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  1. #1
    Senior Member hutzelbein's Avatar
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    Can't get comfortable in my Brazilian hammock

    I'm having trouble with my new Brazilian hammock. I got the hammock about 2 weeks ago. Before hanging it in my tiny room, I experimented with hanging angles outdoors - and it seemed to be really comfortable. I think that I got the anchor points indoors right. The hanging angle was around 45° as recommended, plus/minus 1 oder 2 degrees, depending on how tight the suspension was.

    I started with a lot of sag. While my back was very comfortable, I had major problems with overextended knees and heel pressure. I also wasn't really happy with the position my head was forced in. So I gave it a bit more sag - but this increased the problems. Therefore I tightened the suspension gradually - up to about 35°. The knee pain got a bit better, but the heel pressure remained the same. Additionally, it became more and more difficult to go even a tiny bit diagonal. The hammock forced me to lie in the middle, which was really uncomfortable for my head, and I also got a fair bit of shoulder squeeze (and I have pretty narrow shoulders).

    I don't know what the problem is; do I do something fundamentally wrong with the suspension? Or are Brazilians not made for camping hammock underquilts? I have been using my full-length Incubator underquilt, and maybe it added to the problem of not being able to lie diagonally. Or did I buy a bad hammock? When selecting the hammock, I tried to go as long and wide as possible (according to the manufacturer it's between 380 and 400cm long and 165cm wide, but I did not measure the hammock myself). Could it be the hammock itself?

    I spent quite a bit of money on this hammock, and don't want to go and buy another one. Maybe Brazilian hammocks are just not for me?

    I got my new Traveler hammock a couple of days ago. I set it up, and I had no problems whatsoever with knee or heel pressure. Although I'm using the same underquilt, it's easy to lie diagonally. The only disadvantage of the Traveler is the material: it tends to charge me electrically when getting in or out, and of course it doesn't feel as nice as cotton when sleeping every night in it indoors.

    I would appreciate any tips to make my Brazilian more comfortable.

    BTW - I have been using a knee pillow in the Brazilian hammock. I don't have to use one in my camping hammocks. It didn't eliminate the knee pain completely, and it also didn't solve the heel pressure problem.

  2. #2
    Senior Member ShadowAlpha's Avatar
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    my anchor point are about 14ft apart.
    if you aren't already -- try laying down very very diagonal position.
    I use a regular couch throw pillow for my head & my head is close to the edge

  3. #3
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    I have had times during my test runs where my hammock just will not get comfortable. Even though the setup looks exactly the same as my last test it just will not work out no matter how I lay.

    I generally find a good solution to be a complete re-setup of my hammock, whether that be on new trees of just re-hanging in place. Which is also why I make sure my hammock lays well before I set any other equipment up.

    Not sure if that changes with a Brazilian as I have no experience with those, but hope it helps

  4. #4
    Senior Member hutzelbein's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ShadowAlpha View Post
    my anchor point are about 14ft apart.
    if you aren't already -- try laying down very very diagonal position.
    I use a regular couch throw pillow for my head & my head is close to the edge
    How far the anchor points are apart depends on the height. If you have a high ceiling, you'll need to go further apart. I can't go very high because the room is tiny and not very high. As I said: it set the hammock up outdoors, and thought the lay felt OK. I measured the set-up and tried to re-create it indoors.

    Another problem is that it takes some time lying in the hammock to notice if it's set up 100% correctly. Maybe it wasn't right outdoors as well, but I didn't take more time because it was too cold.

    Quote Originally Posted by Cjreynol View Post
    I generally find a good solution to be a complete re-setup of my hammock, whether that be on new trees of just re-hanging in place. Which is also why I make sure my hammock lays well before I set any other equipment up.
    Well, it's not that easy - my anchor points are 2 eye pads fixed in the wall. I already put in a third eye pad to increase the distance (didn't solve the problem). I don't have a lot more choices - and judging by the angle it should be OK.

    My problem is that I don't have any experience with this type of hammock. When I bought the Blackbird (which was my first hammock), I could be sure that the hammock is not to blame if I feel uncomfortable. And to be honest, I never had so many difficulties getting the hang right. There was a learning curve, and it took about half a year until I got the hang perfect. But I could sleep in it from day 1 without pains.

    I simply don't know if it's my fault (either because I don't hang it correctly, or I don't lie in it right), or if it's the fault of the hammock (maybe it's crap) - or if Brazilian hammocks simply feel that way (in this case they're not for me - I was expecting the same if not more comfort as with the BB).

    Have to say: a ridgeline helps a ton! It's a great guide that I miss bitterly with the Brazilian. Sure, I could put in a ridgeline - but I wouldn't know how long it should be...

  5. #5
    Senior Member Beast 71's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hutzelbein View Post
    Have to say: a ridgeline helps a ton! It's a great guide that I miss bitterly with the Brazilian. Sure, I could put in a ridgeline - but I wouldn't know how long it should be...
    I'd try it at 80% of the hammock length or better yet splice an adjustable ridge line and try different legths. It sounds like a not enough sag problem to me and a ridge line should help that.

  6. #6
    Senior Member hutzelbein's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Beast 71 View Post
    It sounds like a not enough sag problem to me.
    Are you sure? Within the range I was able to try, the more sag I gave the hammock, the worse it got with regards to the overextended knees and heel pressure. I was also not able to get a flat lay with a lot of sag - which is probably a problem of not being able to get diagonal (the hammock did not allow me to go diagonal).

  7. #7
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    Maybe a picture or two would help us get a better perspective on fixing this?

  8. #8
    Senior Member Beast 71's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hutzelbein View Post
    I was also not able to get a flat lay with a lot of sag - which is probably a problem of not being able to get diagonal (the hammock did not allow me to go diagonal).
    I think you figured it out then. Tons of sag wont make up for a too narrow hammock. But why doesn't the hammock allow a diagonal lie. Are the sides ALOT tighter than in the middle. If 165cm is approximately 65" it should be plenty wide. I'm standing by not enough sag. It makes no sense if you analyze it but, the looser the hammock the flatter the lay. Whenever I've had trouble it's because of a strung to tight suspension. A structural ridge line should help if it's difficult to get the proper height and distance from your anchor points because of room limitations.
    "In your face space coyote"-HJS

  9. #9
    Senior Member hutzelbein's Avatar
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    Thanks for your input.

    Unfortunately I can't take pictures; the room is too small to get a substantial part of the set-up on the photo.

    Meanwhile I took the hammock outdoors again, and tried different angles - from very shallow (~35°) to very steep (~70°). It's difficult to say anything without having tried to spend a night in it (and it's too cold for my taste to try and sleep outdoors at the moment), but no matter what the angle: it felt a lot more comfortable than my set-up indoors. I don't think it's the angles. My guess is, that the underquilt is what was hurting me. Since I'm a cold sleeper (even indoors), I had it snug against the hammock, and I think, this is, what did not allow me to go diagonal. The shock cords were *very* tight, and pulled up the hammock. When I was in the hammock, it was putting pressure on my head.

    I have hung the hammock in the room again, and loosened the underquilt a lot. I'll try to sleep in it tonight and see if this changes things.

    If it is the underquilt: what do you guys use as insulation with your Brazilians? I tried a blanket, but it bunches up when I move. Do I have to make a larger underquilt? I suck at sewing (probably because I don't like it)

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