A case for narrow hammocks

[MacEntyre]

I have made and used both. My preference is seasonal.
In summer, I prefer a short, narrow hammock.
In winter, I prefer a long, wide hammock with a sock.

A rule of thumb:

If you have a narrow hammock, and the sag angle doesn't feel quite right, try lengthening the ridgeline, or if no RL then tighten the suspension.

If you have a wide hammock, and the sag angle doesn't feel quite right, try shortening the ridgeline, or if no RL then loosen the suspension.

[treebinky]

Love this information. Been looking for reasons for "Sag", reasons for "Width", and reasons for "Length" in the hammock. I think that by reading articles here on Hammock Forums and watching the informative videos posted I have the information I've been looking for. I have a 10 1/2 foot hammock being made for me by Sheltowee Hammocks and hope that my 6'1" person will be comfy in it. I'm confident I will be having read people's comments. The next part of the task is to find my perfect ridgeline length to maintain the right sag for me.

[MacEntyre]

I have a 10 1/2 foot hammock being made for me ...

What width did you decide to go with?

[treebinky]

What width did you decide to go with?

The hammock comes with the hammock bed sized at 126" x 59"and the full length insulation sized at 84" x 48". As far as I can tell, this company is just trying to get off the ground and doesn't have a full capacity operation, yet. It's my pleasure to give business to an industrious minded individual. I like the system that I see. This is the link to the description of the hammock
http://www.sheltoweehammockcompany.c...one-20-hammock
And there are some videos
Don't know if this link will work the way I hope it will but it is a review of the hammock
http://www.sheltoweehammockcompany.com/reviews/

The same video is on YouTube if you look up: "Sheltowee Hammock Review: Backyard Sessions"

There are more at Sheltowee's site, you'll see them under the LEARN option.

As far as I can tell the biggest problem I'll have is lugging around a few extra ounces of ripstop and feathers and losing the space they occupy in my pack. I don't think that is a big enough issue for me. My big issue now is what top quilt to go with.

Sorry for the long winded answer.

[joe_guilbeau]

I fold my 132"x90" in half to get a 45" wide for 'da summertime...
https://youtu.be/xSlFkAi9OH0

Skinny Mode Hammock.jpg

[BillyBob58]

The hammock comes with the hammock bed sized at 126" x 59"and the full length insulation sized at 84" x 48". As far as I can tell, this company is just trying to get off the ground and doesn't have a full capacity operation, yet. It's my pleasure to give business to an industrious minded individual. I like the system that I see. This is the link to the description of the hammock
http://www.sheltoweehammockcompany.c...one-20-hammock
And there are some videos
Don't know if this link will work the way I hope it will but it is a review of the hammock
http://www.sheltoweehammockcompany.com/reviews/

The same video is on YouTube if you look up: "Sheltowee Hammock Review: Backyard Sessions"

There are more at Sheltowee's site, you'll see them under the LEARN option.

As far as I can tell the biggest problem I'll have is lugging around a few extra ounces of ripstop and feathers and losing the space they occupy in my pack. I don't think that is a big enough issue for me. My big issue now is what top quilt to go with.

Sorry for the long winded answer.

You call that long winded? It seems you have read few of my posts. Probably because you don't have all day!

Anyway, I just read through this old thread. I may be the(or one of) narrow hammock king around here, as I one of my most fav hammocks for many years has been the Claytor No Net, as I wrote about earlier in this thread. I really don't think I have been any more comfy in any other non-bridge hammock(with the possible, maybe exception of a huge Safari No Net), and I have been less comfortable in many larger hammocks. This hammock is 10 ft by a whopping 48"! Now, that is pretty dang narrow.

Lately, I have found another close competitor for this hammock, the TTTG Switchback lightHiker, another narrow and not very long hammock. (but not quite as narrow as the Claytor.) I have found this to be another very comfortable hammock. Nothing wide or long about it at 112"L x 52"W. Making it 4" wider than the Claytor, but still pretty narrow. But like the Claytor, I like it a lot!

[MAD777]

I have a TTTG Switchback Lighthiker also and it's an awesome hammock. I love the radical net design too. It likes to be strung a bit tighter then the usual 30° angle. It loses comfort quickly with a lot of sag. More evidence for the theory of narrow hammock = longer ridgeline.

[treebinky]

Good to know about the narrow hammock. Thanks. Just for my own curiosity, how tall are you guys? I'm reading that the taller people like the longer hammocks for comfort. If you are tall then that could explain the need for a tighter, less sag hang. Does that make sense? In my mind that makes for a flatter lay, but you're cocooned in that hammock, I'm guessing.

[miyanc]

I did not go thru this whole thread. But from the first video I can tell the theory is terribly flawed. This is why science requires further proof to substantiate results. Of course if your butt stays in the same spot and you only move your feet, you will find this observation to be true. The constant being where your butt is. Thinking only of physics, unless in a bridge hammock, you are always going to be in a bowl. In this case a loose fitting bowl. Because this bowl is affixed by 2 points you will always have the bell curve from center to edge. You will also always have about the same point of high and low from center to edge regardless of the material length because the fixed points have not changed.

