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  1. #1
    Senior Member Silverpalm2x's Avatar
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    Cool 1st night in Blackbird, not as awesome as i expected it to be

    Saturday night was my first night in my Blackbird and my wife's first night in her Ridgerunner. We were in a state park and camper next door was watching a movie. The neighboring site had speakers on OUTSIDE the camper so we heard most of the movie until I went at midnight and asked them if they knew they were on. They apologized a hundred times the next day.

    She slept wonderfully but I struggled to get comfortable. I am used to a ENO Singlenest. I felt like the shelf was on me and I could not get my legs comfortably in the foot box. I did feel some of the calf ridge that I have read about. I can not tell if it was also the first night in a new place hard to sleep thing

    Does anyone have any tips for making sure my Blackbird purchase was a good one?

    I need help setting it up and being comfortable in it. thanks
    "Lets drive up to the Hills and get lost somewhere..." Chinatown by Folk Soul Revival
    Life is a Thru Hike... Hike Well. ΙΧΘΥΣ

  2. #2
    Senior Member dangerous's Avatar
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    Best thing to do is try different suspension angles (try for 30 degrees), heights, lengths but most of all take your time and test out your hang before you call it good. You'll thank yourself later on at night when everything is comfortable.
    -Jon-

  3. #3
    Senior Member Bubba's Avatar
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    Set the foot end higher than the head end. How much depends on you so experiment a little. Try 6 inches at first and then go higher of lower. Get that shelf well staked out. That wall of material is there on any gathered end hammock but it you have a fair amount of gear on the shelf and if it is not staked out, the gear hang down and intrude on you.
    Don't let life get in the way of living.

  4. #4
    gunner76's Avatar
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    Hang foot end a few inches higher than head end.

    Make sure hammock is staked out ( I rarely stake mine out these days unless I am going to throw a lot of crap in the shelf )

    Also adjust how tight you have it between the trees. You should be able to bend the ridge line to about a 90 degree when you are in the hammock.
    I am still 18 but with 52 years of experience !

  5. #5
    Senior Member BillyBob58's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Silverpalm2x View Post
    ....................................
    She slept wonderfully but I struggled to get comfortable. I am used to a ENO Singlenest. I felt like the shelf was on me and I could not get my legs comfortably in the foot box. I did feel some of the calf ridge that I have read about. I can not tell if it was also the first night in a new place hard to sleep thing

    Does anyone have any tips for making sure my Blackbird purchase was a good one?

    I need help setting it up and being comfortable in it. thanks
    Not quite understanding about the " felt like the shelf was on me". That's one problem I never had in a BB. The shelf on mine is on the right of the hammock, and my head and shoulders are always on the far left of the hammock, with my feet on the right side in or near the foot box area. So the shelf is kind of far away from me, on the opposite side of the hammock from my upper body. Can you give any more details on that?

    As for the leg ridge, it kind of goes with the territory for a fair number of folks. Like others have said, hang the foot way high, plus have your head/shoulder near the zipper(which is also far from the shelf) and you are probably going to put a pillow or sack full of clothing under your knees. This is usually a good idea anyway.

    Or, of course, just get a bridge hammock.

  6. #6
    Senior Member
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    Agree to the above. Some find that a small pillow or article of clothing under the knees adds to the comfort.
    jason

  7. #7
    Senior Member Beast 71's Avatar
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    Try to leave a little slack in the ridge line.
    "In your face space coyote"-HJS

  8. #8
    TallPaul's Avatar
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    Re: 1st night in Blackbird, not as awesome as i expected it to be

    Not much to add. Try some different trees.
    Is your head left and feet right, with the shelf on the right?
    Let me know if you want to get together sometime.

  9. #9
    Senior Member Duffy's Avatar
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    How far left was your shoulder? Mine is on(or above) the zipper to find the sweet spot for me.
    Something hidden. Go and find it. Go, and look behind the Ranges. Something lost behind the Ranges. Lost and waiting for you . . . Go! - Rudyard Kipling

  10. #10
    Senior Member
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    The first night in the woods, be it in my WBRR, or WBBB, or my WL Snipe, is always a little long. I think its partly psychological and partly physical. Its my body and my mind adjusting from an old environment (my house) to a new one (the woods). And I expect it, so it isn't an unpleasant surprise.

    One thing, on the psychological front, when I'm not tired and I'm laying in my hammock in the middle of the night, is I don't try to force myself to sleep. It won't work; if I can't sleep, I can't sleep, period. Instead, I take my book out and read it till I get tired...then I crash like almost instantly. Problem solved.

    On the physical front, I think the first night in a new hammock is like the first day of working out.....it's probably going to be uncomfortable at first. Its to be expected, the body needs a little time to adjust to different angles and sleeping positions, etc. Give it time and try different things, suggestions form people on here.

    And remember the HF mantra..."A bad night in a hammock is still better than a good night in the tent" Or something like that

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