Help! most uncomfortable I've ever been!

[rict]

ok, so a representative of the left-brain dominant HF community will weigh in here. What you want to know is "what is common sense" as canobie aptly put it, but without experience how can you know what common sense is?

Thank you! As a noobie, that is certainly true.

4. So what do you really need to do? Adjust your suspension lengths so that the angle the suspension forms is about 30 degrees from the horizontal, and the attachment points on the tree puts the center of the hammock a little bit higher than you want to hang off the ground. Get the angle right first, and then shimmy the attachment points up or down the tree as needed to adjust the height. A way to figure whether the suspension angle is around 30 degrees is to take your hand, extend the index finger straight out, and pull your thumb up and back as far as you can. The way kids make the hand look like a pistol. If you imagine a line from the tip of the index finger to the tip of the thumb, the angle of that line with respect to your index finger is pretty close to 30 degrees. So take your pistol hand, make the tip of the thumb and tip of the index touch the suspension, and ask whether your index finger is parallel to the ground.

All kinds of good info here...I did try the "pistol" hand thing, and it looks like my suspension angle is correct...but it must not be.

Getting the angle right first, then modifying the attachment height; that makes sense...I think I was doing it exactly opposite: attachment height, then angle. (Shows what I remember about geometry from way back when

I've taken a few photos just now of the hang; maybe I can post them here & get some feedback.

I appreciate everyone's responses, but...the philosophy of "just keep fiddling with it until you get it right", just isn't all that helpful. Yesterday, I spent several hours fiddling with it while I was setting it up, and I still didn't "get it right".

Are there any group hangs in the Seattle, WA area? I have a feeling that, as someone else mentioned, until I see first hand what everyone is talking about, I'm just floundering around.

[G.L.P.]

your thinking too much .....hang it...if it looks right it probly is or it's close..lay in it and adjust it from there

[Diab]

just a thought as to why the calculator didn't work. Does the skeeter beeter even have a ridgeline?

[OutandBack]

Maybe there's something wrong with the hammock. Mfg defect.
A picture of it hanging is really the only way we can see what's up
with your rig.

[JaxHiker]

Wow. If I tried jumping through these kinds of hoops when I got started I would've given up. It seems like this calculator thing is seriously over-complicating matters. Just try different angles and sag amounts.

[Joey]

My math teachers would be proud of me reading some of these posts!!

[rict]

Wow. If I tried jumping through these kinds of hoops when I got started I would've given up. It seems like this calculator thing is seriously over-complicating matters. Just try different angles and sag amounts.

Well, I REALLY want this hammock camping to work for me...I'm getting on in age, and I can't take sleeping on the ground like I used to, even WHEN I can find a clearing that has no roots, rocks, etc.

But, yes, I've considered just selling the hammock and going back to sleeping on the ground. As I said in one of my posts earlier, telling me to "just keep trying until you get it right" isn't very helpful...when I mentioned that to my wife, she said, "So, you're just supposed to keep doing it wrong and hurting your back more, just looking for the answer? No wonder more people aren't using hammocks!"

And it's possible that this particular hammock (Skeeter Beater) was another wrong choice for me, since it doesn't have a "structural ridgeline", which I understand helps in setting up the proper sag.

The "pistol" hand thing was the first time I've seen an actual explanation of how to "measure" what the angle/sag is supposed to look like; I'd seen the "30 degree" angle mentioned lots, but I wasn't about to try measuring with a protractor (even I'm not that OCD), which is why the online calculator seemed good. Measure the various distances, and find the solution.

I've searched thru all the pics I could find here (and other places), but I've not found a GOOD photo of the amount of sag I should be looking for...lots of pics of suspension details, product shots from artsy angles, happy faces, etc. but so far, no pics taken at a "stand off" distance showing the simple amount of sag necessary...in fact, now that I'm thinking about it, it seems like this would be a thing that the different manufacturers would post on their sites: a graphic shot of the sag necessary for different models.

Anyway, I'll see about getting her to take a photo of me in the hammock, as Outandback suggests...

[OutandBack]

Anyway, I'll see about getting her to take a photo of me in the hammock, as Outandback suggests...

I looked thru my photos and could not find a perfect example however I use the 6X6 rule. 6 paces between trees and attach the tree hugger 6 feet high on the tree.

The left strap is ~30 degrees and the right strap is ~35 degrees.
Because the ground was sloping I found this to be the most comfortable asym lie for me. I adjust the strap height 3 times to get the sag/lay I wanted.
hth

DOuble click photo for larger view.

[Shug]

Here is a picture I found on the amount of sag I use for my personal sweet spot.



Also I did some videos on hanging .... part 4 has a bit on sag if I remember... It may help a wee bit.
Good luck.
Shug

Part 4 :Lets take a look at the Warbonnet BlackBird Hammock and all of the features. Bug season is coming so bug-nets are covered. Some folks asked about attaching suspension to the hammock so I can show you what I do. A close up of the larkshead knot for suspension to the hammock. A brief chat on hammock ridgelines ... what, why and what for. A hammock song.

[Law Dawg (ret)]

As I said in one of my posts earlier, telling me to "just keep trying until you get it right" isn't very helpful...

What is meant is get it close enough and fine tune it from there. I did not read anyone here saying to lay in it until you are in pain, just play with it until you find your own personal sweet spot. I don't set up my WBBB just like Brandon because I am not built exactly like him.

My thinking is adding an adjustable ridgeline would help much with the fine tuning. When I got the WBBB it was off to the park. It took a bit before my set up was correct and I did not use a protractor...just my eyes because they are always with me. One size does not fit all and it is easy to get mental constipation here.

I found this video very helpful to adjust my eyeball...it obviously did not hurt that I had the WBBB. It does show the angles well and that could translate to your hammock.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWlM0pROnpU