First hang in the WBBB

**mugs** · 10-10-2010, 20:00

OK so yesterday afternoon I had my first hang. As soon as I set up the hammock it started to drizzle. Since my MacCat standard is not in yet I grabbed my 6x9 cuben and it just barely fit, I had about 2in of over hang on each end. But it kept the hammock dry for the next 2 hours of me dinky/attempting to take a nap. The temp was about 60F and drizzly.

Since my full size GG thinLite's are still on there way I had to use my GG Nite Lite instead. I had on long pants and long sleeve shirt and brought out my poncho liner for a TQ. I also set up my BPL TiWing esbit stove and 450 mug to make some tea. So I slid myself in and began the experimenting.

OK first wow what a difference some insulation makes. I was warm the whole time. Also I can see the practicality of a TQ instead of a bag...but some more field time will have to be in order to start looking into a TQ/UQ system. Making my tea was fun and then I settle in for a nap.

Now here where it becomes not so fun

After about 20 mins or so my feet started to fall asleep. It was like the the "line" between the foot box and the gathered end was creating too much tension and cutting off the blood supply. I tried every thing, sliding further up, sliding further down. Moving my feet to different spots so on and so forth. Finally what it took was just kind of crossing my feet and then crossing to the other foot. That way only one fell asleep at a time. My calves were "sore/tight" for about an hour after getting out, because of the numbness I would assume.

I messed with this for another 1.5 hours and out of that maybe only got 15 mins of sleep. I did at the end try laying the other way and it seemed much more comfy. My head was in the foot box area and the feet were where the head would be. Seemed better because my head was higher then my feet, which is what I was trying to achieve the whole time. I did not get to try this position for more then 5 minutes or so because I had to go into the house and it was getting dark. And I still needed to tear down.

Some random thoughts: Before I got in the hammock I checked for proper RL tension and it seemed ok. According to the WB vid when sitting in the hammock I should be able to "twist" the RL up with my hand into almost a full 90 degrees. Well it was about 1 finger short of a 90 so like maybe 80-85. So how does one fix the RL is that a matter of how tight I pull up the webbing straps? Both times I have set it up the RL has been about the same.

Also I read in another "cant get comfy" thread in the WB section that having the foot end higher then the head end from the start, eliminates the gathered end tension problem. So how high is high?

I am 6.1 and 200lbs the hammock is rated at 250 with a flat weight of 190. I figured the 190 would not matter as much but maybe it does. Do I need to purchase a higher flat rated hammock say the 1.7 or so?

I am not ready to throw in the towel just yet. I'll still keep at until I get it. Because even with this inconvenience of my feet falling asleep, it was still more comfortable then sleeping on the ground with a dinky air pad only covering my back

I think I am going to rig up a hammock hang spot in the garage so I can continue to test through out the winter, plus it will get me off the neighbors fence

In the spring I will more then likely build an outside hang area as well. So far I am still motivated and look forward to hearing all of your guys and gals inputs.

**sparkyjim** · 10-10-2010, 20:29

My WBB is ordered, so don't think I can offer much advice except to loot at the videos by the members here, there are a lot of them, Shugs are hilarious and packed with info.

**s1125r** · 10-10-2010, 20:32

A lot of people who have issues with leg pressure seem to solve it with a pillow or something under the knees.

**DannyBoy2k** · 10-10-2010, 20:34

The ridgeline tension is controlled by the angle of the straps to the horizontal. The closer the straps are to 0 degress to horizontal, the more tension there will be on the ridgeline.

You might talk with Loney Raven. I believe he had several issues that he finally worked out before he was comfortable as well.

~Dan

**Wags** · 10-10-2010, 23:55

without being able to see i tend to agree that maybe your ridgeline is too tight. perhaps try hanging with a little more sag.

i tend to find the "figure 4" very comfy, with my left leg bent underneath my right leg, which is down in the footbox. also, perhaps try to sleep on more of a diagonal... if those don't work, there was someone here, billybob maybe, who had some "fix" for the pressure on the backs of knees in a blackbird. i'm sure he'll be through

**questtrek** · 10-11-2010, 00:06

Welcome aboard Mugs ..

**Triptease** · 10-11-2010, 02:18

Originally Posted by s1125r

A lot of people who have issues with leg pressure seem to solve it with a pillow or something under the knees.

I don't have this problem, but from everything I've read this method seems to help most people out.

**Ozzy** · 10-11-2010, 12:11

Hey there Mugs, I don't have alot of experience with the bird yet but I did notice a little mistake you made when referring to the WB vid. If I recall correctly the ridgeline should be quite slack when sitting in it. Only after laying down did he perform the twist-it-vertical test.
I suspect you had the ridgeline too tight.
If your experiences are anything like mine every night I spend hanging is better than the last. Enjoy!

**Buffalo Skipper** · 10-11-2010, 12:39

I spent the weekend in my SBPro, and I would say that Mugs described my experience better than I could have. It appears to be pressure on the legs somewhere. I did not try a pillow or cushioning, but prehaps should have.

Originally Posted by swoosh

without being able to see i tend to agree that maybe your ridgeline is too tight. perhaps try hanging with a little more sag.

I have had my RL on the tight side, and that makes me a little preplexed by this statement. If I loosen my RL won't that give me less sag? How can I get more sag without tightening the RL?

**mugs** · 10-11-2010, 12:43

Originally Posted by Ozzy

Hey there Mugs, I don't have alot of experience with the bird yet but I did notice a little mistake you made when referring to the WB vid. If I recall correctly the ridgeline should be quite slack when sitting in it. Only after laying down did he perform the twist-it-vertical test.
I suspect you had the ridgeline too tight.
If your experiences are anything like mine every night I spend hanging is better than the last. Enjoy!

Yep your right I just went back and reviewed the video again (thanks Ozzy) and I noted several things I did wrong. So I think if time allows today or tomorrow I will head to a local wooded hiking area and give it another whirl. OK I gotta go get other stuff done, blast you forum