Surely if it were practical (or possible) the power companies would hang lines that way to gain extra clearance from the ground. But in practice they have worked out an amount of sag that avoids escalating costs of less sag. Save wear and tear on your new equipment by following Just Jeff's advice.

And welcome aboard.

[turnerminator]

Has anyone noticed that in just about every Hennessy video out there, the hammock is strung up with the suspension line dang near horizontal and almost in-line with the ridgeline? Is that the way it should be on the Hennessy hammocks?

The oficial advice on the DD hammocks website says it should be reasonably tight too. I quote:

"...3) It should be tied reasonably tight (so its almost a straight line from tree to tree with no-one inside) and should rest just above sitting height. It will drop slightly once you enter it (If using for first time it may need to be re-tied to allow for minor stretching of rope)."


I reckon this roughly equates to 10-20 degrees, depending on how many pies the sleeper has consumed.

This is at odds with the general HF consensus on 'angle of dangle'.