Illustration - Optimal Distance and Height Between Anchors

**gargoyle** · 12-15-2010, 16:30

Packeagle,
The further apart the trees are, the higher the attachment points need to be.
Your hammock will be hung so its comfortable to get in and out of. Typically around chair height. This is the constant in this equation.
If my trees are close (say ten to twelve feet apart), I will attach my webbing around five or six feet off the ground. As the distance increases, my webbing must go higher to maintain the 30* angle. The trees in my backyard are 20+ feet apart and that involves getting my straps high (8 feet approx.) to allow for a good angle. I used a ladder to install the straps, but this is at home and was easy to do.
Site selection is the woods is usually easy, I know the distance is good when the trees are twelve to fifteen feet apart. That gives me room for the tarp and easy attachment height for the hammock.

The 30* suspension angle theory is only a recommendation. If what your doing works for you and you find it comfortable, then continuing doing so. hyoh.

**packeagle** · 12-15-2010, 17:10

What I am doing now isn't work as well as i would like. I put my whoopies under as much tension as i can and use my structural ridgeline for all of my sag. I think that useing this method would make setup much easier as i wont have to tighten my whoopies so much. I think that over cinching them has caused the comfort problems i never had with the stock HH suspension tied using the figure 8 lashing.

**Alamosa** · 12-15-2010, 17:16

Originally Posted by packeagle

What I am doing now isn't work as well as i would like. I put my whoopies under as much tension as i can and use my structural ridgeline for all of my sag. I think that useing this method would make setup much easier as i wont have to tighten my whoopies so much. I think that over cinching them has caused the comfort problems i never had with the stock HH suspension tied using the figure 8 lashing.

I don't think those angles apply as much to a hammock with a SRL. As you mention, the SRL provides the distance between the ends of the hammock, so that dictates the droop in the hammock. If the angle of the whoopies gets too steep, slack will start developing in the SRL. Any angle short of that will keep the SRL tight and the hammock will hang the same.

**packeagle** · 12-15-2010, 17:28

Yeah I think you are right. But hang angle should create less force on the suspension lines then what I am putting on them now. I think that the tension I am putting on the suspension of the unloaded hammock are added to the tension the load puts on it and creating issues.

**hikelite** · 12-15-2010, 17:38

With a SRL, you want don't want to string it up super tight. Pull your whoopies until the suspension is straight, but you shouldn't be able to strum it like a guitar string. The hammock should already be hanging slack. When you get in, the whole RL and hammock will move down. This should move the parts of the suspension at the ends towards the 30 degree recommendation.

I just started trying out the SRL this weekend. I think I will like it. I just have to get used to it. I see 2 benefits. The SRL makes it easier to hang the hammock with the correct amount of sag, ie you can make the tension more consistent. It also provides a place to hang things when you're in the hammock.

I think the term 'structural' is misleading. It really isn't providing any support when you're in the hammock. If weight was your primary concern, you would never use one. Using something like Amsteel though makes it not really an issue. What does that ~10ft of cord weight? 10 grams?

**Barefoot Child** · 12-15-2010, 18:15

Me too...great illustration DeJoha, gets the point across visually....but it still made my wittle brain hurt.

**dejoha** · 12-15-2010, 23:36

Originally Posted by Barefoot Child

Me too...great illustration DeJoha, gets the point across visually....but it still made my wittle brain hurt.

Awr, thanks Barefoot! You makka my smile

And hikelite, I just noticed that Roadtorque is organizing a hang in January (perhaps weather permitting) in Oak Creek (unless he gets swayed by Tewa, in which case it might be down in the valley).

**Rat** · 12-16-2010, 11:24

Originally Posted by hikelite

With a SRL, you want don't want to string it up super tight. Pull your whoopies until the suspension is straight, but you shouldn't be able to strum it like a guitar string. The hammock should already be hanging slack. When you get in, the whole RL and hammock will move down. This should move the parts of the suspension at the ends towards the 30 degree recommendation.

I just started trying out the SRL this weekend. I think I will like it. I just have to get used to it. I see 2 benefits. The SRL makes it easier to hang the hammock with the correct amount of sag, ie you can make the tension more consistent. It also provides a place to hang things when you're in the hammock.

I think the term 'structural' is misleading. It really isn't providing any support when you're in the hammock. If weight was your primary concern, you would never use one. Using something like Amsteel though makes it not really an issue. What does that ~10ft of cord weight? 10 grams?

A structural ridgeline, SRL, does add support while in the hammock; that's why we call it structural. If magically removed the ends of the hammock would collapse (outwardly) and ruin the hang. A non-structural ridgeline is one where once the hammock is hung and the ridgeline could be removed with little or no collapse of the hammock ends.

I hang my Hennessey tight, real tight; I hang my ENO with the DIY non-structural ridgeline loose with my suspension at 30°. The ridgeline is just an indicator as to whether or not I am getting the hammock too tight, too loose or just right. The Hennessey has more initial drop or settling when I load it, the ENO has very little. They are designed to hang differently, that's all. If I hang my Hennessey with the 30° hangle it is not as comfortable and the netting is in my face.

**salamander42** · 12-24-2010, 08:57

Thanks for the illustration! I've been doing something pretty close to this on my own, but didn't quite have some of the finer details down. . . This is the first time I've heard of the 30* angle being optimal, for example.

I do have one tip that might be useful to some, or completely obvious to others. One of the advantages of hammock camping is not needing level ground. On a slope, following the instructions in the illustration without compensating will have your hammock hanging at the same angle as the slope. To get a level hammock if one of my trees is higher up a slope than the other, I start by making sure the hammock is centred, and then stand at the middle and look to see if from that vantage my ropes or straps are at about eye level (assuming trees at the optimal distance from one another) on both trees before I do all of the final tightening of knots and/or straps. Actually, I always double check things this way even when the ground is more or less level since just a few inches one way or another can definitely affect the lay of a hammock.

**scottpash** · 11-04-2011, 07:29

wow Math lessons in a hammock forum Ha HA

I just use my Droid Bubble Level app and get 30* all of the time
boy I wish it was that easy

I have only hung three times so far but have done what is illustrated and it has worked great so far

I will see if that is the case after my 300th Hang

Thanks for all the info