1st night in Blackbird, not as awesome as i expected it to be

[Detman101]

1. I am used to a ENO Singlenest.
2. I felt like the shelf was on me and I could not get my legs comfortably in the foot box.
3. I did feel some of the calf ridge that I have read about.

The three main reasons I'm thinking of passing mine on to my wife and purchasing a Hammeck Netty.

1. Used to a "GT -SBP".
2. I can't stand how the shelf and material are all over your face if you don't use the two tie-outs. I like the shelf a lot...but I can survive without it! And unless you're laying right under the ridgeline the material is all in your face...even when you use the footbox.

This is how I fit in this stupid thing if I don't stake out both sides or lay with my legs and arms out to my sides to hold the material at bay...
3. The damnable calf ridge!!! I suspect that the whipping/gathering on the foot end is just done wrong. I suspect that taking the foot-end gathering apart and rebinding it will fix the stupid calf ridge. The center of the material should be looser than the edges of the gathered material to get rid of that rotten calf ridge. It's so bad that it's almost like there's a wall down the center of the hammock. I HATE it!!
4. Having to hang one side higher than the other...really? Something this simple shouldn't be so darn complicated.
5. It's frickin small! There's no bloody room on the inside of this thing! For all of it's innovation and features, this is a REALLY small hammock inside.Ugh...I'm going back to my skeeter beater and seeing this gimmicky crap.

[Detman101]

Ugh...how is this thing almost 4 times as expensive as my old grand trunk and not even half as comfortable??

I certainly drank the darn kool-aid...

[Loki]

Ugh...how is this thing almost 4 times as expensive as my old grand trunk and not even half as comfortable??

I certainly drank the darn kool-aid...

Sorry you're not able to make it work.
Might consider selling it?
Hope you have a nice day

[Detman101]

Sorry you're not able to make it work.
Might consider selling it?
Hope you have a nice day

Thank you for the well wishes. I hope you have a great day too. I am selling it once I get my Hammeck Netty in.
It will be a long month...

[hutzelbein]

In the picture it looks like you're not really lying diagonally. I never have anywhere near that much fabric anywhere if I don't stake out the sides - and I'm fairly short.

In my experience, it takes some fiddling until you manage to set up the Blackbird correctly and find the sweetspot. But if you do take the time and are patient, you'll be rewarded. There are a lot of hammocks that are easier - but the BB is by far the most comfortable hammock for me.

Since you already paid the money and own it, why not play around with it a bit more? Here are some things that worked well for me:
1. Have you watched the WB set-up video?
2. Make sure that your suspension has a 25°-30° angle -> the ridgeline should be fairly tight. I like the lay when the ridgeline is a bit tighter than in the video (but I can still bend it a bit).
3. Hang the head end considerably lower than the foot end. I'm 5'4" and when I lie in the BB, I can almost touch the head end with my outstretched arm.
4. Lie as diagonally as possible.
5. Try scooting towards your right side; while staying diagonal, try putting your feet pretty much "in" the footbox, and have your butt more on the right side than on the left side. Your head should still be well on the right side, and nowhere near the center line.

Experiment a bit with different hang angles; see if it helps if you hang the head end even lower; move around in the hammock and see which position feels good.

If nothing works or if you don't have the patience, sell it. The BB is not for everyone, but there are plenty of takers. You won't lose much money.

How tall are you anyways? The Blackbird is not a small hammock. Up to 6' you should have plenty of room. But of course an 11' hammock will provide a bit more space. On the other hand: you'll have more floppy fabric as well.

[Detman101]

1. Yes, I've watched the setup vid from the manufacturer. It hasn't helped ease the increased setup time compared to other, simpler, hammocks.

2. Copy that. I try to monitor my hang angle and I also like the ridgeline tight. If it won't hang tight, I switch trees and start over again.

3. I've tried hanging the head end a full foot lower than the foot end and that helps when using the footbox...but I like to flip positions and I move a lot when I sleep. I don't think a hammock that restricts me to one lay is ever going to work. Too much life being married or eating burgers every day...ugh.

4. Tried that. It still feels smaller inside than my skeeter beater.

5. I've tried lying to the right of the "fabric wall" and while that helps for a while, when I change positions I'm right back where I started again in discomfort.

For what it's worth, I'm sure this hammock works for other less fidgety people that need less space inside and are comfortable being restricted to the footbox.
Personally, this won't work for me and it will be for sale once my hammeck-Netty arrives.

This hammock really does remind me of marriage.
It costs a fortune and looks good on paper...But it's restrictive, uncomfortable and a pain to deal with.

[Silverpalm2x]

I think you hijacked my old thread. I have never set it up with out staking out the sides. I always pull them out. Also I found I have to hang foot and head then raise feet more. By looking at your picture you are not at a far enough angle. Body has to go almost on the zipper to get feet in foot box to avoid calf ridge.

[hutzelbein]

I don't think Detman is interested in advice - I have the impression that the post was simply a rant, although I don't really understand why. I have bought a lot of hammocks. Quite a few didn't work out for me. I sold quite a few. But nobody forced me to buy, and there was nothing wrong with the hammocks. They just weren't right for me. I learned from every unsuccessful buy I made and recovered most of the money I spent. The Blackbird can be sold for close to the original price - so the experience was pretty cheap. No reason to be angry, really. Hope the Netty works out for him, though.

[slbear]

I have a Netty but not selling it. I might buy a BB or XLC to try sometime. It would be a nice upgrade from my son's HH expedition.

[Detman101]

I think you hijacked my old thread. I have never set it up with out staking out the sides. I always pull them out. Also I found I have to hang foot and head then raise feet more. By looking at your picture you are not at a far enough angle. Body has to go almost on the zipper to get feet in foot box to avoid calf ridge.

Yeah...that's not going to work for me.

I wish the wait wasn't so long on the Netty hammocks. I'd sell this WBBB much sooner if my Netty were here already.