Whoopie Slings and Ridgeline Frustrations

[gmcttr]

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...

...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.

Since the hammock is 8' long and will be shorter than that when hung and the tarp is 11', you have over 12" of tarp overhanging both ends of your hammock. This is more than adequate. The tarp should be set up as low as possible to the hammock when you expect rain. If you set it up this way and study the angles that a rain would have to travel to hit the hammock, you might be surprised how good of coverage you have. I'm thinking this perceived problem is just an optical illusion. I've used a 10'-6" hammock under a 10' tarp with no problems.

8' is a very short hammock and a ridgeline will be very low and in the way when sitting. If it doesn't suit you, just don't use one. Their only purpose is to set a given sag to aid in setup and to hold a bugnet up in some cases.

The tarp and hammock suspensions touching is acceptable. There are a couple of ways to set it up where they don't if you want to try them. To me, it's more trouble than it's worth.

Happy hanging...I hope you get it all worked out soon.

[DivaB]

...or maybe a hammock ridgeline just isn't for you. We have several hangers that are more comfortable without it and that is how they hang. It'll be interesting to see how you feel about the other hammock coming and if you like the ridgeline or don't like it on that one.

[nacra533]

HYOH

if it's more comfortable without a ridge line, go that way.

The reason for a structural ridgeline is to speed set up and have a consistent setup. I use a ridgeline for my main hiking hammock, but don't use one for my Eno DN nor my 11' poly ripstop. I find with a ridgeline, my UQ seems to fit more consistently because the hammock is more consistent. For the others, I just eyeball it and relax.

For a shorter hammock, I think a ridgeline is less important because you are filling the majority of the hammock length with your body. On longer hammocks, a little change in sag can mean a bigger difference in how it lays.

[titanium_hiker]

As to tarp/hammock stuff touching- have you seen this sticky? (Illustration by dejoha)
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=16650

Also, you could try selling one tarp and getting another if it isn't working for you. Lay comes first, then coverage. (don't get one too big for your needs or you'll be struggling to fit it between trees!)

TH

[SunshineHiker]

As to tarp/hammock stuff touching- have you seen this sticky? (Illustration by dejoha)
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=16650

Also, you could try selling one tarp and getting another if it isn't working for you. Lay comes first, then coverage. (don't get one too big for your needs or you'll be struggling to fit it between trees!)

TH

I had seen that and I've got the book that it came from too, so maybe that's where I got the idea that it was bad... I've been trying out a continuous ridgeline and it's just a tad too short to do this, but I'm not seeing any benefit of the continuous line vs a non continuous so maybe I'll just go back to the old method.

[titanium_hiker]

Did you see this one as well?
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...highlight=tarp

Of course, any system needs to work for you- don't worry about 'the best way' if it doesn't work for you.

TH

[Bubba]

Sounds like you're getting it worked out.

[djminnesota]

...or maybe a hammock ridgeline just isn't for you. We have several hangers that are more comfortable without it and that is how they hang. It'll be interesting to see how you feel about the other hammock coming and if you like the ridgeline or don't like it on that one.

I vote this for best answer... hyoh, everyones different. If its not working out, dont do it

[Tendertoe]

I have definitely had just as comfy of a sleep in hammocks without ridgelines as in hammocks with ridgelines. I strung them more taut and it ended up being more comfy sleeping right down the center as compared to the idea of having more sag and laying on the diagonal. Try some different height attachment points for your hammock suspension on the trees. Try different tautness of your hammock suspension. Experiment, it's half the fun

What has worked for me to prevent the tarp ridgeline and hammock suspension from interfering with each other is hanging my tarp attachment points higher on the tree than my hammock suspension attachment points and using the corner tieouts to make the tarp tighten up. Here's a video illustrating it.

As far as not fitting under the tarp, a set of doors or beaks may ease your mind with blowing precipitation.