OK, ive been reading too much. question about 30* angle

[robv60]

This may be a stupid question but I have been reading too much and have managed to get myself confused and need some reassurance. When hanging a hammock and trying to get the 30* angle.... Im assuming we are trying to get the 30* angle when the hammock is loaded so.... how do you hang the hammock when unloaded so that you achieve the 30* angle when loaded? Ive used the hammock hang calculator and with trees 12' apart, hammock length of 118" (no ridgeline yet), 18" seat height and a 145lbs load. it says I should hang the hammock at 59.6". Im assuming that once the hammock is loaded , that is when the 30* angle is created, correct?

[bindibadgi]

I go for about 30 degrees when the hammock is unloaded. sometimes I have to re-adjust it a bit after getting in to test, but not normally. Just do it a few times at home before you go out on the trail. It will become second nature before you know it.

If you don't know the hand trick, hold your hand with fingers straight and together, and your thumb out at a right angle. The line from thumb tip past your fingertips is roughly the 30 degree angle from horizontal that you want, so you can sight the hammock suspension pretty easily.

If you have a ridge line, then when you get in to test, shoot for the ridge line being straight (not floppy) but with enough give that you can put a slight "Z" in it with one hand. That's a starting point, and you can experiment from there until you find your sweet spot, which will be unique to you.

Things will work out pretty well so that if you get 30 degrees unloaded, the sit height will still be right (according to the hang calculator) when you're in.

[DivaB]

This thread today covers a lot of it http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...844#post720844

Don't over analyze it though. Use you forefinger and thumb and go for it.

[GrizzlyAdams]

It is easy to over-analyze all this stuff. Guidelines are just that, guidelines.
The calculator is a good tool for guesstimating how far up you should put the tree straps if you want a given sitting height off the ground. But if you're off by half a foot, no worries, there's a lot of resiliency built in here.

Typically the angle will increase under load, if you shoot for something in the neighbor of 30 degrees unloaded, maybe a little less, it will be different under load but so long as you have the sag you want, you're good.

[robv60]

Gotcha. Great advice guys! Im still having a little trouble wrapping all this around my mind's eye. I really just need to get out there and tinker with it I guess. So the calculator is for telling you how high up the tree to place your straps to get the right sit height given the distance between trees and length of hammock or ridgeline. If you want to add more sag you have to lengthen the straps and place them higher up the tree...? If you add a ridgeline for the sag do you still need to raise the straps on the tree or just tighten the straps until the line is tight?


EDIT:::: Nevermind.... It just clicked.