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  1. #1
    cougarmeat's Avatar
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    How does that hand test for tension go?

    I've seen videos when the structural ridgeline (HH or WBBB) is grabbed flat and then the hand is turned 90 degrees or so. The "word" is, shouldn't be tight like a guitar string, shouldn't be weak like (can't think of anything without being politically incorrect).

    But is that with the hammock empty or while you are in it. Because I had a WBBB with the near 30 degree suspension ideal and a friend in it and I couldn't begin to torque that ridge line. Same when I was in my HH Survivor.

    So I think I'm missing something about that "how tight is tight" test?

    If the trees are far apart - like 17 ft or so, dropping the angle only seems to lower the hammock to the ground. it doesn't bring the ends in any closer, which would be what's needed to put slack in the ridge line.

    it just seems like if I put 200 lbs. of body in a hammock, that 200 lbs is "loading" the hammock and putting tension on the ridge line. Torquing the ridge line means bringing the ends closer together and there is 200 lbs of body in the hammock keeping those ends apart. It seems like bending the ridge line would lift the hammock a bit, just like tightening the suspension. So the amount of effort to torque the line is influenced greatly by the load in the hammock - or is that just a load of something else?

    How critical is it?

    Thank you,
    Paul
    Last edited by cougarmeat; 07-08-2013 at 00:55.

  2. #2
    Senior Member
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    while you are in it

  3. #3
    Senior Member Thom's Avatar
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    When you get in the hammock, the ridgeline will be tightened.
    When you get in the hammock, your weight will pull down on the suspension, and in turn the suspension will pull on the ridgeline.

  4. #4
    SilvrSurfr's Avatar
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    I personally never understood the advice and still don't fully understand it. If the hammock ridgeline is slack, then what exactly is the ridgeline doing?

    I think the advice means that if your ridgeline is too slack, then you're probably not at the 30 degree angle you should be. Same goes for the ridgeline being too tight - you're probably not at the right 30* angle.

    The ridgeline suspension should be just right if you're at the proper angle - not too tight and not too slack.

    Goldilocks and the Three Bears went through all this years ago.


  5. #5
    Senior Member Bubba's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SilvrSurfr View Post
    ...
    I think the advice means that if your ridgeline is too slack, then you're probably not at the 30 degree angle you should be. Same goes for the ridgeline being too tight - you're probably not at the right 30* angle.

    The ridgeline suspension should be just right if you're at the proper angle - not too tight and not too slack.
    This is what I think as well.
    Don't let life get in the way of living.

  6. #6
    cougarmeat's Avatar
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    Okay, I think i see the problem. On the Just Jeff page he talks about lengthening or shortening the "Ridge Line" to get a different sag - I see that. But in my hammocks (HH and WB) the ridge line is already a fixed length.

    I'll play with this tomorrow but I'm only 5'6" so I can't get that suspension up the tree very high. that means adjustments to lower the angle pretty much end up with the hammock on the ground.

    I'll bring my 30 degree triangle to the park and put the suspension as close to that as I can. Then I'll climb in and see if I can torque that ridge line.

  7. #7
    Senior Member DemostiX's Avatar
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    Hennessy holds a patent on structural ridge lines (SRL) of particular descriptions. Fixed or non-adjustable ridge lines do not infringe on that patent.

    You are now enabled to read between the lines.

    WRT OP's question. If the SRL is strong enough, you should be able to suspend a hammock from a fairly flat suspension, as you might want to do between two far-apart points. But the SRL provided is not that strong, and may snap. So don't try that, or for that matter use a super-tight SRL. Which is consistent with the advice you puzzled over.
    Last edited by DemostiX; 07-08-2013 at 17:11.

  8. #8
    Senior Member swankfly's Avatar
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    I can usually just hear it in her voice. If that is the case, I never want to be touching distance close.

    swank

  9. #9
    cougarmeat's Avatar
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    Swankfly,
    Your post sounds more interesting than mine? What were you referring to?

  10. #10
    Senior Member swankfly's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by [email protected] View Post
    Swankfly,
    Your post sounds more interesting than mine? What were you referring to?
    yours...

    "How does that hand test for tension go?"

    swank

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