Pillow under knees

**Fish<><** · 09-24-2011, 01:20

Hey guys I am having a great sleep in my hammock in my apartment, but since I have a slight knee problem I use pillows under my knees inside the hammock. It works well at home and car camping, but what do I do when I decide to backpack into somewhere? Can't really take Walmart special pillows and cram them into a pack and expect to have any room left... What do I do? These are my thoughts:

Has anyone tried any experiments with whipping it differently? Kind of like Knotty's "w" method on steroids? Tight on the sides and alot looser where the feet would go having only 1 comfortable direction to lay.

Should I sew an extra foot or so down the sides of my hammock to increase my diagonal?

Footbox?

Large sized inflatable pillows maybe?

I am totally lost in hammocks but I am aiming for perfection with comfort. Is any of this reasonable or do us guys with knee pain have to "rough it" whilst out and about?

**Bubba** · 09-24-2011, 01:33

You could use a stuff sac full of some of your clothes. If you do not require flexed knees maybe a Thermarest sitting pad.

**Macca81** · 09-24-2011, 02:10

If it is bend knees you are seeking, try and make a sack from silnylon with a thermarest style valve, then just blow it up when you need it. Perhaps chuck a bit of synthetic insulation in it to assist with warmth

**BlazeAway** · 09-24-2011, 05:28

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=37581

**Shug** · 09-24-2011, 08:47

I re-whipped my foot end on my DIY hammock several times to get it just right. Shooting for a more open foot-boxish-type result. It was worth the effort.
Shug

**Fish<><** · 09-25-2011, 02:02

It's definitely a bend in the knees, or atleast to lie flat. When I lie in it currently, my knee hyperextends and causes quite the uncomfort.

Blazeaway, thank you for that thread. I did a little further research and will probably purchase that pillow when the next backpacking trip greets me. How do you like yours?

Shug, thanks for your thoughts as well. I rewhipped my hammock with a little bit of results. I think I am going to add about 18" more in width when I get my sewing machine for Xmas. Thanks for your videos, your motivation and professionalism allows all kinds of people to get out and enjoy where they came from.

Bubba- a stuff sack would work, but probably just be something to wrestle with in the hammock. I would do that in a pinch though.

Thank you all for your ideas!

**Fish<><** · 09-25-2011, 02:07

Originally Posted by Shug

I re-whipped my foot end on my DIY hammock several times to get it just right. Shooting for a more open foot-boxish-type result. It was worth the effort.
Shug

Could you possibly direct me on what worked best for you? I just don't want to over correct and end up with pressure points.

Btw, the word footbox, is a very enticing word whist striving towards perfect harmony with the hammock.

**BlazeAway** · 09-25-2011, 04:16

Originally Posted by Hangtillidie

Blazeaway, thank you for that thread. I did a little further research and will probably purchase that pillow when the next backpacking trip greets me. How do you like yours?

The pillow is exactly what I have been wanting for. I really like it. Though I do intend to experiments with balloons inside a stuff sack at some point in the future.

**Fish<><** · 09-25-2011, 04:48

Good luck with the balloons. If you get bored you can always make balloon animals too...

**weaver2469** · 09-25-2011, 08:06

Originally Posted by BlazeAway

The pillow is exactly what I have been wanting for. I really like it. Though I do intend to experiments with balloons inside a stuff sack at some point in the future.

A close thing to balloons in a stuff sack is the inflatable pillow sold by Jacks R Better. They are really lightweight paper-like fabric that inflate with a straw. When done, you can let the air out and reuse. http://www.jacksrbetter.com/Pillow.htm. They seem remarkably durable for something that small. They weigh .6 of an ounce and are under $2.