Experimenting with Suspension of RR Bridge

Received a RR that I purchased off a member of the forum. Its a single layer with bugnet. First impressions was of how it was really made super nice. Liked the way the bugnet rolled up and was stored neatly at the foot end of the hammock. Liked the pockets at the head and foot ends as I used it at the head immediately every nite so far, to store the channel remote and bottle of water before falling asleep. :boggle:

Being so used to sleeping in a BMBH UL that last 5-6 months, I found it too flat for my lay, and too wide, but have to give Brandon Kudos on adding the 4" extension on the head spreader bar as when I took it out, the lay was perfect for me. I like to have my back against the hammock sides when side sleeping. Maybe is a feeling of security thingy, and then again, maybe its cause since I have been sleeping in a JacksRBetter BMBH UL, that I had gotten so used to it but works perfect without the additional 4 inches. I am thinking also it helps to add a dash of depth as I only weigh 166-70lbs and 6'.

Any of you on the forum knows I am always looking to change and modify things to benifit my style. And having 2- 12' long cuben tarps from HG, for me and the wife to use, I decided to see if I could modify the suspension to get the doors of the tarp more closed in inclimate weather.

After reading all the back postings on different members building bridge hammocks, and watching all of Professor Hammock's videos on bridge hammocks, and re-reading his postings..decided would see what would happen if you shortened the suspension on both ends of the hammock.

All tests were done without the 4" extension on the head spreader bar.
1st test was making the foot end triangle amsteel 29" long. In measuring the spreader bar at the foot end at 28.5 inches long if you take 83% (I also saw where Prof. Hammock uses a 80% measurement) of that you would come out with a figure of 23.66 inchs for the triangles to be..so I made them 29" long to begin with. At the head, with the 4" extension out, head spreader bar is 39.5" long and 83% of that is 32.79" long for the head triangle. I made that amsteel triangle pieces 37". Got in the hammock and could tell no additional stress especially on the header bar at all. Decided to sleep in RR Wed nite and slept all nite waking a couple of times and once my wife woke me with a bathroom break,,just telling me to straighten up as Hammock was leaning as I was sleeping on my side,,as much as 45 degree angle. She couldn't figure what kept my butt from falling out. :lol:
Stock measurement from front of buckle to front of buckel on suspension from WB is approx, 13' 3". With this setup, suspension length from buckle to buckle was 11' 3" and fit under my cuben tarp with 1" on each end of hammock under tarp,,but unstable cause of the fact laying on side sleeping the hammock would end up at a angle of about 45 degrees and not horizontal.

Test 2
Foot end suspension was left same length as Test 1--29" long for each of the 2 pieces of looped ended amsteel sides of triangle. The head end pieces I reattached the stock 2 pieces of amsteel that came with the hammock 42.5" long each. Slept in the hammock a nite,,woke up a couple of times with my back touching the sides side sleeping and found the hammock tilted at about 30 degrees. No stress on spreader bars at all,,probably do to the fact I am a light weight. But,,no matter layed short of dead center, hammock would tilt about 30 degrees and never flip over. Length of suspension from end of buckle to end of buckle for this test 2 was 142" total but that doesn't matter as hammock is still fairly unstable do to leaning when sleeping on side.

Test 3.
Head of hammock was left like test 2,,Stock WB suspension left on which is 42.5" long. On the foot end, the suspension amsteel triangles where lengthened to 37" long.(Stock length on these were 42.5" long). Same lay and same angle if your on your side as factory setting with maybe a 5 to at the most, 10 degree angle of tilt with your back touching the sides of the hammock and totally stable. total length of RL from buckle to buckle is 151", shortening the RL from stock of 13'3" long to 12" 7" long.

Being a tinkerer and a somewhat perfectionist, I tried to shorten the suspension and get everything covered by the tarps, plus be able to totally close the doors. At a gain of 7" of shortness of RL I will call it, (from buckle to buckle of suspension), mission was not accomplished. Testing answered all my my personal questions as to whether this could be done or not. And the reason for posting this was to back up and confirm Brandon's testing and postings that you can decrease the length on the foot end, and maybe a dash also on the head end, but your gain is not going to be much as you will create more instability moreso than anything. I posted these results so that it would answer some of the questions some of you maybe thinking like myself. If anybody has any other tests of the suspension and how they modify it, I would love to know as there are those out there that know more about all of this than I, and we all learn from each other's testings and tinkerings.

All in all,,I really like the feel of the 1.1 ripstop material of this hammock.
I really like the width for no shoulder squeeze.
Like the bug net and its storage.
Like the saddle bags.
Like the way the Arrowhead Jarbridge Quilts fit.
Like the way the Underground Quilts fit.
Like the way 2Q & ZQ's UQP fits.
Like the way my DIY top cover or SEEP fits.
Means that all my quilts and other hammock products will interchange between my BMBH UL and the WB RR making me choose which of the 2 bridges I will use packing. ;)
Weight is very comparable to other hammocks for sure.
Very well made.

