Ridgline question

[potneck]

My HH is at 2QZQ being transformed by a Mod 4. (I'M EXCITED) When it returns I'm planning to cut the stock ridgeline and insert a Dutch biner so I can have option of setting up w/or w/out a ridgline. First question, is there any problem w/doing that and is there a better way? Secondly, if I setup w/the ridgeline in place and check the tension when I'm in the hammock to determine the angle/distance of my hang is what I'm comfortable with, will then removing the ridgline effect the lay? What seems ideal to me is never having the ridgline in place except when I need the bug net.

Hope that makes sense. Thanks so much for all the help in the past as well as on this question.

[SilvrSurfr]

I wouldn't mess with the HH ridgeline - it's part of the design. The ridgeline's purpose is for a consistent hang, not just to keep the bugnet off your face. What do you hope to gain by not having a ridgeline? Does it just annoy you?

I never notice my HH ridgeline, personally.

[potneck]

Thanks. Good questions. My HH is bottom entry so I've never used it w/out the net. When I get it back from 2QZQ I'll try it awhile and see how it goes. I was mainly thinking that it would be in the way of sitting in the hammock.

Thanks again for the reply.

[FLRider]

Thanks. Good questions. My HH is bottom entry so I've never used it w/out the net. When I get it back from 2QZQ I'll try it awhile and see how it goes. I was mainly thinking that it would be in the way of sitting in the hammock.

Thanks again for the reply.

It...can be.

However, I find that it isn't really onerous unless I have a lot of stuff hanging on it (organizer full, my headlamp larkheaded to it, my pocket knife clipped to it, my Camelbak's mouthpiece clipped to it, etc.); otherwise, it's only in the way when you're sitting upright--which I find an uncomfortable position in the hammock anyway.

I usually sit either with my weight over my legs (leaning forward) or lounging back. Neither is a pain with the ridgeline, at least for me.

[2Questions]

I like having the ridgeline disconnected. I often hang it without the ridgeline in place, but then I rarely am in the hammock except to sleep. I don't find it too difficult to approximate the sag angle and haven't experienced a bad night's sleep. One must remember however that a hammock hung not using the ridgeline to set the angle may cause a problem for the netting if later deployed. Our zipper mods are installed with the ridgeline connected. So far I haven't heard of anyone ripping bugnetting because of the ridgeline length being too long, but it is a consideration.

[potneck]

I like having the ridgeline disconnected. I often hang it without the ridgeline in place, but then I rarely am in the hammock except to sleep. I don't find it too difficult to approximate the sag angle and haven't experienced a bad night's sleep. One must remember however that a hammock hung not using the ridgeline to set the angle may cause a problem for the netting if later deployed. Our zipper mods are installed with the ridgeline connected. So far I haven't heard of anyone ripping bugnetting because of the ridgeline length being too long, but it is a consideration.

Thanks. Most of my use of the hammock is in temps when bugs are not a problem and with the Mod 4 I don't think I will use the net very often. When I do deploy the netting I will have the RL in place first. Thanks for the caution. Also, if I do make the RL detachable I plan for it to be the same length as stock when reconnected. I don't need any adjustment, it sleeps great as is.

Thanks for taking the time to respond.

[zukiguy]

I've got 2 organizers on the ridgeline so I'd be lost without it (phone, headlamp, book, earplugs, water bottle, etc). It would be nice to have that WBBB shelf sometimes . I think mine's a mod3 so I don't ever go totally "topless". Being in the southeast it's not very often that I can leave the netting open anyway. Something is always trying to bite or annoy me for the most part.

You'll probably need more than just a dutch biner to get back to the same lay. Two loops will use more cord than the length of the biner so you may end up a bit short. It's pretty easy though to remove the end and suspension and replace it with a section of zing-it/lash-it.