Common mistakes?

[Steve D]

I have fallen twice, both times because I never spread the fabric out behind me to recline.

Try doing that AND raking the back of yer head across the structural ridgeline as you flip backwards before you hit the ground...that really hurts! Don't ask...

[Rolloff]

Never heard of continuous ridge lines before. I'm guessing the ridge line is connected to the suspension rather than the hammock.
Confused as to why it would be considered a mistake or error.

Learn something new everyday..

CRL's Continuous Ridge Lines, are tarp suspensions

SRL's Structural Ridge Lines, maintain optimum sag for your hammock, regardless of distance between trees.

Different saddle for a different horse, and often made out of the same materials. However you can use Mason line for a CRL and Tie outs, I would not recommend it for an SRL. Zing-it or Lash-it being more appropriate IMO.

[XTrekker]

CRL's Continuous Ridge Lines, are tarp suspensions

SRL's Structural Ridge Lines, maintain optimum sag for your hammock, regardless of distance between trees.

Different saddle for a different horse, and often made out of the same materials. However you can use Mason line for a CRL and Tie outs, I would not recommend it for an SRL. Zing-it or Lash-it being more appropriate IMO.

Thanks. I knew about the ridge lines for tarps but from the way it was worded originally I thought you were specifically talking about hammock ridge lines for some reason. Currently DIYing my hammock SRLs with Dynaglide and dont use CRL for tarps. Too much cordage to mess with.

[XTrekker]

Not becoming a "Donating Member"!

+1 on that. Huge mistake. Missing out on some good discussions in the donating members section.

[Duffy]

Trying to lay lengthwise in the hammock, like a banana. Lay diagonal to find the sweet spot!

[sandykayak]

Avoid climbing between the layers of a double hammock. Done that. Solved by added some Velcro.

#1 on diagonal sweet spot. I hang South American style: lie diagonally with both hammock ends the same height. Still don't understand recommendation to hang one end 6-12" higher.

[gmcttr]

...Still don't understand recommendation to hang one end 6-12" higher.

One's body mass is generally centered higher than half way between head and feet.

The center of body mass usually ends up centered in the hammock.

Therefore, most people will end up with their feet closer to the end than their head is, providing a less than ideal lay.

Raising the foot end of the hammock helps to keep you centered end to end in the hammock.

[DuctTape]

Thinking that there is only one best way and trying to determine it from reading HF. While I love the info shared here, nothing is better than ones own experience. Read different ideas and try 'em out yourself. The majority might like... or do... but there is a reason some like ... or do ... Find what works for you. the best part is all the experimenting means you get to camp in a hammock!

[Cannibal]

One beautiful night in Virginia, Genuine Draft went to climb into her hammock for the night. Like a good BF, I stood there waiting to tuck her in before going back to the campfire. We were camped on a fairly steep incline...an important detail. With her back facing downslope she reached down and grabbed the edge of her Trek Light. Problem was, it wasn't the Trek Light she grabbed. Turns out, it was the SnugFit she grabbed and stretched out in order to sit. Well, the suspension of the SnugFit didn't much care for her weight and snapped near immediately. This caused her to fall over the hammock, which of course caught her knees on the way by creating additional momentum. What I saw was really just feet go by, followed by a head hitting the bottom edge of the tarp, followed again by feet.

I run outside of the tarp (somehow managing to not fall over laughing) to see the final roll before she got her arms out to the sides and managed to stop the snowball effect. She made it several feet away from the tarp....rolling down the hill. Once I asked her if she was OK, I think it took about an hour to quit giggling. Only saving grace is the fact that I'm the only one that saw it.

Careful what you're sitting upon.

[snare]

I was on a wilderness trip once with one of my DIY gathered end hammocks, well, the gathered end had worked it's way out of the whipping somehow and i could not lay right on the hammock at all. In fact had to hold my self in the hammock to stay in at all.

I WISH I had checked the gathered ends more carefully...ended up going to the ground that night.