Cons:
Need to get used to the shallowness of this hammock and over time, will. With the removal of the 4' extension, this helps a bunch.
Will use my foam blocks on ends of spreader bars as I feel, metal on cuben material will cause undo stress on a tightly pitched cuben tarp, as hammock is wide at the head end. I never pay much attention as to how I get in and out of a hammock either. :rolleyes:
Length of suspension system is very long..in inclimate weather, will definitely switch to my BMBH UL in order to completely be secure under tarp with doors closed as well as tarp pitched closer to ground.

Thanks for reading this posting.
Acer :)

And thanks for posting it. Very good info to know.

Great post. Thanks for these extensive testing. It answer some of the "I wonder if ...?"

The shallowness of the RR is my favor, more freedom of movement, but due to your suggestion I will experiment with the head pole :D

Thanks for the extensive testing, Acer! It answers some questions I had. I had wondered if this hammock, with it's much wider spreader bars/shoulder room improvement, might not be even more of a challenge for non-gigantic tarps. I was wondering more about side width issues, like when the wind slams a tarp inward against the bars. It just seemed likely that ~ 40" bars would be even more of a challenge than 31" bars. But I had not thought about the length at least when it comes to tarp coverage. I had thought about length and finding trees.

Thanks for the info!

Thank you Acer. That answers some questions I had.. I wonder if some sort of sill nylon "beaks" might be created, like Grizzbeaks and tarp doors, but they would attach to the bridge hammock spreader bars, bugnet suspension, or some part of the suspension triangle, rather than to the tarp. This would permit use of the tarp I have now instead of a giant tarp like a Cloudburst or Superfly.

I haven't slept a night in my BMBH yet, cuz I've been afraid of soaking under my Edge tarp.


I don't know, but my RR has shipped, so I'll be able to see if that's just crazy talk or not.

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Originally Posted by sturgeon

Thank you Acer. That answers some questions I had.. I wonder if some sort of sill nylon "beaks" might be created, like Grizzbeaks and tarp doors, but they would attach to the bridge hammock spreader bars, bugnet suspension, or some part of the suspension triangle, rather than to the tarp. This would permit use of the tarp I have now instead of a giant tarp like a Cloudburst or Superfly.

I haven't slept a night in my BMBH yet, cuz I've been afraid of soaking under my Edge tarp.


I don't know, but my RR has shipped, so I'll be able to see if that's just crazy talk or not.

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You can create anything imaginable to work if you put your ingenuity to work to benifit your style of hanging. Everybody here is always interested in something new to use or modify to their technics and style. There are also cottage people that will make what you want..just communicate with them. If you do make a setup like your describing, be sure to post some pics and demensions.

Acer, as for protecting the tarp where the spreader bars hit, would cut tennis balls work? Too much weight?

With the tarp tie outs, do they need to be further apart than with the normal Hammock Gear Cuben tarp?

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Originally Posted by Boomer

Acer, as for protecting the tarp where the spreader bars hit, would cut tennis balls work? Too much weight?

With the tarp tie outs, do they need to be further apart than with the normal Hammock Gear Cuben tarp?

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I cut up a couple of tennis balls, and it will work,,but weight intensive. Below is some pics of a very simple usage of ethafoam and small shock chord, and each set for each end, uses a Dutch plastic clip to attach so you don't have to mess with getting around suspension. One side has to be able to be taken apart to get around the suspension to attach to both ends of the bars.
Total weight for both pairs is 0.8 oz. and I suppose you could even cut smaller than the pieces I am using. Just the scraping of the end of the bar of my JMBH UL bridge against the edge of the cuben tarp while I was getting in it, put very small pin size holes down scrape line of cuben tarp for about 2 inches and cuben tape from Zpacks covered the scrape. So it can be done as cuben is not very stable against abrasions or the ends of the spreader bars scraping it like silnylon. With silnylon, I wouldn't worry about a thing period. Silnylon will take a beating. Cuben you just have to be alittle more careful with when stretched tight and staked down.

Pros:
- Wonderful attention to detail, as well as clear explanations of why those details matter.
- "You can create anything imaginable to work if you put your ingenuity to work to benefit your style of hanging." -Acer Words to hang by. :)
- One of the best discussions of how individual we are as sleepers and how small adjustments can improve our hammocks. A degree of shoulder squeeze can be useful. Thirty degrees of tilt may be acceptable.
- Points out product's strengths without gushing. This is the kind of reasoned praise that gives potential buyers encouragement.
- Brandon's use of a 4" extender option for the head spreader bar becomes clearer in the context of this review. (Nice feature!)
- Follow-up posts answer questions nicely with still more pertinent information.

Cons:
- Uses "do to" and "undo" when he means "due to" and "undue" .... ;)

Nice work and good info. Ive wondered if the triangle suspension could be modded for better door coverage with smaller tarps. Apparently not without decreased stability.

Ive tried a couple different tarps now with the the RR and the best in terms of door and overall coverage has been the AHE Hard Rock Winter tarp. I think its worth the extra weight for the peace of mind it gives me.

