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  1. #1
    Senior Member Risk's Avatar
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    Lightbulb Some thoughts on ridge line (RL)

    I got to do some playing with a RL today. I made my test RL from a piece of thinline Spectra I had lying about. I made it adjustable with a trucker's hitch.

    What I did:

    I set up my hammock (9'x4' gathered end rectangle) between trees a little further apart than I am used to. I gave it a fair amount of slack - more like I have seen on many recent posts - quite a bit more slack than I usually use. The suspension lines were about 30 degrees without weight.

    Trial balloon 1) I set up the RL so that it was just straight with no weight in the hammock. I sat down. The RL drooped about a foot. I laid down and the RL became just straight with almost no resistance to a pluck of the RL. The hammock felt a little too banana for my likes. With the 48 in width, there was little room to put my feet to the side to sleep diagonal. My feet kept wanting to fall out of the hammock.

    Trial balloon 2) I made the RL about 4 inches shorter. Now there was an obvious pulling up of the hammock ends on the support straps. I sat down. The RL was not tight, but it did not droop. I laid down. The RL was taught and it made a musical note when I plucked it. The hammock was even more in a banana shape and was more uncomfortable.

    Trial balloon 3) I retied the support straps so that the angle was more like 20 degrees. A little closer to what I am used to. I set up the RL so that there was just a little change in angle of the suspension cords caused by the RL. I sat down. the RL was slack but not drooping. I laid down. The RL was tight - like the Hennessy. My legs were much more comfortable and I was lying flatter than before. The hammock felt "right".

    I measured the RL and the hammock lengths. The hammock, with its end hems was 8'10" The RL was 8'2". The ratio was 92.5% From this, I gather that I like the hammock to lie much flatter than most of the posts that I have read. That may be because of the narrow width of my hammock.

    It will be interesting to see if the asymmetrical foot box hammock I am going to be building in January will feel better with a a lower percentage (shorter) RL.
    Rick (Risk) Website: http://www.imrisk.com
    I cook. I sew. I walk. I lead. I hang. I write. I play.
    Author of "A Wildly Successful 200-Mile Hike"
    http://www.amazon.com/Wildly-Success.../dp/B00COCI5HW

  2. #2
    Senior Member
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    To speed the process with other hammocks, skip all the RL adjustments and set the hammock and suspension where you like it. Then adjust the SRL (structural ridge line)to fit. Done.

  3. #3
    Dutch's Avatar
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    Wow, Risk where have you been. You helped pioneered this hobby and then disappeared.
    Peace Dutch
    GA>ME 2003

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  4. #4
    Senior Member Catavarie's Avatar
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    I've found with my limited experimentation that the 30° angle is ideally suited for hammocks in the 10'x5' range. Once dimensions (namely length) start changing often the ideal hang angle is affected as well.

    I've found that my small hammock (9'x4.5') I prefer my suspension to be more shallow, roughly 20°-25°. And larger hammocks I like the suspension deeper around say 40°.

    As gmcttr suggested, I tend to setup my hammock first and then add a ridgeline with that only has about 6" of adjustment as most. Even then I find that most of the time I don't need to adjust the ridgeline at all. Guess it is just one of those crutches I need to rid myself of.
    *Heaven best have trees, because I plan to lounge for eternity.

    Good judgement is the result of experience and experience the result of bad judgement. - Mark Twain

    Trail name: Radar

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  5. #5
    Senior Member SGT Rock's Avatar
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    My original couple of Ghost hammocks my RL was at about the 92% length as well. I really liked it like that, but I shortened it down to 82%(I think) when I decided to go with a 9' long tarp to ensure my hammock didn't stick out the ends. But I agree with you Risk, there is something to what you are onto.
    NO SNIVELING!
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  6. #6
    Senior Member Risk's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dutch View Post
    Wow, Risk where have you been. You helped pioneered this hobby and then disappeared.
    Hi Dutch,

    I was living in the state with less trail than any other that I know of... Texas, where there is very little public land. Big Bend had some nice trails, but it was 8 hours drive away. While I was there, I got interested in other hobbies - mainly astronomy and Geocaching.

    With a recent 4 day trip in Shenandoah NP, I got interested in hiking the AT again. That brought me back to hammocks.

    I was blown away with all the innovation y'all had accomplished with hammocks. I detail those changes in another post I left in the DIY forum yesterday.

    I've now bought some new materials and need to copy/modify some of the new designs. Big fun!!!!
    Rick (Risk) Website: http://www.imrisk.com
    I cook. I sew. I walk. I lead. I hang. I write. I play.
    Author of "A Wildly Successful 200-Mile Hike"
    http://www.amazon.com/Wildly-Success.../dp/B00COCI5HW

  7. #7
    Senior Member Risk's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SGT Rock View Post
    My original couple of Ghost hammocks my RL was at about the 92% length as well. I really liked it like that, but I shortened it down to 82%(I think) when I decided to go with a 9' long tarp to ensure my hammock didn't stick out the ends. But I agree with you Risk, there is something to what you are onto.
    Sgt Rock,

    I enjoyed your video/s on the ghost hammock and am inspired to try a 1.1 oz material hammock. I am going to make it a footbox design and asymmetrical just for fun - 48 in wide to keep the weight down.
    Rick (Risk) Website: http://www.imrisk.com
    I cook. I sew. I walk. I lead. I hang. I write. I play.
    Author of "A Wildly Successful 200-Mile Hike"
    http://www.amazon.com/Wildly-Success.../dp/B00COCI5HW

  8. #8
    Senior Member SGT Rock's Avatar
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    Good to hear from you Risk. I've been having a ton of fun making my own hammocks for the lat few years. Also, when I was stationed in Louisiana I think they actually have less hiking trails than Texas, and what few miles they do have are often gone due to lack of maintenance or have been converted to "multi-use" which means "torn up by ATVs". I actually went to Texas a couple of times to hike when I was down there.
    NO SNIVELING!
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  9. #9
    Senior Member
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    You all want few hiking trails? take a look at New Jersey.

  10. #10
    Senior Member SGT Rock's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by stalker42 View Post
    You all want few hiking trails? take a look at New Jersey.
    Not to nit pick, but at least you guys do have a part of the AT.
    NO SNIVELING!
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