I'm back (kinda long)

[RobKroon]

I have the same problems (osteo arthritis) and after much websearches I decided to jump in the hammock world. A WB Ridge Runner is on it's way as we speak.
Getting old really sucks. When it arrives I will have to see if I can hang it somewhere in the house and try it out.
I will let you know when I tested it and how well it went.

[Rod]

In the woods in my hammock is the only place I an snooze for 10 hours. A good walk in helps.
Shug Van Winkle

Shug, your videos of hiking in the piney woods provided me a vicarious means of backpacking when I wasn't able to get on the trail myself. The best part is when you stop to appreciate a flower, mushroom or a vista. All the instruction is helpful too, of course, and greatly appreciated. Thanks for taking us along.

[Rod]

It seems like the ground just keeps getting further away every year. I'm a zealot for the Warbonnet Blackbird. I got mine in 2009 and have loved every second I've spent in it, well except when I broke a strap, that was a bad few seconds.

WBBB has a strong following. Looks well designed and made. Thanks for your recommendation.

[Rod]

I have the same problems (osteo arthritis) and after much websearches I decided to jump in the hammock world. A WB Ridge Runner is on it's way as we speak.
Getting old really sucks. When it arrives I will have to see if I can hang it somewhere in the house and try it out.
I will let you know when I tested it and how well it went.

Thanks Rob! Yes, please let us know how it goes. I'm considering a WBRR vs a WBBB XLC vs something else altogether. Not confident enough in my sewing skills to attempt a DIY project yet. Anyway, at 5'7", I'm short enough for the regular BB. But I think the extra length of the XLC would be more comfortable for side sleeping and less likely to squeeze at the shoulders. Also, I'm getting right up on the weight limit for a bridge hammock. So yes, please let us know how it goes with the RR.

[nothermark]

FWIW I never sleep on my back in bed unless I want an elbow in the ribs. I always sleep on my back in a hammock. It's way more comfortable than any position in bed. I think I have a fair amount of company in that around here.

Was your back problem from not being flat or from cold? Any body part not well insulated will develop an ache. That includes air leaks and the wrong sleep clothes. Cotton will do it to you, so will some polyesters. They get damp and cold.

If you have a hammock you are comfortable with it can be adapted to conditions. The built in bug net and similar features are only one way to deal with nature. All of the bigger tarps need their own ridge line. That might be both easier and less costly than buying and selling looking for something different. Better yet hit a couple of hangs and try out some other folks setups.

[Rod]

Was your back problem from not being flat or from cold?

Lack of flatness definitely the problem. Didn't get cold. I purchased an under quilt from the start from JRB, as I've learned the hard way what goes under is as important as what goes over.

Still doing my homework on a bridge vs gathered end hammock, and I'm leaning toward an extra long gathered end just for the versatility of sleeping positions.

I'm really digging the WBBB XLC right now since the bug net can be removed. Still trying to narrow down suspension preferences.

Actually I prefer the tarp on it's own ridge line for maximum flexibility. If it's rainy and/or windy at lunchtime and you just need a bit of shelter from the sun, deploy the tarp alone. Beautiful starry night? No tarp required. (Although, I'd probably still hang it up in the snakeskins just in case.)

[sidvicious]

welcome back, rod.

similar experiences here.

the following is not heresy; "flat" is overrated, overstated, and exaggerated. trying to achieve flat might be a good thing, but getting there isn't necessary. indeed; one reason tent camping can be so disastrous is because it is often, flat. too flat for most people.

it is true that i rationalize the virtue of the hammock curl in the preceding paragraph. is not, however, a bow to a lesser god. in a properly fitted hammock a good dangle to the left or the right is about as nice as camp sleeping can get for a backpacker.

i still do tents at times because of needs of others. selfish and ignorant, they are. and when i do i have, as you stated, a cushy pad to weather the trip. but no matter how nice the pad, the sleep is never, ever like home, nor is it nearly as good as a hammock.

this is due to a few simple things in my useless, coffee-fueled opinion. comparisons are in order and it's rather simple. at home we have pillows; usually lots of them. what to those pillows do? - make the lay less flat.

why don't cushy pads work in tents? because we fight the pillows; we don't have a headboard to assist in the ring.

the fitted hammock takes care of much of this. a diagonal lay is more flat that in-line, but not dead flat. when we get it right, i'm pretty sure most of us are near to simulating the back-sleeping positions in our beds. not exactly on target, but probably close enough.