Thanks for the compliments WV and cfi on the fly,,,like Brandon said,,,you can get away with some change in suspension at the foot end cause the spreader bar is only 28"..and a small amount if your going to take the 4" spreader extender out the head end. He was dead on in his statements thru his extensive testing. Personally, in my studys of the bridge hammock, I think, as you shallow up the bridge hammock for the shallow lay, and then widen it,as well as lengthen it too, the question I have for the bridge guru's is, have we reached a threshhold or peaked on the shallowness vs width vs length? I think that may be the reason, nobody is making a larger bridge for the bigger hangers because you might have to make the larger bridge hammock alot deeper and think of how long the suspension would have to be as well as a larger diameter spreader bar for holding the weight plus heavier fabric which then you would have to ask yourself, how much would it weigh?. Maybe we ought to have Professor Hammock run his math formula on this to find out the answers.

Thanks for the extensive testing Acer...

Can you show us your top cover/SEEP?

I'm trying to figure out a good design for a DIY sock for the RR, always looking for inspiration.

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Originally Posted by priller

Thanks for the extensive testing Acer...

Can you show us your top cover/SEEP?

I'm trying to figure out a good design for a DIY sock for the RR, always looking for inspiration.

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priller if you watch this video, it will show the top cover as well as some mods I made on my first bridge hammock, a BMBH UL that I moded.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybY3bNwRvPU
That top cover fits the WBRR bridge perfectly so everything will interchange between the 2 bridge hammmocks, the UQP by 2Q & ZQ and my home made top cover made by hand sewing as I don't have a machine.

I am still doing more testing on the suspension of the WB RR and will post in a couple of days 2 more tests of the suspension which this first one works like a charm for me.

Thanks Acer!

In remembering Brandon commented you maybe get away with a minor modification on the head spreader bar triangle suspension I decided to try it.

Test 4
Leave the foot suspension triangle amsteel at 37" like it was, and make the head triangles with the 4" extension out (as I wasn't going to ever put it back in anyhow as the lay is perfect for me with it out) making the amsteel triangles at a measurement of 39.5 long. Worked like a charm. Totally stable, slept in it all nite, no tippiness, couldn't see any additional stress on header bar at all. RL was a total length of 152". I figured what the heck for tonite.

Test 5.
I get home, and leave foot end suspension at 37 again. Shorten the head triangle (with the 4" extension out of the head spreader bar always) shorten the 2 pieces of amsteel to 37". Been in and out of the hammock and I see no difference between the lay and feel of the hammock than Test 4. Perfect for me. Will sleep in it tonite and test it more. But, My RL from Dutch Beiner to Dutch Beiner (where the buckles used to be) is exactly 144" and the whole shebang with fit under my 12" long cuben HG tarp with doors. I am super pleased.

One major comment on using amsteel. My stock 42.5 in amsteel suspension ropes, after sleeping in the hammock 5 nites in a row, are finally stretched out to about a 1 to 1.5 inches longer,,44" long. Same will go for the amsteel that you make by using locking brummels on the ends. No matter how tight you pull your brummels and amsteel feeds...your body weight will eventually tighten all the knots and take the slack out of them. In other words, my new 37" amsteel suspension on the head end will stretch a 1" or 1.5" more with a couple of nites sleep. Just letting you know as I am done tweaking with this hammock.

Hammock is very perfectly made by WB. Tweaking was so I could fit it inside a 4 door winter tarp of cuben with a RL of 12', and mission accomplished and will keep every body posted in case I break a spreader bar in the future, but I just don't see the stress as of yet and the stability is pretty perfect with no tippiness. :)

Thanks again!:thumbup1:

Yesterday,,I decided to take off the straps and buckles and leave the Dutch Biner attached to the dogbones and go back to whoopies for the heck of it. Had a very unstable nite of sleeping in the hammock with the whoopies on. This morning, I put the straps and Dutch buckles back on,,and hammock was stable as all get out. There is something to having the loop wrapped 5 times around the buckle with the loop attached to the Dutch beiner that the dogbone suspension is attached to with it shortened. It definitely adds to the stability of the RR especially with the dogbones shortened. I just wanted to post this update as to what works for me and I am thinking is a key part if your going to shorten the dogbone suspension.

Great Post Very Informative

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Originally Posted by Acer

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Test 5.
I get home, and leave foot end suspension at 37 again. Shorten the head triangle (with the 4" extension out of the head spreader bar always) shorten the 2 pieces of amsteel to 37".......

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I've been using my WBRR sorta-clone (with the 4" extension removed as well) inside for a few nights and wanted to shorten it up to allow raising it without making a taller stand.

So...I looked up this thread and decided to try your 37" for the suspension triangle. Unfortunately I had one of those senior moments while I was calculating the overall cut length, buries, etc. and didn't allow for the amount the constrictors shorten the length.:laugh: They came out to only be 35 1/4" which grew to 36" after the first weighting.

It still feels stable so I'll keep it like this for now. Thanks again for the testing Acer.

I am at on both of my RR's 34.5 and 35" on the dogbones and feel that is the most comfortable for me,,even tho a couple of peeps has been shorter. I read in a previous posting of somebody wanting to go all the way down to 27" but when I got below 30 inches to me is was way to tippy and unstable. I have very good stablitity at around 35 and with a 12' long tarp,,very good coverage in hard rain but I still put drip lines on everything possible just for peace of mind.