Trying to love the blackbird.

**exup** · 07-04-2011, 19:36

I've been lucky in that any way I've hung my blackbird its very comfortable. I've been hanging the foot end about 2-3" higher lately and find it plenty comfortable but I just set it up in the back yard and will most likely sleep outside tonight and I hung it about 6" higher on the foot end to test it out.

I do have trouble with getting the ridge line slack. I got it almost as slack as suggested today and its really comfortable but my problem is I'm so short, 5'7", that any hang further than say 14'ish my arms don't reach high enough to provide the steeper angle that would be needed unless I hang low. Not a problem for tonight with no UQ, but the majority of my hanging is done with a UQ so that give little room for it. So I guess I have to hang from trees of a short distance apart to atain that.

**TiredFeet** · 07-04-2011, 19:51

Originally Posted by MAD777

The foot end needs to be higher in all hammocks simply because your torso weighs more than your legs.................

Be very careful in making general, sweeping statements such as what you have above.

In a Bridge hammock it is exactly the opposite, you want the head end about 6" to 8" higher than the foot end. How much exactly depends somewhat on the tree span. In order to avoid making a general statement for all Bridge Hammock users, I should state that this is true for myself and all other Bridge Hammock users that I know personally that use a Bridge Hammock. I recall Pan making the same observation once also.

**exup** · 07-04-2011, 20:45

I am curious to know at about what angle do you guys hang your blackbirds at? 30 degrees seems to leave the ridge line pretty tight.

**NewtonGT** · 07-04-2011, 20:50

I just saw this thread and just like it did with hennessy it took me a couple tries to get it where I slept good. at first I was thinking Id never get comfy. You just gotta read other peoples trials and learn from them and eventually if its meant to be you will live a wonderful hammock life with any hammock you choose

**weird1** · 07-04-2011, 21:15

Originally Posted by NewtonGT

I just saw this thread and just like it did with hennessy it took me a couple tries to get it where I slept good. at first I was thinking Id never get comfy. You just gotta read other peoples trials and learn from them and eventually if its meant to be you will live a wonderful hammock life with any hammock you choose

You are right and I probably should have searched more first. I was just amazed at the lack of stickies in this forum and thought I was more than a little bit slow in the head as I didn't see any posts or stickies on the matter. I have a better idea of what to do to fix my issue. I found out that I would have given up on the hammock before I reached the 6 to 8 inch referenced here. I love this forum

**bunaka** · 07-04-2011, 21:29

I find that I get a bit of tightness in the hammock material around my upper calves, which forces me to cross my left foot over my right. This issue is somewhat alleviated by a little cushioning under the knees. Anyone have this issue? Did you find raising the feet helped?

**NewtonGT** · 07-04-2011, 21:32

Originally Posted by bunaka

I find that I get a bit of tightness in the hammock material around my upper calves, which forces me to cross my left foot over my right. This issue is somewhat alleviated by a little cushioning under the knees. Anyone have this issue? Did you find raising the feet helped?

ive had this issue. I do find raising the foot end is good. make sure the ridgeline isnt too tight also

**beep** · 07-04-2011, 21:32

Originally Posted by bunaka

I find that I get a bit of tightness in the hammock material around my upper calves, which forces me to cross my left foot over my right. This issue is somewhat alleviated by a little cushioning under the knees. Anyone have this issue? Did you find raising the feet helped?

The issue you're describing is usually a result of pitching the hammock with the ridgeline too "tight". A slightly looser pitch (a bit more angle on the end suspension) will alleviate that (in my experience). YMMV.

**weird1** · 07-05-2011, 10:02

Ok not in the foot box any more. Still having trouble with ridge line tension, I guess my trees are to far apart. Will try to correct that tonight. Thanks for all of the help.

**beep** · 07-05-2011, 10:21

Originally Posted by weird1

Ok not in the foot box any more. Still having trouble with ridge line tension, I guess my trees are to far apart. Will try to correct that tonight. Thanks for all of the help.

You may have to raise the strap height at the trees...that's a part of the on-going trial-and-error process we all have to figure out!