Help! most uncomfortable I've ever been!

[JaxHiker]

Well, I REALLY want this hammock camping to work for me...I'm getting on in age, and I can't take sleeping on the ground like I used to, even WHEN I can find a clearing that has no roots, rocks, etc.

But, yes, I've considered just selling the hammock and going back to sleeping on the ground. As I said in one of my posts earlier, telling me to "just keep trying until you get it right" isn't very helpful...when I mentioned that to my wife, she said, "So, you're just supposed to keep doing it wrong and hurting your back more, just looking for the answer? No wonder more people aren't using hammocks!"

I understand your frustration. I don't think anyone is looking for you to get hurt. You set it up, get in, and see how it feels. If it doesn't feel right you make an adjustment and try it again. You can probably do this in 30 min or so.

Now obviously if your back is real bad maybe that's a concern. I just think that trying to rely on some mathematical formulas to tell you how to hang when there are so many other variables that come into play is going to put you in the funny farm. What happens when you've got it nailed with your trees exactly 10' apart and you get on the trail and end up with the closest trees being 20' apart? I guess you can whip out your netbook and re-run the calculations but you're better off figuring out what you need by look and feel rather than what a spreadsheet tells you.

[Bubba]

Are you laying in it on a diagonal? What is uncomfortable? Do your knees hurt, or is it your back? The video Law Dawg linked was the one I was going to.
Raising the attachment points on the tree and lengthening your suspension (to keep the bottom of the hammock 2 feet from the ground) is going to increase the angle and give you more sag.
Lowering the attachment points on the tree and shortening your susension (again to keep the bottom of the hammock 2 feet from the ground) is going to decrease the angle and give you less sag.
A structural ridgeline would help compensate for not having the perfect angles. A good starting point is to make the SRL 83% of the length of the hammock.

[rip waverly]

my experience with the skeeter beater tells me to start there.

the hennessy tree huggers are nylon and stretch. the skeater beater rope was awful for me to work with. and the hammock itself is "stretchy" and puts me in a "bathtub". and no ridgline to boot. i dislike the skeeter beater. i've seen it lower many a hanger slowly to the ground in just an hour or so of laying in it.

brandon at warbonnet's video as posted above is where i learned the basics of hanging the hammock.

as stated.. a group hang, a structural ridgeline, (a different hammock) and some fiddle factor should get you there. there is no, imho, steadfast formula to achieving comfort. only prescriptions.

[rict]

I understand your frustration. I don't think anyone is looking for you to get hurt. You set it up, get in, and see how it feels. If it doesn't feel right you make an adjustment and try it again. You can probably do this in 30 min or so.

Sorry if I come across as very negative about all this; my back is still causing me a lot of pain right now, and my painkillers aren't really helping much. So I'm sure the pain is affecting my outlook.

I know no one is looking for me to be hurt. It's just that after spending several hours on Saturday afternoon trying out various "settings" on the hammock, getting in & out, laying a different angles, I THOUGHT I had it fairly comfortable, but obviously I was wrong. For me at least, laying in it for 5-10 minutes to test it after each adjustment, doesn't give me the answer for actually sleeping in it for 4 or more hours.

I also realize that every site will be different; I'm not intending to carry a netbook to access the hammock calculator. I'm hoping that setting up the hammock lay/angle/sag correctly in the backyard a half-dozen times will set the "look & feel" of it in my head, so that I can duplicate it in other situations. Or maybe not...

[Swingblade]

rict; now that the technicals have been discussed I'll throw in on the emotional side.

Just like you my first few times in my HH hammock didn't pan out so well. In fact the first couple times I tried to overnight in it I ended up moving to my air bed in my truck. To this day I envy those that post they're first hang being the best night sleep they've ever had ... pfft. And like you I wanted desperately for it to work for me since I cannot sleep on the ground anymore & often wish to camp places a 4X4 isn't allowed or simply won't go. I also am getting on in life and had major back surgery a few years ago that improved things about 40% but still far from good. I believe there are several hangers on this sight with the same or worse physical challenges.

As stated, the angle of the dangle and the length of ridgeline (if you have one) are the key along with your diagonal lay. After you get that down you may have to deal with hyper extended knee & pillow issues as I did. Hang in there ( I made a pun ) it will come together for you and it is definitely worth it. I don't know anything about the Skeeter Beeter but if your not laying constantly flat, head to toe, your comfort will be jeapardized.

[Cold Butt Stephen]

Another quick piece of advice is that when I began hanging, I did not sleep diagonally enough. Try turning more than you think is reasonable. The other thing, to echo the advice of others who already posted, a structural ridgeline makes a big difference, IMO.

[Law Dawg (ret)]

I just Googled Skeeter Beater and have the following purely subjective recommendation; Keep it for the kids (because they are made out of rubber) or adult guests you don't like and buy a WBBB or similar quality hammock that includes decent suspension and SRL. While you could probably bring the SB up to snuff with better (would not take much) suspension and adding a SRL, why bother when WB and HH offer rigs already set up?

Again subjective info but WBBB or Traveler is what I lean toward. Frankly a Traveler with webbing suspension is an inexpensive and simple way to try a different rig. (really like mine).

[rict]

Well, after spending several weekends trying to get this hammock to work for me in my backyard, replacing the straps and rope, making a ridgeline, and setting up, adjusting, trying, adjusting again, testing some more...repeat, repeat, repeat...I'm ready to concede defeat with both these hammocks (SkeeterBeater and HH).

I either end up with my butt on the ground after several hours, or my back hurts so bad after a couple of hours that I just give up and come inside.

Looks like I need to spend yet more money on yet another hammock, but after spending this much without success, I'm not willing to spend a lot more (concerned that it will just not work for me, and I'll have a bunch of hammocks and related equipment that I won't be able to sell)...

Several people have mentioned the WBBB Traveler, but I need bug protection, so...I weigh about 180 lbs, and I'm not willing to trust something that is only rated for 190-200 lbs, so I'd need the "Traveler Double Layer 1.7oz" at $75 plus the BugNet at $65. The total of $140 is a little too much for comfort right now...
Is there another brand/model that would work for under $100 total?

[Rhino]

Can you post any photos of your attempts, that my give us a little more reality as to what is going on there?

[G.L.P.]

yeah i would love to see pics of your setup...maybe we can help you better

i have alot of back problems i had spine surgery and all and the only place i get a good nights sleep is in my hammock ...
i think alot of this has to do with the way you have it set up
if your waking up on the ground either you have crappy straps or your not using the right knot.

take some pics of your setup...and get someone to take pics of it with you in it..
this way we can see how your setting it up..and how you are laying in it
because the way you lay in it will also affect how it feels

i see alot of new ppl try to lay dead center...or there not off center enough

Or it could be that this just is not for you..... hammocks are not for everyone
but i do find that alot of the ppl that can't get a good nights sleep have it set up wrong or there not sleeping off center enough ... but there are ppl out there that just can't sleep in a hammock no matter how or who sets it up