The wider hammock allow you to offset the fixed points resulting in a flatter approach. This is something you are unable to do in a narrow hammock because it would result in hanging your feet off, or head. This is why you require the added material for the tq. Now I am not saying there are not diminished results. I am also not saying that anything someone finds to be comfortable is wrong. I don't care if you are using a 8" wide hammock if you like it. I am just saying that butt position, head end lower, wider hammock, longer hammock, rl length (I am sure other variables) all provide more options for finding a flatter angle. I have made hundreds of hammocks and in doing so tested many. I am not even saying all this provides any proof I am correct. I just think the original theory is flawed for these reasons. Because individual comfort, material used, height, weight, body dimensions like distance from butt to heal or butt to head, all this doesn't mean narrow gets it done. I know mad777 is just pointing out his observations and I am sure many agree, but I wonder how many of those who find a narrow hammock comfortable, haven't utilized all variables.

Like I said I have made many for many people. As long as you are using them I don't care, the more the better. Hammocks make the woods a better place. or your home or wherever you hang one. I just feel if your going to try and show a theory about narrow or wide, you need more variables and observations to solidify the theory.

I apologize if some of this was covered. I also don't understand why it would matter summer or winter. I also would think folding a hammock, adding the additional layer would make it hotter. I personally would think the opposite for summer and winter. If you add a pea pod to the mix you would be narrower in the winter and in this case not need the extra material.

[treebinky]

I did not go thru this whole thread. But from the first video I can tell the theory is terribly flawed. This is why science requires further proof to substantiate results. Of course if your butt stays in the same spot and you only move your feet, you will find this observation to be true. The constant being where your butt is. Thinking only of physics, unless in a bridge hammock, you are always going to be in a bowl. In this case a loose fitting bowl. Because this bowl is affixed by 2 points you will always have the bell curve from center to edge. You will also always have about the same point of high and low from center to edge regardless of the material length because the fixed points have not changed.

The wider hammock allow you to offset the fixed points resulting in a flatter approach. This is something you are unable to do in a narrow hammock because it would result in hanging your feet off, or head. This is why you require the added material for the tq. Now I am not saying there are not diminished results. I am also not saying that anything someone finds to be comfortable is wrong. I don't care if you are using a 8" wide hammock if you like it. I am just saying that butt position, head end lower, wider hammock, longer hammock, rl length (I am sure other variables) all provide more options for finding a flatter angle. I have made hundreds of hammocks and in doing so tested many. I am not even saying all this provides any proof I am correct. I just think the original theory is flawed for these reasons. Because individual comfort, material used, height, weight, body dimensions like distance from butt to heal or butt to head, all this doesn't mean narrow gets it done. I know mad777 is just pointing out his observations and I am sure many agree, but I wonder how many of those who find a narrow hammock comfortable, haven't utilized all variables.

Like I said I have made many for many people. As long as you are using them I don't care, the more the better. Hammocks make the woods a better place. or your home or wherever you hang one. I just feel if your going to try and show a theory about narrow or wide, you need more variables and observations to solidify the theory.

I apologize if some of this was covered. I also don't understand why it would matter summer or winter. I also would think folding a hammock, adding the additional layer would make it hotter. I personally would think the opposite for summer and winter. If you add a pea pod to the mix you would be narrower in the winter and in this case not need the extra material.

Thanks for that info. I was curious about the manner that people use the narrower hammock and I have no concerns about their preference in this regard. Like you, I agree that each person should find the system that works for them. If they're comfortable laying on a plank of wood, go for it.

My query, was more to the kind of lay and the set up that requires for their personal comfort on the narrower hammock, but that may be a bit personal, I don't know. I'm new to the forum and have owned only one hammock. I hope I didn't step on any toes.

While it seemed to me a valid question regarding the tight quarters that the narrow hammock would provide, that may be counterintuitive. I mean while the wider hammock, not a bridge, cocoons around the sleeper maybe the narrower hammock does not, but in my mind I was thinking that it might be tighter, especially if the hang is tighter. Am I on the right track?

I was also wondering if a narrow hammock user prefers the flatter lay that maybe it required a tighter hang, but as you point out it would depend on if sleeper stays within the confines of the hammock, is legs in or out. Butt position needs to be constant? Is that a narrow hammock thing or hammocks in general?

It's interesting that you mentioned about the TQ, my thoughts hadn't gone that far.

Again, this is not me trying to point out things, it's more my style of finding information. I'll try to be more direct about what my aims are when I write.

In general, I like this kind of detail. When I talk to people about their personal experience, it's to help others who I might talk to about what they might want in a hammock. I like to help people, but sometimes my eye to detail confuses more than helps.

Thanks again for the analysis, but some of it is over my head.