Ideas on ridgelines

[Porkbutter]

I have been playing around with adding a ridgeline to my Speer hammock. I am not sure that I am totally sold on the idea or not. It seems that it could simply replace the bugnet line that I am using. I tied some cheap rope to my hammock straps, just above the end of the hammock. What works does seem quite sensitive to the ridgeline length; a little change makes a pretty big difference. Of course, the cheap synthetic rope stretched a bit, and I am sure that comes into play as well.
Anybody have any ideas or tips to share on ridgelines? In photos of peoples gear, I sometimes see what appears to be the 1/16" orange spectra line that Speer sells. I wonder if this stuff is really strong enough for the application? I think this is rated at 275 lbs, and I have plenty on hand. How much strength is really needed? It seems quite dependent on how much sag the line creates. Any favorite rope to use? (Without spending $40 on aircore) More importantly, is there a downside to using a ridgeline?
So far, I have spent 2 nights in my hammock (backyard thru-hike), and it seems OK.

[slowhike]

i like the idea of a ridge line for quick set-up w/ the right sag... but it`s in my way when siting in the hammock.
i use a line to hang a few things from, but it`s attached to the under-side of my tarp & it`s a little higher than those attached at each end of the hammock.
also, i hang my hammock w/ less sag than most & use an insulated air mat, so w/ less sag the ridge line would be that much closer to me in the hammock. ...tim

[Coffee]

As I understand it, a ridgeline just makes sure the hammock has the same amount of sag each time it is hang. As long as the distance between the 2 ends stays the same, you will get the same sag. You could try to rig up a sliding system using the bugnet spectra. You could also you the biner approach that a couple other people here use.

On the sliding approach. Use the spectra at a set length before the hammock is hung. You could use this as a guide when hanging the hammock. The straps will have a larger angle from the tree than the HH ones. I haven't tried this, but this could allow you to hang a hammock using the ridgeline as a guide. The ridgeline in this case will not be a load bearing ridgeline. To make it non-load bearing you may may to hang it so the ridgeline is a little loose.

Just a thought. I am playing around with using ` 40' length of straps to function as my ridgeline and the tie out straps. In this case the ridgeline is load bearing.

Let us know what ends up working for you.

[slowhike]

HE... i`ve thought about using the mini binner on a ridge line to hang then un-clip the ridge line to get it out of the way, but i`m not following you on the "sliding system using the bugnet spectra".???

[Porkbutter]

Hammock Engineer,
I'm afraid that you you lost me on the sliding system too. I'm not sure how this would be set up.
I am intrigued, though. I welcome any food for thought.

Slowhike,
I have thought about the biner option also, but have not played around with it yet. it may be the most convenient.

As far as what I will use, I think that I will stick to the thin spectra. I have it, and it doesn't stretch. So far, I seem to prefer just a little sag, which doesn't stress the ridgeline so much. A little real-world experience will determine what really works for me. And if it breaks, what am I out except perhaps a few minutes sleep? I can still hang without the line just as I have been doing.

[Coffee]

Sorry for the bad description. Here it is again from the beginning.

I haven't tried it. I only set in a Speer for a few minutes and watched one put up a couple times. As I understand it, the ridgeline controls the amount of sag in the hammock. The same amount of sag on each hang, will give you the same fell in a hammock. This is the main point of a ridgeline. When I am using a hammock with a ridgeline that is load bearing (like the HH) it has a really tight pitch. When you look at it from the side, the straps will be almost straight across between the 2 trees. The hammock is not straight because of the ridgeline. The hammock is going to hang the same way each time from the ridgeline like this. It will hang differently depending on the length of the hammock and the length of the ridgeline.

A hammock without a ridgeline can have the same feel as the hammock describled above. It will be hung so that looking at it from the side, the straps will have an angle in them. Maybe something like 30 degrees from the horizontal. Where the hammock with the ridgeline would have a very small angle.

When you hang the hammock with the amount of sag that feels comfortable for you, for could attach the bugnet line using the sliding knot that the Speer hammocks use. You could then mark on the lines where the knot lines up to get the pitch you like.

Next time you hang the hammock you would hang one side with about the same amount of sag as the first time you hung it. Then hang the other side to where it pulls the bugnet line taught. I would hang it a little loser than that in order to not put any weight on it.

This should give you the same or almost the same amount of pitch each time you hang. I haven't really tried this though. The more I think about it, I would just use a load bearing ridgeline. It is easier to pitch by use pulling the hammock taught between the trees each time with exactly the same sag each time. On mine I do not have an attached bugnet or I would probibly use a biner. The way I tied the hammock onto the straps it hangs a little lower and helps keep the ridgeline out of my face. It also keeps it out of my way when lounging.

I just wanted to throw another idea out. Let me know if I am still clear as mudd.

[Arkwater]

Would that be a prussik knot on the end of the ridgeline?

[Just Jeff]

The hammock is going to hang the same way each time from the ridgeline like this. It will hang differently depending on the length of the hammock and the length of the ridgeline.

For the most part, that's correct. You can still get a different feel based on the distance between the hammock and the trees, whether or not it's hung level each time, even how tightly you hang it. But other than whether it's level or not, these are pretty minor differences between hangs.

Sometimes you can tell the difference based on how tight the ridgeline is when you're inside...sometimes it's pretty loose, and other times you can pluck it like a guitar string. For most hangs, it's pretty consistent though.

Just a minor detail.

[slowhike]

HE... as soon as you begin to talk about sitting in & helping set-up a speer hammock, i knew what you were talking about... the adjustable guy-line ed puts on his hammocks.

[Aramis]

Does anyone know how much weight 3/4" grosgrain can take? I was wondering about how much load a seam on a bugnet would take if it was fixed at each end of the hammock like a ridgeline, or whether it would need a ridgeline as well.

While we're on the subject, would 3/4" grosgrain be strong enough for tarp tie outs or would 1/2" webbing be better?