Whoopie Slings and Ridgeline Frustrations

[SunshineHiker]

So I just feel like I'm not doing something right...

I've got my tree huggers, whoopie slings and adjustable ridgeline, all DIY, but for some reason things don't look or feel right.

When I set up my 7.5' MYOG hammock without a ridgeline, I feel like it works much better than with. I don't feel like my suspension is under a great strain or that my fabric is groaning under my weight. But then for some reason it doesn't fit under my WL Tadpole Tarp, which makes no sense because it's an 11' ridgeline and the fabric I made my fabric out of was 8' total, so after hem and channels sewn in, there's just no physical way it shouldn't fit even under a hex tarp! The same thing keeps happening with my husband's 9.5' hammock.

So I put the stupid ridgeline back on and all the other issues come back, my ridgeline, tree huggers and hammock fabric all just seem to be under a massive strain so much so that when I sit down the whoopie comes off the knot every time and my tree huggers slide down the tree an inch. On top of all that, the ridgeline is a tight as a drum and can be played like a guitar string and it's in my way! I can't get in or out of my hammock without treeing myself and I lost all ability to sit in it like a chair. Also I HATE having the kind of curve in my hammock that is present when I use the ridgeline which is set to 100". I just feel like I can't lay flat enough and side sleeping is near impossible.

The other big issue I'm having is that no matter what I do, my tarp ridgeline and my hammock suspension are always touching and bumping each other. Maybe it's all in my head but I thought this was bad. Anyway no matter how I hang it all up either my ropes aren't touching or I'm comfy, I don't seem to be able to do both.

What on God's green earth am I doing wrong!?!? I'm about to go screaming into the night, which will be sure to get my neighbors talking even more about the crazy lady that keeps hanging weird things in her trees.

[rip waverly]

i'll let others guide.. but i wanted to express similar experiences.

the ridgeline, for me, puts undo stress on things and i wind up with a
ridge of fabric under my legs. doesn't change , no matter if the ridgeline is
string tight, 'perfect', or loose. foot end higher -- check.

i've done it all, for 2 years now and many hangs in the woods... & to date, my
most comfortable sleep is achieved in a ridgeline-less hammock - which is
usually my GTUL. i did find the lack of ridgeline to cause the hammock to stretch out longer- poking its head/foot ends mighty close to the ends of the tarp.

this morning, i setup my tarp in 'ground mode' with trekking poles -- just to
know. blasphemous.

i hope you can figure some stuff out! - keep at it

[Bubba]

For a hammock that is 7.5 feet long your ridgeline should be in the vicinity of 74.7 inches not 100 if you go by the common .83 factor many use as a starting point

Try laying in the hammock with a sag that is comfortable and then have some one measure the distance from end to end. Then make an adjustable ridgeline that can go higher and lower than that measurement. Try different ridgeline lengths until you find your comfort zone.

[old4hats]

By the formula the ridge line would be about 75''. You mentioned a 100''.
To pull the ridge line tight at this length it seems the straps on the tree would be pretty low and the angle less than 30*. Pictures would tell a lot.

[SunshineHiker]

For a hammock that is 7.5 feet long your ridgeline should be in the vicinity of 74 inches not 100 if you go by the common .83 factor many use as a starting point. Try laying in the hammock with a sag that is comfortable and then have some one measure the distance from end to end. Then make an adjustable ridgeline that can go higher and lower than that measurement. Try different ridgeline lengths until you find your comfort zone.

I made it adjustable from 100" to 72" And I have found that I am most comfortable when it's just hanging without one no matter what length the ridgeline is. Besides I'm still confused how a 7.5 ft hammock can have a 8ft 4in ridgeline and even have a sag. This defies physics.

By the formula the ridge line would be about 75''. You mentioned a 100''.
To pull the ridge line tight at this length it seems the straps on the tree would be pretty low and the angle less than 30*. Pictures would tell a lot.

I don't have any pictures showing it right now but I'll post asap. And yes you're right, but I can't seem to get my tree huggers up high enough the "seat" of the hammock low enough and my tarp low enough without my suspension lines banging against one another and causing all sorts of other issues.

And my biggest issue is that no matter what length the ridgeline is at, I get a bucket seat in the middle of the hammock that leaves me stuck like a fat man with his butt in the center of an inner tube and I can't get out! But once again it's 7.5 ft hammock when it's not gathered and sagging, how in the name of Physics does it not fit under my tarp without a ridgeline?

[mattyg]

Can't really speak to most of your issues without pictures, but my tarp and hammock suspension touch all the time, other than hearing them bump through the hammock every now and then. No real issue with it touching.

[Bubba]

Besides I'm still confused how a 7.5 ft hammock can have a 8ft 4in ridgeline and even have a sag. This defies physics.

It's not supposed to. The ridgeline is supposed to be 6 foot 2 inches give or take inches depending on personal preference.

Some people need a lot of sag for comfort. Try making an adjustable ridgleine that goes as short as 65 inches.

[gmcttr]

...But then for some reason it doesn't fit under my WL Tadpole Tarp, which makes no sense because it's an 11' ridgeline and the fabric I made my fabric out of was 8' total, so after hem and channels sewn in, there's just no physical way it shouldn't fit even under a hex tarp!...

That's correct, which leads to the conclusion that you are mistaken about the measurements. Time to get a tape measure out.

As others have stated, get some photos posted so we can see whats going on and possibly help.

[titanium_hiker]

is tat your hammock in the profile pic? I wonder if you try laying on more of a diagonal.

for the fat-man-in-an-inner-tube syndrome, I shift so my feet drop out of the hammock, then roll/twist out so I'm leaning forward when I land instead of pushing off the ground with my feet (swinging the hammock back.) like I would if getting up from a chair.

ditto it's time to do some measuring.

TH

[SunshineHiker]

Ok, got out my tape measurer and along the hem the fabric is 8ft long but down the middle from the beginning of the gather to the end of the gather 7.75ft long. So it's a little longer than I thought but not by much. It fits under the tarp so that looking at it at perpendicular to the hang I can't see any blue shoing through, but there is so little coverage a breath of wind would get the end of my hammock soaked. I think the best solution might be to set up my hammock however it makes me comfortable and add some DIY Grizz Beaks.

I was hoping that when I got my cuben tarp, that I could let my husband have this one. He's not an ounce counter like me so It'd be great for him, except that without a ridgeline his hammock sticks out the ends of the tarp. He's not opposed and thinks he's going to like a ridgeline so that solves that for the most part. That means the only issue I think we have is my hammock suspension and tarp ridgeline touching. Now mattyg said his did and it caused no issues. Does anyone else have a different opinion or is that the general consensus?

As for the bucket seat issue, I can't even get my feet to touch the ground and my knees are touching my chin and I still lose my chair option. I'm really just happier without the ridgeline altogether and I don't use it for storage really. I had one little camera pocket hanging off it but I can sew that the the hem of my hammock and/or add a peak bag instead.