Just got my BMBH - dying to set it up!

**Sweeper** · 09-23-2009, 23:12

Thanks to the Jacks for getting the weight limits increased - I should have the opportunity to use it next weekend on an overnight hang in N GA.

Let's see, that makes a Speer, HH, BB, and now the BMBH - I think I'm done with purchases of hammocks for a while!

But some of those TQ's at JRB sure look nice....

**Hawk-eye** · 09-23-2009, 23:45

Originally Posted by Purple_Haze

..... I think I'm done with purchases of hammocks for a while!

**FanaticFringer** · 09-25-2009, 22:08

Congrats on the purchase.

**DGrav** · 09-25-2009, 22:17

Enjoy!! My BMBH is one of my favorite pieces of gear and by far the best nights sleep I have ever gotten in 30+ years of camping!

**Sweeper** · 09-26-2009, 08:03

I had a few minutes to set it up in the yard yesterday afternoon, just long enough to lay in it a minute or two. First impression was that I must have had it hung way too tight, as there was some serious shoulder squeeze going on, to the point of being really uncomfortable. I need to do some more reading on the hanging aspect of this since it's so different than my gathered end hammocks.

Set up was a breeze for the most part, and I guess I don't get the problems with the bug net that others have reported....it's attaches much like my Speer, which really isn't too much of a problem.

**BillyBob58** · 09-27-2009, 22:01

Originally Posted by Sweeper

I had a few minutes to set it up in the yard yesterday afternoon, just long enough to lay in it a minute or two. First impression was that I must have had it hung way too tight, as there was some serious shoulder squeeze going on, to the point of being really uncomfortable. I need to do some more reading on the hanging aspect of this since it's so different than my gathered end hammocks.

Set up was a breeze for the most part, and I guess I don't get the problems with the bug net that others have reported....it's attaches much like my Speer, which really isn't too much of a problem.

OK, that has always been the potential fly in the ointment with the BMBH, the percieved shoulder squeeze. Now if you have REALLY wide shoulders, it might be a problem. But work with it a while before you give up on it. I returned my first one due to this very issue. But I had 2nd thought and got another and after a little practice had much better results. I wear a size 45 coat.

Number one thing is to forget about having your arms by your side, they need to be draped over your abdomen. Then for me it is more a matter of my shoulders are molded to the slight curve of the hammock, but not actual squeeze, and quite comfortable overall. Maybe the most comfortable over all.

Mine seems to be more narrow near the middle than near the top. So if I have my head pretty near the end caps, I seem to have more shoulder room.

Hang it with about 9 feet 6 inches between the outer rings.

Another trick for me is to lay just barely on my side. Flat on my back but then move just one slight degree or two to the side. Then there are zero squeeze issues for me. Of course as you actually get on your side, only one shoulder will be in contact with the hammock.

There is a learning curve, as I have found with most hammocks. Good luck, hope you are as comfy in it as I have been in mine.

**Roadtorque** · 09-27-2009, 22:44

You should be able to get past the squeeze, unless you like to lay in a hammock like you would in a coffin... with your hands to your side. I find the most comfortable for me is about half way between flat on my back and completely on my side. In this position the side wall of the hammock acts as a backrest. This is by far my favorite hammock. I hope you learn to enjoy it too.

**Sweeper** · 09-29-2009, 20:13

Got it out again this afternoon and started playing with it. I quickly learned that it does work much better when I had my head nearer the end caps. I wear a size 46 coat and do have pretty wide shoulders (started lifting again this year). I am going continue playing with it before this weekend's hang. There's also ZERO chance it's going back - my wife, Lady Liz, came out to see what I was doing, got in the hammock, and declared that it is now hers! She likes it better than any of my other hammocks.

Maybe I'll see if the Jacks can make me a custom one a few inches wider.....

Sweeper

**BillyBob58** · 09-30-2009, 12:44

Originally Posted by Sweeper

Got it out again this afternoon and started playing with it. I quickly learned that it does work much better when I had my head nearer the end caps. I wear a size 46 coat and do have pretty wide shoulders (started lifting again this year). I am going continue playing with it before this weekend's hang. There's also ZERO chance it's going back - my wife, Lady Liz, came out to see what I was doing, got in the hammock, and declared that it is now hers! She likes it better than any of my other hammocks.

Maybe I'll see if the Jacks can make me a custom one a few inches wider.....

Sweeper

Good luck on that!

I think many a bigger boy around here has tried to get the Jacks to make a wider one, but no luck so far. I think one reason they don't is that the spreader bars already present an issue that must be dealt with when closing down a tarp on the ends- or maybe even if in normal use. IOW, there is a tendency for the bar ends to rub the tarp. Though less problem with bigger tarps. But wider spreader bars would just be that much more of an issue.

BTW, ways to deal with this: Assuming the foot end is the end you need to close off against the wind: no spreader bar on the foot end or smaller spreader bar on the foot end. Or, on either or both ends: a Grip Clip attached to the tarp, cord tied to Grip Clip, cord goes to hiking pole ( or tree/bush), then cord from hiking pole to ground. Doing this I have been able to close down the ends of my JRB tarp and still have plenty of room around the spreader bars for no tarp contact.

Keep us posted on how this works for you shoulder wise! Have you tried a pad yet? If you are going to use a pad in a hammock, this is probably the best hammock for that IMHO! Even if I still prefer a MWUQ for over all comfort, a pad works dang well in this hamock. The pad, like the hammock, will be pretty much flat.

**Sweeper** · 09-30-2009, 13:24

Originally Posted by BillyBob58

Good luck on that!

I think many a bigger boy around here has tried to get the Jacks to make a wider one, but no luck so far. I think one reason they don't is that the spreader bars already present an issue that must be dealt with when closing down a tarp on the ends- or maybe even if in normal use. IOW, there is a tendency for the bar ends to rub the tarp. Though less problem with bigger tarps. But wider spreader bars would just be that much more of an issue.

BTW, ways to deal with this: Assuming the foot end is the end you need to close off against the wind: no spreader bar on the foot end or smaller spreader bar on the foot end. Or, on either or both ends: a Grip Clip attached to the tarp, cord tied to Grip Clip, cord goes to hiking pole ( or tree/bush), then cord from hiking pole to ground. Doing this I have been able to close down the ends of my JRB tarp and still have plenty of room around the spreader bars for no tarp contact.

Keep us posted on how this works for you shoulder wise! Have you tried a pad yet? If you are going to use a pad in a hammock, this is probably the best hammock for that IMHO! Even if I still prefer a MWUQ for over all comfort, a pad works dang well in this hamock. The pad, like the hammock, will be pretty much flat.

I dug out an old wally world pad that I had spray glued a section of reflectrix on a few years back and stuck that in - it was sweet, with the exception that the ends wanted to curl up since it had been stored that way for at least 3 years,

. I am probably going to use my Nest UQ for this weekend since temps are only going to be down near 50 or so. I'm squat camping at a fish camp, so the truck will be near by and I can haul my BMBH, BB, assorted tarps and anything else I can think of with me.