When I used gathered end hammocks the biggest gain in comfort for me was rolling a sit pad and putting it under my knees. But the greatest gain in overall comfort has come from switching to a bridge hammock.
When I used gathered end hammocks the biggest gain in comfort for me was rolling a sit pad and putting it under my knees. But the greatest gain in overall comfort has come from switching to a bridge hammock.
The camper formerly known as HikingDad...
One of the biggest improvement was leaving the ground itself. With that came better sleep, no tossing n turning, no pressure points. A lot of rocks in Maine - its nice to look down on them.
Best part, by far, is no aching hips and shoulders in the morning. No feeling the twigs and rocks and bumps from under the tent. After that, adding a small pillow under the knees to keep from over extending them was a huge improvement.
Downsides: No golden retriever curling up alongside to keep me extra warm.
Speaking of down sides to hammocking.... other than missing my warm dogs at night.... does anybody want to share what they see as a "minus" to hammocking?
+1 on all responses
- Biggest improvement was actually being able to sleep in comfort, night after night.
- Second biggest improvement was my 3+ season DIY underquilt (snug as a bug)
- Third was installing my DIY #4mod side zipper on my stock Hennessy (allowing easy call-of-nature egress - Stock bottom-entry Hennessy with tight underquilt almost equaled wet bed!! - I almost pulled out my knife to cut may way out through the bug netting)
- Fourth was adding DIY Griz-beaks to my tarp to seal out the weather (often only use one on the windward side)
Survival is about getting out alive, Bushcraft is about going in to live - Chard (aka Forest-Hobo)
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1. The big knee pillow/bolster has dramatically improved my sleep.
I always woke up multiple times with discomfort caused by pressure on the soles, and sides and heels of my feet--its just not natural to have pressure there. I fill a stuff sack with every soft item i have and then raise the knees and "de-pressurize" the feet.
2. Using "Breatherights" nasal strips when I sleep in the hammock (and at home) has made a big difference, too. Less snoring, more oxygen.
3. Under Quilt Protector. Made a big difference in warmth.
Simply being off the ground in a hammock is truely a blessing... in so many ways cited in preveous posts.
But... IMHO...
Biggest improvement after that is hammock camping 12 months a year...Doing so required solving the "Bridge freezes before road and so does your bottom and sides in a hammock" problem... This was made possible 9+ years ago with the first under quilt... The Nest.
Pan
Ounces to Grams.
www.jacksrbetter.com ... Largest supplier of camping quilts and under quilts...Home of the Original Nest Under Quilt, and Bear Mountain Bridge Hammock. 800 595 0413
Sleeping all night without pain, setting up and taking down camp without having to worry about getting the dirt and leaves off your tent. Nothing touches the ground. : )
1. Getting off of the cold, wet and uncomfortable ground and then sleeping like a baby.
2. Under quilts.
3. The great people I have had the pleasure of meeting in person and talking within a group of like minded people on this forum.
"If'n I'm gonna fall, someone is gonna' watch."
Sean Emery
Two problems I've had
1. sore shoulders. This is part my fault and part of Rotator Cuff surgery. It's also one reason I got out of a bed. In a bed I sleep on my side, swapping between sides when the pain wakes me up, which is constant. Solution for aches in a hammock turned out to be stretching excercises. It doesn't take much. At times I will favor a slight tilt when sleeping and that takes care of any shoulder squeeze for me.
2. Leg cramps. I get leg cramps fairly consistently. Just had one last week in fact. This happens mostly when I get cold so when the temp is low, wow! I use flannel PJ bottoms in winter and when the temp fell last week. Another thing, which I did right off, was a pillow to make sure I didn't hyper extend my knees but even with them crooked a bit, them muscles will go to cramping fierce. Hitting the treadmill helped after the initial cramps us older folks get. I added Magnesium and Potassium to my diet at night but I haven't seen much improvement with that. So I still get the occasional cramp but keeping my legs warm seems to be most of the key. I also spend more time at night, if I wake, folding a leg at a time, slowly stretching those muscles. If I can, when I wake, I tend to do that first. If I wake up with a cramp, it's basically try not to scream time, hold the leg straight till the cramp diminishes and then get out, stand and walk it out. All a real pain if you've woken up due to bladder pressure.
Majority of the time though, I wake up, rotate my joints listening to the ankles, knees and hips pop, sometimes even toes. Roll Stretch my hole body looking pretty much like a butterfly coming out of it's chrysalis, and slink out of the hammock. For the last 4 years before going to the hammock I would instead roll to the side that didn't hurt the most, roll up and try to stretch and bend my body till I could walk. Now I try to hold my self awake and upright as I stumble, half asleep, to the bathroom.
Pain, just something that sneaks up on you, it's why they make them little blue all day pills.
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