then there's the side sleeping issue. i'm one of those. but in hammocks i really don't have the need as i do in bed. i really don't know why this is. part of it is because it is like wrestling to turn over at times. this, however, is overstated as well. just roll over and forget all the racket and what it must look and sound like from the outside.

i don't think you can do better than watching shug's videos to get back into the groove. also, if you're in the market for hammocks, i'd recommend going for longer models; 10.5 to 11 feet. it depends on your build, but many, "i" included, find longer hammocks to be easier to hit the sweet spot.

i just saw your post where you mentioned a bridge hammock, i think. my suggestion is to try a longer gathered end first. not to knock bridges, but honestly, a lot of guys i know try them, then garage them for a day that never comes. i'm in that camp, so there's a caveat to my comment.

get a proper TQ and UQ. go down. forget all the other methods. you won't regret it.

btw; i use a warbonnet a lot. great hammock.

again, welcome back.

cheers,

sv-

[Rod]

it is true that i rationalize the virtue of the hammock curl in the preceding paragraph. is not, however, a bow to a lesser god. in a properly fitted hammock a good dangle to the left or the right is about as nice as camp sleeping can get for a backpacker.

Thanks for all the recommendations Sid. I appreciate your comments. And you're right, I think a well suspended, properly fitted hammock will offer a superior sleep system than any tent and fluffy mattress that I can pack in, my previous experience with the Hennessy notwithstanding. Actually, I don't blame it on the Hennessy at all. It just wasn't a good fit for me.

don't think you can do better than watching shug's videos to get back into the groove. also, if you're in the market for hammocks, i'd recommend going for longer models; 10.5 to 11 feet. it depends on your build, but many, "i" included, find longer hammocks to be easier to hit the sweet spot.

Whooo buddy! Just rewatched three years of Shug and Kent's Linville Gorge trips last night. The mixed mesophytic forest of Appalachia is my preferred habitat. You're right though: A longer hammock, even for my shorter than average height, is the way to go since the sweet spot should be bigger.

just saw your post where you mentioned a bridge hammock, i think. my suggestion is to try a longer gathered end first. not to knock bridges, but honestly, a lot of guys i know try them, then garage them for a day that never comes. i'm in that camp, so there's a caveat to my comment.

That was actually Warbonnett's suggestion after I contacted them regarding a WBBB vs the WBBB XLC. It's a good recommendation in general. But I don't think it will work for me since I'm pretty close to the upper weight limit. My understanding is that 200 lbs or greater tends to result in shoulder squeeze in a bridge hammock. I could be misunderstanding that point. But like you said, I think the way to go is a longer gathered end hammock.

a proper TQ and UQ. go down. forget all the other methods. you won't regret it.

I still have the JRB Nest UQ, Sierra Sniveler and Stealth TQs. I'll almost certainly need to find a replacement UQ since the Nest was made for the Hennessy Asym. The Sniveler keeps me warm down to 20, the Stealth 40, and I'm going to try putting one on top of the other for less than 20 and see how that works in the winter.

Thanks for the input, Sid!

[MrClean417]

The only way I can sleep in a bed is heavily medicated. It just hurts. On the ground? Forgetabout it. I've got messed up shoulders though they fixed the rotator cuff on my right side I think I screwed the left one up moving a piano. But in a hammock I'm gold so that's where I sleep at home, at fly-ins or on the trail (I very rarely get out).

It's kind of fun waking up and wondering where you are because the ceiling has changed.

Without any big investment you can get a tablecloth from tableccloth factory.com and make a turtledog stand and try getting set up in the living room. I use a 90 by 132 and the link to "how to make a hammock in 3 minutes" should be in my signature. I also like to sleep at home with a small pillow under my head (Walmart Travel pillow) and a couple of worn out pillows under my knees, a good, new pillow would work also but in the field I usually just use some rolled up clothes. Over-extending my legs gives me the worst cramps guaranteed in a bed or in the hammock.

So cheap to try and dial in, then make a more expensive purchase for netting, under quilting and all that stuff. But get OFF the ground and get out and have FUN for a change.

[Rod]

Without any big investment you can get a tablecloth from tableccloth factory.com and make a turtledog stand and try getting set up in the living room. I use a 90 by 132 and the link to "how to make a hammock in 3 minutes" should be in my signature.

Thanks for the recommendation, Mr. Clean. I'm not much of a DIY guy. Just not crafty like that. But I did watch the video. Derek makes it look easy.