WBBB Calf Ridge

[SHOTGUNWILLIE225]

I've had my 1.7 DL for well over two years now and have NEVER had this problem. I'm an experienced hanger and have tried all the known remedies (at least the ones I have read here) for calf ridge pressure. I recently hung my hammock from two eye bolts in my room and am sleeping full time in it. First few nights, no problems. Literally haven't changed anything and for the past few nights I've had major calf ridge. WTH? Why Warbonnet?

[Trailrider74]

Is the length and height between the anchor points similar to when you hang outdoors? If not, maybe this could be why you are experiencing calf pressure.

Just the other night I experienced something similar. Then I noticed my hammock was inside out. Lol...

[hutzelbein]

Funny, I have been having exactly this problem, too. I sleep great with my Blackbird strung up between two trees (or posts) and rarely have a calf ridge. However, the behavior of the hammock seems to change when I hang it from eye pads. I have been using eye pads in different heights and distances, but the problem remains: the hammock feels different, to the worse. Up to now I have never read about somebody else reporting similar problems, though.

I don't know what it is with eye pads, and why using them seems to change hammock behavior. Recently I thought I must have been imagining things - but maybe not, if somebody else has the same problem...

Unfortunately I haven't found a solution to this problem, other than using another hammock (although I like the lay of the Blackbird best, under normal circumstances, and all hammocks seem to lose some comfort when hung from eye pads) or maybe using posts inside the house...

[Trailrider74]

I wonder if it's to do with the position of the eye pads? Could you maybe run some webbing and a marlin spike or carabiner off the eye pad to replicate your normal set up?

[MrClean417]

30 degrees on that suspension where-ever you hang. That's always fixed that for me. Perhaps you've sagged a bit?

[OneClick]

It's weird how it comes and goes. Never really figured out what causes it for sure. On my last trip, I did something wrong when setting up; it was so bad my left leg fell asleep several times.

I think I need to start selecting trees further apart. For some reason I always choose them about 14' apart but I think a little more helps.

[Ratdog]

It's called finding the sweet spot and the position/location of your butt matters.

When you first sit in the hammock and lie back, the lowest part of the hammock is under your derriere. Slide your head to one side, feet to the other, then lift your posterior up off the hammock and reposition it.

You should be able to either lessen, remove or even generate a calf ridge depending on position.

Try sliding your torso to either side, pulling fabric out and over to the head side.

Nothing will help if the basic geometry of the suspension is poorly set.

So of course, 30%, foot end higher than the head (and you can play with how much, inches to better than a foot) and ridge line length.

With some 300-400 nights between the trees, I have yet to encounter a calf ridge that couldn't be geometricized into submission.

Best of luck and happy hanging.

[BillyBob58]

It's weird how it comes and goes. Never really figured out what causes it for sure. On my last trip, I did something wrong when setting up; it was so bad my left leg fell asleep several times.

I think I need to start selecting trees further apart. For some reason I always choose them about 14' apart but I think a little more helps.

Exactly, it is weird how it comes and goes. When I have been posting here about the advantage of bridge hammocks in battling this particular problem, I have said that I have some non-bridge hammocks where calf pressure is either minimal or rare or even SOMETIMES non-existent. But it is possible for me to get it in any of them on any given night. So what I have said is the unequivocal advantage of the bridge is CONSISTENCY. Both in lack of this problem and nearly as consistent in ease of insulating.

It matters not if I have the exact correct tension on one of these JRB (or most likely any other bridge) hammocks, or how I get in and my exact position, I have never had leg comfort issues. Now, with the best of my non-bridge, I may rarely have the problem, and if I do can usually adjust something or squirm around to find the "sweet spot" until it is gone. Still, sometimes I get it, and sometimes I just can't seem to get rid of it. There is a lack of consistency. And then there are the hammocks where I almost always have the problem, but occasionally I nail it and don't have it. A def lack of consistency!

Probably that is because with any given brand hammock, I don't know what the secret is. So whatever it is I do to be just right, I can't necessarily repeat it the next time I get in the hammock.

Two of my hammocks which have the least trouble in this area, Speer 8.5 and 10 ft Claytor No Net, don't even have SRLs. Maybe if, when things are perfect, I would put a RL on them, then I would NEVER have the problem with them. But then again, it may have nothing to do with the hammock length or RL length or foot end height, it may have to do with how I am positioned in the hammock, which varies slightly every time I get in or out or even move once in. Who knows!

Still, there are distinct differences among various non-bridge hammocks in the likelihood of having to deal with this. Tied for 2nd best(among my hammocks) are the short Speer and only 10 ft long Claytor, 1st place is the super long HH Safari ( which is better, short hammock, medium or longest?) For the most part, there is np ridge pressure problems with these hammocks, though it can happen. (might get knee hyper-extension, especially with the Speer, but that is a dif problem). But I will never get any leg or side twist issues with a bridge, but might have other issues. Pick your poison or your preference I guess!

[DRobertson]

Maybe the updated bb fixed this...