Flat lay?

**Boon Booni** · 06-08-2013, 12:32

I've been reading a lot of hammock reviews, and every one seems to tout the "flat lay". When a new hammock hits the shelves, be it Lite Owl, Ridge Runner or what have you, it's invariably described as a flat lay, implying that what ever hammock the reviewer has previously used has not be as flat.

I'm surprised (and maybe I've just missed it) that there hasn't been some sort of attempt to quantify how "flat" the lay is.

It got me thinking.

I have a few home made hammocks, 1 store bought hammock and of course my bed (the standard to which many seem to compare their hammock). "Almost as comfortable as my bed" "I'd choose this over my bed". So I was messing about laying in my hammock and realized that I could tense up and force my body into a flat lay. Basically lift my butt by pushing down with my heels and my head. This lifted my butt about 4". I got into my bed and tensed up and lifted maybe 1/2" if at all. Tried it again in my 11' long home made snipe and got maybe 3" lift. Now I I'm I'm measuring with a tape measure right at my belt buckle. It's all bit un-scientific, but I'm getting what appear to be repeatable results.

Seems like if we could determine an amount of "lift" when talking about how flat the lay of a hammock is, perhaps it'd be more informative for when comparing the lay of one hammock to another.

$0.02

**BillyBob58** · 06-08-2013, 14:11

Flat ( from a practical point) to me is if, like with most bridge hammocks, when I lay on my back the is no hint of my knees being forced into the wrong direction ( extension or hyper-extension). Or if I lay on my left side with legs straight, there is no sense of my left shoulder and left foot being forced to a higher position than my waist. All of the above being a lack of the issues caused by the natural banana shape of a non-bridge hammock, which is what the diagonal lie is an attempt to overcome.

Another thing is: If laying in a bridge, and viewed from the side, my lower side will not be flat at all. You can see various pressure points which are lower than others, as the hammock fabric assumes the shape of your body curves. But if I lay a long straight edge across my belly down to my legs, it will show that the part of my body visible from inside the hammock is quite straight. IOW, it will pretty much lay down in contact with my chest, belly, thighs, shins. Assuming you do not have a large belly sticking up, and also knee caps might throw it off some. But if you are in a much less flat hammock, there should be more gap- some air - between say your belly and thighs and the straight edge, with the straight edge supported more or less by the ends.

But I don't know if that difference in air between the straight edge and your body would be enough to readily quantify. For me it is just something that is quickly felt in my knees(if back sleeping) or in my side(if side sleeping). The flatter hammock will be noticeably more comfy in those 2 areas.

Far and away, in my experience, the bridge hammocks are the flatter ones. But that does not mean that the non-bridge can not be extremely comfy, as the diagonal lie gets you much closer to flat, and maybe close enough to avoid knee/side issues. Plus many of us put something under our knees to overcome a lack of flatness. Plus, in many not so flat hammocks side sleeping in fetal is very comfortable.

P.S.
Picture sitting in a recliner, feet up, laid out as far as it will go. Viewed from the side, there will be a curve in the recliner, obviously not flat. Mine is bent at the waist, so on my back no problem for my back or waist, as it is comfy to be flexed at my waist. However, the foot of my recliner drops a little, allowing my knees to bend in the correct angle. If a hammock was shaped like this, and did not allow my feet to drop ( as most will not), my knees are going to hurt. A straight edge is going to show some big gaps. Again, this is what the diagonal lie helps with in a hammock. So the recliner is not flat at all, but because it allows the knees to bend, it is way comfy. My bed will not have these gaps between body and straight edge.

But if I lay on my side(legs straight) or stomach in the recliner? No way! Unless I go way fetal on my side, which will overcome the curve in my non-flat recliner. Stomach, just forget it! Some people can lay on their stomachs in a bridge hammock, but I doubt they can in 99% of non-bridge hammocks, or in my recliner.

**hppyfngy** · 06-08-2013, 14:26

Hey Boon Booni,

It's all very subjective, isn't it? Testimony varies depending on body type, especially height, and sleeping position. Not to mention, in a gathered end, how diagonal you go, and width of the fabric regulates that to some degree.

I don't really see how there can be much more than a general rule of thumb. It's why I've had several different ones. It's a very individual thing.

hfg

WV · 06-08-2013, 14:40

I was going to say that the angle of the spine is what matters. I position myself in my hammock so my feet are slightly elevated (without forcing the knees into hyperextension) and my back is more or less horizontal so my center of mass doesn't induce me to slide downhill toward the foot end. However, I don't really want my spine to be straight. I want the hammock to support the full length evenly, which means letting it curve a bit in the right places. I think BillyBob58 said it better, by talking about how different parts of the body feel in different positions in different types of hammock. Add in that all hangers are different and that they may be more different when they're trying to sleep, and you've got an interesting question (verging on a conundrum.)

Note: "conundrum", according to Merriam Webster:

a riddle whose answer is or involves a pun. 2. a : a question or problem having only a conjectural answer. b : an intricate and difficult problem.

I think definitions 2 and 3 apply in this instance, but that's only a lay opinion ...

GT · 06-08-2013, 15:00

It's going to be tough getting a nice flat lay. Although some of the bridge hammocks I've seen pictures of look pretty flat. I think the CG thing is against most of us.
The problem I have is that my blanky and pillow always end up balled up under my butt because my feet and head are higher. I'm thinking about clipping my blanket at one end and making a pillow pocket on the head end.
Hammocks are just a never ending battle for me. But I like the challenge.