First time in a hammock, and couldn't sleep well

**That Dude There** · 05-24-2015, 10:35

I got a dutch 11' camo argon. First of all, it didn't feel like fabric, or stretchy like some have said. I don't know what it should feel like, but I expected something else. Could I have gotten nylon? argon.jpg
I really like it, and it seems comfortable for short times. Let me say, that I'm confident this is a nice hammack, and I don't know if it's me laying wrong, or maybe I'm not a hammock guy? I tried to sleep in it last night, which was the first night having it. my neck started hurting, and I got my foam contour bed pillow. It might have been to big, because it wrapped around my head some, but it helped. I seemed to be inclined at my torso, and maybe I wasn't laying right. The traffic on our busy street, and the ac unit cutting on every now and then didn't help. I don't know if being inclined made a difference, because I wouldn't think it would. I also seemed to be a little squeezed on my shoulders and my feet, but I have no idea if it's normal for hammocks. I went to sleep maybe at 1 am, and I came inside at 6 am, so I must have got some sleep, but it didn't feel like it. I was up and down all night. I have a warbonnet XLC ordered, and when that get's here, (how many weeks?) I'll compare it to see if it's the same. Until then I'll keep trying this one, and get a smaller pillow worked out and try to get a better lay. Could I just not be a hammock guy?

Me and Eli.jpg IMG_2430.jpg net.jpg

**WaffleBox** · 05-24-2015, 10:51

Are you using a structural ridgeline with it? If so, how long?

**SwinginIt** · 05-24-2015, 10:57

You could have had a bad hang angle or been too inline with the hammock. Was your foot end a lil bit higher than the head end? I personally tend to scoot down in my hammock more towards the foot end so that my shoulders are in the wider part of the hammock and my head isn't being pushed up. I also use an inflatable neck pillow that is barely inflated. Just enough to give me some support when my head is turned to the side.

**SilvrSurfr** · 05-24-2015, 11:17

One night, no hammock ridgeline? If you are even thinking of going back to ground, you are definitely not a hammock guy. Wait a few years (20 or so) and then revisit the situation. Maybe then it will make sense to you.

I started at age 50 with hammocks, an HH Asym Exped Zip. Sleeping on the ground just didn't make any sense. It took a couple of years to work out the kinks, to figure out that I liked 11 ft. polyester hammocks with minimal stretch, that I always needed a structural ridgeline. However, at no time did I ever consider going back to ground.

So if you're even thinking about going back to ground, then save your money. It's not worth the effort.

**ShooTa** · 05-24-2015, 11:53

Right what we need to do is find some hangers near to you willing to come set you up properly ...
from the photos it looks to be that your angle is OK not superb - the 30degree is setup when the hammock is un-weighted.
you can use the hammock calculator on the ultimate hang website to get a mm perfect setup for ideal (prior to the HYOH personal fidling)
if anything it sounds like you were not lying correctly - and sadly it takes time and effort to find the right spot - moiving around changing your lay (using clock method -12 oclock being head end of hammock) from 1 oclock to 2 then 3 etc and moving your feet corespondingly - then also shifting your arse about too.
it takes a little while to do this, but yeah good luck - stick at it.

**sargevining** · 05-24-2015, 12:49

Originally Posted by WaffleBox

Are you using a structural ridgeline with it? If so, how long?

Originally Posted by SilvrSurfr

One night, no hammock ridgeline? If you are even thinking of going back to ground, you are definitely not a hammock guy. Wait a few years (20 or so) and then revisit the situation. Maybe then it will make sense to you.

I started at age 50 with hammocks, an HH Asym Exped Zip. Sleeping on the ground just didn't make any sense. It took a couple of years to work out the kinks, to figure out that I liked 11 ft. polyester hammocks with minimal stretch, that I always needed a structural ridgeline. However, at no time did I ever consider going back to ground.

So if you're even thinking about going back to ground, then save your money. It's not worth the effort.

Two of the pictures above show the ridgeline on the hammock. The Fronkey style bug net wouldn't hang right if there was no ridgeline on it.

Originally Posted by ShooTa

Right what we need to do is find some hangers near to you willing to come set you up properly ...
from the photos it looks to be that your angle is OK not superb - the 30degree is setup when the hammock is un-weighted.
you can use the hammock calculator on the ultimate hang website to get a mm perfect setup for ideal (prior to the HYOH personal fidling)
if anything it sounds like you were not lying correctly - and sadly it takes time and effort to find the right spot - moiving around changing your lay (using clock method -12 oclock being head end of hammock) from 1 oclock to 2 then 3 etc and moving your feet corespondingly - then also shifting your arse about too.
it takes a little while to do this, but yeah good luck - stick at it.

Shoota gives the best advice here. The Dutch Hammock comes with a fixed ridgeline, and sometimes the "accepted" length of 83% of the hammock length doesn't work the same way for everybody. You might try getting an adjustable ridgeline (or better yet borrow one from someone who is helping) to see if adjusting the length makes any difference.

**Mountnman** · 05-24-2015, 12:52

Hang in there, it takes a bit to get your body acclimated to sleeping in a hammock. You will have to play around until you find you sweet spot. When you find it you will know. If I haven't been out for a while it usually takes me a night to get my body back in the groove.

**SilvrSurfr** · 05-24-2015, 13:10

Originally Posted by sargevining

Two of the pictures above show the ridgeline on the hammock. The Fronkey style bug net wouldn't hang right it there was no ridgeline on it.

Sorry, I just don't see a ridgeline. What makes you think that the Dutch Fronkey comes with a ridgeline?

Originally Posted by sargevining

Shoota gives the best advice here. The Dutch Hammock comes with a fixed ridgeline, and sometimes the "accepted" length of 83% of the hammock length doesn't work the same way for everybody. You might try getting an adjustable ridgeline (or better yet borrow one from someone who is helping) to see if adjusting the length makes any difference.

I still don't see anything on Dutch's website indicating that the Fronkey bugnet comes with a fixed ridgeline, nor do I see anything on Buttinasling's website that their version of the Fronkey (Buginator) comes with a ridgeline, fixed or adjustable.

**sargevining** · 05-24-2015, 13:21

Originally Posted by SilvrSurfr

Sorry, I just don't see a ridgeline. What makes you think that the Dutch Fronkey comes with a ridgeline?

I still don't see anything on Dutch's website indicating that the Fronkey bugnet comes with a fixed ridgeline.

Umm--

The bugnet doesn't come with a ridgeline. It relies on the hammock's ridgeline for support.

**cap624** · 05-24-2015, 13:33

I second the "hang in there" sentiment. It took me a few nights before I felt comfortable that I wasn't going to eject myself whenever I moved around. Relaxing in a hammock had me convinced that sleeping in one would be great, too. Right off the bat, however, I added a PLUQ to ward off CBS. And, I use two LL Bean camp pillows, one under my head, the other under my knees. I learned about sleeping on the diagonal. Each night, I tested some new aspect, "what if I tried this..." Bottom line: I inherently knew that my hammock was more comfortable than my bed, so I kept trying different things until it worked. Good luck!