What's normal?

[Delvehound]

Ok, so I built my first ever hammock. It's pretty simple, 9.5 ft of 1.9 ripstop, whipped on the ends, whoopie slings, and polypro straps (that i stretched permanently using my high lift jack, I dodn't want to wait for it to do it on it's own ), and an adjustable structural ridgeline anywhere between 85 and 95in.

Anyway, I've got these two trees in my backyard, they're about 27 ft apart, so the 30° angle would put it somewhere around 9 ft up. the hammock stretches to within like 6 in of the ground, if i hang it as high as i can reach (about 8 ft).

So first question, is the 30° before or after you lay in the hammock? Do you guys normally have the hammock about waist height and then get in so it sags a bit lower or what?

So let me know, what's normal for you all?

[Ramblinrev]

27' is a really wide span. Normally I would say folks look for between 14-18'. The 30* sag is unloaded. There are some ways of making a very wide span work but the require some adaptations. A ladder to hang the straps high enough is probably the simplest. You can use an intermediate temporary support closer to the hammock and then tie that back to the tree. The tree then becomes a sort of counterweight to the support helping to stabilize everything. I think probably most folks set the hammock up about chair height when unloaded but that's really a personal choice and there is no "rule" that says that's where it has to be.

[SkunkApe]

Sounds like a job for RIDGELINE!!!

[Syrrka]

I've only got one tree, so I use a 6 ft. step ladder for the other end and tie it to the fence line. You have another option tho, you can tie the ropes that stabilize the ladder to the other tree. That way you don't have to hang so high.

You could also look at any thread with the words "TurtleDog" Stand. This is a really simple, easy to make tripod-based stand that is extremely stable. That way you wouldn't need to worry about trees at all! I'm spending the first night in mine tonight!

[GaHammockGuy]

First off... pics are requested.
For a first hammock it sounds perfect....
Now this is just me.... but i have hung between trees25' apart wuthout issue.. but yeah you need to hang the straps rather high up the bark.

Don't get too caught up with the numbers. Think of them as guidelines, not policy.
Go with what you are most comfortable with. One inch IS OFF THE GROUND so six inches is in the clouds.

It is tricky with wider spanned trees, but is possible, although not ideal.

The 30*, If you're using a structural ridgeline, wont change much, which is one of the functions of the structural RL.

Bottom line......
Set it up as best as you can. ... off the ground... and be comfy... off the ground... be warm..... and oh yeah....off the ground.

Welcome too the trees.

[obxh2o]

Sounds to me like your trees are a little far apart.

But, "normal" is whatever you believe it to be.

[Delvehound]

Awesome, Thanks everyone for the advice! Also, I'll figure out how to do the pics thing, and get them up as soon as I get a chance.

I did build up a couple of nifty stuff sacks from recycled tyvek envelopes over the weekend. Fits the hammock great, and now the total weight is 14.6 oz, without tarp! Now I just need to find some scrap Tyvek to make a tarp. Onward to the construction sites! I really want a 9x9 or 10 flat tarp b/c it'll give me lots of setup options at less than 16 oz.