Hammock = Nylon coffin....(How to find enough comfort to sleep)

[HikerRanky]

regultr and I are the same height, so he and I talked a bit via PM.

When I first got mine, I felt pretty much the same as he did. Eventually, what I found was to use my extra clothing as a pillow in the hammock to get my face up around the seam of where the bottom material and the bug netting are sewn together. This helped me a lot not feeling like I was in a coffin.

I also have found that if I hang mine just slightly feet up, then it's pretty nice as well.

Another thing might be to put an inflatable pad in between the 2 layers. I tried this early on, but decided it wasn't for me.

Persistence and experimentation is perhaps the best advice I can give at this point.

Randy

[warbonnetguy]

like has been mentioned, i'd recommend that you consider a u-shaped neck pillow or slightly filled stuffsac, this brings me alot more comfort as it keeps my head from falling one way or the other. also consider a sleep aid for a night or 2 so you can get to sleep. it does feel alot different than a bed and sometimes it's hard for folks to get used to right away.

i think you're right though, alot of times you move one part of your body and you'll need to slightly reposition yourself entirely. this is something i do without even thinking about, but takes time to learn. you'll get a feel for where the sweet spot is and changing positions will become more natural i think.

[NorseAmerican]

Try thinking how uncomfortable you were in a tent, and you should go right out

Seriously though, try a wide CCF pad in the pocket. This will widen it slightly and may work for you. I use a 40" custom cut Volara which I ordered the foam on line.

[Shug]

Those who keep suggesting a custom bridge, this idea would likely work, but I'm at my limits with accepting the weight of a hammock as-is and I think a bridge would just be too much. I'm a lightweight backpacker and my normal shelter, a tarp, is 9 ounces...which is why jumping to a 36 oz hammock plus 9 ounce tarp is hard to swallow.

Hey regultr ...... Ya' know ... after reading and re-reading your posts, I wonder if the jumping to a hammock ..... which is a departure from ultra-lightweight ... might be bothering you. I say this because I dealt with that issue. Had my lightweight pack and all including tarp or tarp-tent but was not comfortable in the morning. Not just the sleep ..... but the leaning on my arm to fix breakfast from the sleeping bag and all in the morn. Comfort was not there on the ground although my hiking comfort was awesome as my pack was so light.
Then I tried a hammock mainly for sitting up to cook and put boots on. The sleep comfort sold me but I laid there in the beginning going over in my head that I was starting all over and adding rather than subtracting. In the end ... comfort and convenience won.
In conclusion, I feel that I am lightweight in all my areas ...backpack, sleeping bag/quilt, clothes system, stoves and pots, et al but I can justify all my hammock items, weather and conditions depending, because i spend 1/3rd of my time resting so well. It may take time and you find that the 9 oz tarp and your system suits you better. Either way .... it gets you into the piney woods and that is always the end result of all this stuff.
Endeavor the persevere and enjoy the trip no matter what route you end up taking. Keep 'er light and tight.
Shug

[pineapplenewton]

I definitely agree that it is uch harder to camp out in your yard. I don't think that it is that you are being disturbed its that you know in the back of your mind that you have an option to go back to your bed where you know you can sleep. Also you aren't tired from the long hike you just went on. Also the first night of any expedition i don't sleep well.