Feet Higher

[twowheels]

Thanks for the information Guy's, I will experiment and let you know the outcome...cheers.

I agree with the feet higher position in a nylon hammock, though in my woven mayan hammock (used indoors) I prefer head higher. The reason is, as was already stated, that I tend to slide down too much when my head is higher in a nylon hammock and I'm constantly having to push myself back up. In the woven hammock I basically stay wherever I lay, so I have more options and find that I prefer head up.

[Big Jim Mac]

Thinking about getting things set right, has anyone figured out how to make adjustments while inside the hammock? Now that would be a suspension trick.

[Cannibal]

I agree with the feet higher position in a nylon hammock, though in my woven mayan hammock (used indoors) I prefer head higher. The reason is, as was already stated, that I tend to slide down too much when my head is higher in a nylon hammock and I'm constantly having to push myself back up. In the woven hammock I basically stay wherever I lay, so I have more options and find that I prefer head up.

Heck, I tend to sleep perpendicular in my Mayans so the height of the ends doesn't really matter.
I would tend to agree though, the slip-factor is most likely the culprit. Gravity works much better when there is plenty of slip like nylon or polyester. Since my home hammocks are mainly cotton, there isn't much slippage. They are all hung with the head and foot level.

For campers, I am most certainly a feet-above-the-head person. Couple of inches is all I need, but having it off will make me get up and adjust almost every time. I just can't get comfortable with my feet level, or below, my head.

[BillyBob58]

I remember when I got my 1st hammock, a HH Explorer, the directions said to center it between the trees and to level it. I even saw discussion (at the HH site I think) on adding the little line levels from the hardware store. I bought some, but never used them. Because on the 1st night I discovered a irritating tendency to slide to the foot of the hammock. One of many problems I had on my first night in the HH with Super Shelter. I figured I must have accidentally put the head too high, so I got my friends to help me judge if it was level on the next nights. But I still had a tendency to slide towards the foot. Finally I said to heck with it and started hanging the foot obviously a few inches higher than the head, and all was good.

But it really varies with the person and the hammock, but that is solved with some easy experimentation to find what is right for you in your hammock. I have to hang the foot of some hammocks higher than with others. With my JRB bridge hammock (like Pan said) I have to have the head end obviously higher than the foot. Just the opposite of my other hammocks.

Just experiment a bit and you should quickly know what is right. If it feels good, do it. At least as far as hammocks go!

[Perkolady]

I find and stay in my sweet spot easier if I put the foot end just a tad higher.

[AduroNox]

In my hammock at least, the pitch of the hammock determines where your rear will end up. If the hammock is level, it will be in the middle. If the foot end is higher, it will be towards the opposite direction. I've found that this gives my legs a little more of the hammock and allows greater freedom of position while keeping them from hanging off the edge.

-Aduro

[twowheels]

Heck, I tend to sleep perpendicular in my Mayans so the height of the ends doesn't really matter.

I sleep somewhat diagonally, not exactly perpendicular. I also like to sleep on my side and curl up a little such that my legs are perpendicular, but my head and shoulders are up on the higher section.