Trouble Getting Comfortable

[Landmark]

I need some input from all of you true believers in hammock camping.

I've been out camping in a hammock on 3 different occasions now (and I've taken several shorter naps as well). One night with a Hennessy Hammock Explorer, and Two nights with a 1.1 Double Warbonnet Blackbird.

Every time I've tried, I honestly cannot say I've slept very well. Each night started off fine, but I would wake up several times throughout the night, and by the time morning came - I was cold, my back hurt, my shoulders felt like they were forced into a "hunched" position... and it generally hasn't gone very well. To date, I don't think I've ever felt "well-rested" in a hammock.

I realize I need to get an underquilt (at the very least) to solve my problems with getting chilled at night - but other than this, what am I doing wrong? Clearly it's my problem, because nobody else seems to have these issues.

I've been very careful to hang my hammock at the correct angle, with the right distance between trees (with the head end slightly lower than the foot end). I lay perfectly diagonal and get as flat a lay as is possible. I am 6'2, 210 lbs, which in theory is supposed to fit comfortably with both of the hammocks I've used... what else am I missing?

[Shug]

Possible that you may need to try a longer hammock...like an 11 footer.
Good luck on it all.
Shug

[pgibson]

There are a lot of things that you may want to keep in mind. Warmth is a big one. Even being a little cold at night can make it difficult to sleep well.

Another thing is that changing where your sleeping can take some folks time for their body to adjust. For some not an issue but there are those of us that it can take a few days for a different "bed" to feel right and your body to sleep soundly. For me it can take anywhere from a night or two to even 3 or 4 nights before it's just right...then when I get home form a trip it takes another night or two to get back used to my bed. A Tylenol PM, ZZZQuil, or what have you can help. Remember that your body and mind can take time to adjust to different things. Little night time sounds are different in your house than out in the woods. Staying up late around the campfire can throw your sleep cycles off to. By the 4-5th night of a trip though I have adjusted and crash in minutes for hours and hours.

Once you find a hammock that feels comfortable give it a good test...a week if you can to really judge how it feels. One or two nights is hard to make the changes.

Good Luck and welcome.

[kbajg]

Possible that you may need to try a longer hammock...like an 11 footer.
Good luck on it all.
Shug

I'm never as comfortable in my hammock as my own bed but its nice to be off the ground & I stay a lot drier than in a tent. I look at it as a good trade off.
The more worn out I get with activities in the day time I believe I could sleep on concrete if need be.
Keep trying different angles or maybe a longer hammock. I switched to a 11' snipe hammock & noticed it much more comfortable than my initial shorter hammock and I'm all of 5' 7" so go figure. Had a lot of calf pressure in my DD hammock for some reason.

[pgibson]

Longer can almost always be better up to a point. I have a few 12's that are crazy comfy. But it also gets to be a bit much to pack and harder to work with all the other accessories that are made more for the camping size of 9-11'

[Landmark]

Interesting - thanks for all the replies so far. Perhaps a longer hammock is what I need. I just wish there was a way to test this out without actually having to buy one, lol!

[SMJerry]

YMMV... but I sleep way better in my Blackbird than I do in my Hennessy... It took a little finding the perfect lay, but now it is the same lay and comfort every time.
A couple things that I learned.
1. Watch your ridge line. It will tell you if you have the same lay or not.
2 Tree distance. too close.. too far. makes a difference.
3. position of body. Once I found that perfect position it all became right. Now I automatically get into that position without thinking about it.
4. Don't give up. You will find in the end that it is well worth it. I refuse to dwell on the ground now that I have lofty comfort in the hammock.
Just my couple cents worth.. Hope it helps

[Jayson]

I found the Blackbird to be a very fiddley hammock to get right. I need my foot end at least 6" higher then head and up to 8/9". I also like to have my ridgeline pretty snug before getting in, many say that is wrong but it works for me...it is amsteel so plenty strong. Also find my head ending up almost in center of hammock body...if you move around a bit you will feel yourself sort of drop into a sort of groove. Hard to explain.

[SilvrSurfr]

+1 on 11 ft. hammocks - they are much more comfortable for me than the shorties. With that said, my first night in a hammock is always uncomfortable to some degree. On most of my trips, the first day is a travel day, with not enough hiking to be tired enough to fall asleep. By the second night, I sleep like a log.

I don't sleep full-time at home in a hammock. In the bed, I'm a side sleeper and I love my pillow, but in a hammock I sleep on my back with no pillow. Takes some getting used to every time I go out.

I also notice the quality of sleep is entirely different in a hammock. In a bed, I have coma-like sleep. In a hammock, it's a lighter, more restful sleep. I just have to remind myself of the difference.

[SMJerry]

For what its worth.. Everyone will have their opinion on how this is supposed to work.. and everyone will be right.. it is a personal thing. All I can definitively say is that I sleep like crap on the ground in a tent... no matter how many nights or how tired I get... I know that I camp more now because of the hammock and the great slumber I fall into.
Can you tell we love our hammocks?