first night in my ridge runner...whoops

**awdxtc** · 08-04-2013, 13:52

last I spend the first night Ridge Runner. I made a pretty bad and costly mistake. I was obsessed with getting the hammock to lay as flat as possible. as a result I have the suspension pulled way to tight making the hammock unstable. I ended up flipping upside down and tearing the bug net. Looks like I will be sending it in for repairs.

**Acer** · 08-04-2013, 14:14

20 degree angle on the suspension and straps is preferred,...sorry to hear you had a bit of trouble.

**awdxtc** · 08-04-2013, 14:40

Hey its all part of the process.

**BillyBob58** · 08-04-2013, 15:05

Originally Posted by Acer

20 degree angle on the suspension and straps is preferred,...sorry to hear you had a bit of trouble.

So 20 and not 25? Acer, do you have a RL on your RR? Last time I was out in my WBRR, it felt really tippy to me and I was wondering if I had it too tight?

Originally Posted by awdxtc

Hey its all part of the process.

It really is. My 1st night ever in a hammock, on the 1st night of a 1 week trip to the Wind Rivers is WY, I did the nearly impossible: I ended up in the net of an HH. It is really hard to tip one of those things. But I thrashed so hard in the dark, trying to get inside my mummy bag on what was heading for a 22F Sept. night, that I flipped it enough that I was at least partially in the net. Really, I think I was more in it than not, because I had a fight to the death to get out as the bottom entry ( and HHSS pad) was pretty much above me. But, amazingly, I did not even know it had happened, and the net held my over 200 lb self. I was sleeping wonderfully until I woke up shivering, down right hypothermic. I fought my way out, cursing hammocks and the person who enthusiastically told me about hammocks, put a pad on the ground, zipped up in my mummy bag and went back to sleep.

**awdxtc** · 08-04-2013, 15:35

Lol, this is not my first hammock or bridge hammock but I know that I had it way to tight. I played around with it in the morning and I think I found out what I was doing wrong, now I just have to call tomorrow and see how long it will take to fix it.

**nyhiker50** · 08-04-2013, 16:32

I don't care what anyone else says. I stopped using a bugnet for this reason. I have a different method and it works. Sometimes it pays to be smart (at least I am) No messing with ropes that are like a rats nest in the near dark. No tying extra lines. No tearing the net at the wrong time.

**awdxtc** · 08-04-2013, 20:07

What is your method?

**Acer** · 08-04-2013, 20:32

I try and hang the RR between 20 to 25 degrees,,probably moreso at 25, but a lot of that depends on the space of the trees as the farther apart, the closer you get to 20 degrees, the closer the trees, the greater the angle.

BB58,,I don't have a RL on my RR's as I have 2,,,one with a bug net,,1 without and both are single layered.

NYHiker50,,,,,I don't see a problem at all with the bugnet as its pretty fool proof. I attach both ends of the bug nets to the ends on the triangles that the dogbone suspension is attached to and it work perfect. I don't see a need to take them all the way to a tree. I leave them attached even when I throw it with the quilt still on it, in my pack, and its not a mess to unload and attached to a tree as I normally stuff it in my pack bottom first and head end last with the straps and everything on top then load in something else in the pack on top..like I say,,works for me.

I have slept in the bug net hammock about 4-5 months straight outside and in the house before getting the single RR without the net, (and will be sleeping outside with a bugnet as skeeters are getting thick again). and use it in the house, but I also have it rigged for using and a piece of bug netting to clip on the head end half and lay over me if I want to carry and pack it as well and that works also easy, as bugnet and clips only weigh about 4.5 oz total. Rig them anyway that suits your needs as the RR is about as versatile bridge hammock for me as can be. Hope this answers a few questions. Happy hanging.

**hairbear** · 08-05-2013, 17:25

Originally Posted by BillyBob58

So 20 and not 25? Acer, do you have a RL on your RR? Last time I was out in my WBRR, it felt really tippy to me and I was wondering if I had it too tight?

It really is. My 1st night ever in a hammock, on the 1st night of a 1 week trip to the Wind Rivers is WY, I did the nearly impossible: I ended up in the net of an HH. It is really hard to tip one of those things. But I thrashed so hard in the dark, trying to get inside my mummy bag on what was heading for a 22F Sept. night, that I flipped it enough that I was at least partially in the net. Really, I think I was more in it than not, because I had a fight to the death to get out as the bottom entry ( and HHSS pad) was pretty much above me. But, amazingly, I did not even know it had happened, and the net held my over 200 lb self. I was sleeping wonderfully until I woke up shivering, down right hypothermic. I fought my way out, cursing hammocks and the person who enthusiastically told me about hammocks, put a pad on the ground, zipped up in my mummy bag and went back to sleep.

Lol,my first hammock was the bottom entry hh.
The images that pop into my head from your story give me a good chuckle.

**used2fly** · 08-05-2013, 17:37

I tried out a WBRR recently and wondered about that exact thing. I never came close to tipping it but did wonder how the bug net would fare with a tip over. I had to send it back after 3 nights when I realized how constricted I felt compared to the WBBB even though I am a stomach/side sleeper.As much as I move around at night ,a tip over would have been inevitable.