Hi all, Yesterday my wife's mom and one of her sisters came for a visit for the day so..... I made a brake for it and decided to go up to the hills for while and hang. So I have a few more questions before I acutely take this thing out for a serious backpacking trip. I went camping a week ago and with a light morning rain I decided that the stock tarp that came with my ULBA will absolutely not cut it, but cash flow at the moment dictates that wit will have to for at least a wile. So first question, how do you get a tight pitch with that tarp. Here is a photo to show what I had yesterday and the other times I have hung it as well.
As you can see along the edges it is nice and tight but as you get to the ridge everything goes loose. This made the tarp flap and blow in the breeze quite a bit. I would not think this is normal but I worked a bit to try and get it tighter but just could not get the slack out of the tarp to no success. Should I change to a separate ridge line for the tarp instead of using the prussic clips on the hammock tight outs?
Second question, Those of you that have cut the ridge line for using the hammock as a chair, how well dose that work? This was a big thing that caught my interest in the first place. I have always hated just plopping down on the ground or a hard rock to rest. Being able to sit and relax is very appealing to me, but having that ridge line in the back of my neck or head as I sit is very annoying. I was thinking about cutting it and adding a carabiner but I am a little reluctant to take the plunge just yet. Any tips?
Or experiences?
Third question, Would I be that much better off in a WBBB? I know I have not spent that much time in my HH yet but it just dose not seem that comfortable. I have tried laying in it every different way I can imagine and in almost every position I find one thing or another that after a few minutes grows uncomfortable. Laying on my left side I feel like that side is getting hyper extended a bit and my right side is getting compressed. On my back flat I feel like the rise of the hammock is lifting my right side up and is squeezing my shoulders and legs together. If I bend my right leg and put my knee on the rise it opens the hammock up and is much more comfortable but I know that after a bit I will move and stretch my leg and be back to the squeeze. Laying on my right side with my knees both bent up to open up the hammock is much better but lets me slide down to the lowest point and causes me to end up in a ball(fetal almost), agin stretching back out at some point would just be a fight. If I don't pull up my legs I feel ok but have the wall/ridge of fabric in my face.
So everything I read from all you BB owners say it has more room, is flatter, on and on about all the advantages. So what do I do? I really want to make using a hammock work for me but I can sleep on the ground (sacrilege to say here I know) so far I just have not gotten that uber comfort going in the hammock yet. Once I am in a comfortable position at home I pass out and have usually in the past had the same results on my thermarest but in the hammock I keep feeling tweaks. I have tried every degree of diagonal that I can in it from strait in line with the ridge to almost full perpendicular and everywhere in between. No slack in the lines to lots of slack. What am I doing wrong? OR would I just be that much better with something else. The BB sounds great, but I like to look at and at least see the gear before buying. I got my HH at REI so if it is not going to work I can take it back, but I would like to see if anybody has any good suggestions first.
Thanks For any help.
Paul
Bookmarks