Squeeze

[texron]

I did a search and found a couple things, but... I just got a Bridge from Fin, thanks Fin. Is shoulder squeeze just a by-product of a Bridge or is there a certain way to hang it. I tried lots of sag, no sag, some sag. I'm not a huge guy, not small either. Is this something I live with or can I get some help?

Thanks!!!!!

[Cranky Bear]

I found that I can feel the material on my bridge, but I don't experience any shoulder squeeze! Hang pretty much the same as all my other hammocks!

[Alan]

Can't speak about Fin's bridge design, but I had a BMBH and couldn't get past the shoulder squeeze issue. I met Walking Bear at the Arkansas hang. His bridge design is AWESOME and he doesn't get any shoulder squeeze at all...so go figure!

[texron]

Can't speak about Fin's bridge design, but I had a BMBH and couldn't get past the shoulder squeeze issue. I met Walking Bear at the Arkansas hang. His bridge design is AWESOME and he doesn't get any shoulder squeeze at all...so go figure!

Sorry, should have been more clear, it's a Jacks-R-Better, design with the omni tape.

Edit: It is more than feel the material, it is a squeeze. I would need more time to see if I can live with it or not.

[Alan]

Sorry, should have been more clear, it's a Jacks-R-Better, design with the omni tape.

Gotcha!

I had a Clark NA and had squeeze in it, too...so the BMBH isn't the only hammock with which I've experienced that issue.

Take everything I say with a grain of salt. As with everything, folks have different reactions to the exact same gear. You may be able to fiddle around with it and make it work for you. It took me drastically shortening the ridgeline length of my Blackbird to finally do away with that fabric calf ridge that's plagued me since day one!

[texron]

Gotcha!

I had a Clark NA and had squeeze in it, too...so the BMBH isn't the only hammock with which I've experienced that issue.

Take everything I say with a grain of salt. As with everything, folks have different reactions to the exact same gear. You may be able to fiddle around with it and make it work for you. It took me drastically shortening the ridgeline length of my Blackbird to finally do away with that fabric calf ridge that's plagued me since day one!

Thats bizarre, I have a Clark NA and I'm fine in it Guess I'll just try different heights ect. if not I believe there is a for sale forum here.

[Walking Bear]

Can't speak about Fin's bridge design, but I had a BMBH and couldn't get past the shoulder squeeze issue. I met Walking Bear at the Arkansas hang. His bridge design is AWESOME and he doesn't get any shoulder squeeze at all...so go figure!

My spreader bars are about 9 inches from the end of the hammock to move them closer to the shoulders.
Squeeze is not a problem for me and I've never been accused of being small.

[texron]

I have a BMBH and had it out this past weekend. I am a big guy with broad shoulders. I wouldn't say shoulder squeeze is a problem per say, it is just a different feeling compared to a gathered end hammock. I will say that in my BMBH hammock I found that I couldn't lay with my arms at my side due to how the arc is cut in the suspension and how the hammock fabric conforms to your body in that area.

The spreader bar length plays a factor into the overall feel of a bridge hammock. My BMBH spreader bars are 31" between the notches in the ends of the bar. From what I understand the design Grizz is producing is using a 36" spreader bar at the head end and a much smaller one at the foot end.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

Brian

There is an idea I wouldn't have thought of, I'll try making some longer spreader bars, thanks.

My spreader bars are about 9 inches from the end of the hammock to move them closer to the shoulders.
Squeeze is not a problem for me and I've never been accused of being small.

Can I do this on my hammock, and if so, HOW???

[Walking Bear]

You can look at the video Smokehouse did of my hammock on the Ozark hang trip report. I show how I did it. You may be able to do the same thing. I put a dart in the head end of the hammock to raise the head a little because without it the head is low.

[GrizzlyAdams]

Have come to this party late.

a) you're not going to be able to use wider spreader bars on the BMBH
without hacking the endcap. Think about it. The endcap is solid fabric,
also 30" or so across. Mule opened up the endcap with a dart, filled it in, so that the top of the endcap matched the length of the longer spreader bar.
He sold that rig, and it's popped up a couple of times in the For Sale forum, even recently.

b) I too have made a bridge where the spreader is moved down the body a foot or so to get the spread where you want it---over your shoulders. Really works. It is a bit more awkward getting in and out, sitting up. Would take a special kind of hackery to do that to a BMBH.

c) You might see how the BMBH works out for you sleeping on your side. You aren't up against the hammock sides that way.

good luck!