Pressure point relief

[TessdaTerrible]

This may be more geared towards lady hangers. Does anyone experience hip pain after a few nights hanging? It's a joint pain of sorts, like I've slept awkwardly, but I'm sleeping on my back or slightly tipped to one side. I'm in a gathered end ENO knock off.

Calf ridge doesn’t seem to bother me, but I'm waking up with sore hips. Does anyone have any recommendations?

[SilvrSurfr]

I tend to think your hammock is too short (as all ENO and knockoffs are).

[TessdaTerrible]

I tend to think your hammock is too short (as all ENO and knockoffs are).

I could see that if I was normal sized but at 5'0" and in a 9.5' hammock I don't feel like it's small?

That being said, how would that be determined?

[ADKrella]

I could see that if I was normal sized but at 5'0" and in a 9.5' hammock I don't feel like it's small?

That being said, how would that be determined?

Trying a larger hammock and seeing is the best way really.

When I fist got into it I read about people having some discomfort in hammocks here and there and it was usually resolved by getting a larger one so I just opted for a 11 footer straight away.

Could it be related to hiking at all or are you just using it at the house?

[TessdaTerrible]

Trying a larger hammock and seeing is the best way really.

When I fist got into it I read about people having some discomfort in hammocks here and there and it was usually resolved by getting a larger one so I just opted for a 11 footer straight away.

Could it be related to hiking at all or are you just using it at the house?

I'm just using it at the house for now. I guess it's already time for an upgrade, the little will be happy to get mommy's hammock at least.

[gunner76]

Check and see if there are any group hangs in your area. Attend it and if you see a hammock you like, ask the owner if you can get in it to try it on so to speak.

My wife is 5ft 3 and her two favorite hammocks are her BlackBird and her RidgeRunner. She is small enough that I went to wake her one AM and found she had turned completely around inside her BB. Still does not remember doing so.

[ADKrella]

I'm just using it at the house for now. I guess it's already time for an upgrade, the little will be happy to get mommy's hammock at least.

Haha...for sure...and an excuse to get some more cool gear.
Just as a suggestion if your DIY inclined you could make a 11 footer from a tablecloth pretty easy apparently .....to try out the length first for pretty cheap.
Wider is more comfortable as well.
http://tableclothfactory.com/product...ablelcoths/118
lots of threads on how to do it.

[hutzelbein]

I disagree with "longer = more comfortable" as a general rule. Hammock comfort seems to be influenced by a lot of different factors like length to width to (user) body ratio, fabric type and weight, suspension angles, ridgeline lengths (or no ridgeline at all), the way the ends are gathered (cinched, whipped, hybrid of both...) and so on. I have tried a lot of different hammocks, from 8' to 16' length and 48" to 79" width and many more differences. The longest hammocks were *not* the most comfortable ones, and the shortest not the most uncomfortable.

For what it's worth: the hammock that is most comfortable to me, by quite a wide margin, is the 10' old-style WB Blackbird. I assume that the dimensions fit my body (5'4") and build (slim to medium) well, and the way the ends are gathered feels different in a very good way, too. And then there's the footbox. Although common wisdom says that it shouldn't affect comfort, I find it does for me.

If you can, start trying out different hammocks. Do some DIYing. Change the suspension angles. Add a ridgeline and try different lengths and different grades of "tightness". It can be a bit tiresome if you don't get results fast, and it will cost you some money. But it's also fun. If you get the chance, go to a hang and check out what others are using. Good luck!

[BillyBob58]

I disagree with "longer = more comfortable" as a general rule. Hammock comfort seems to be influenced by a lot of different factors like length to width to (user) body ratio, fabric type and weight, suspension angles, ridgeline lengths (or no ridgeline at all), the way the ends are gathered (cinched, whipped, hybrid of both...) and so on. I have tried a lot of different hammocks, from 8' to 16' length and 48" to 79" width and many more differences. The longest hammocks were *not* the most comfortable ones, and the shortest not the most uncomfortable.

For what it's worth: the hammock that is most comfortable to me, by quite a wide margin, is the 10' old-style WB Blackbird. I assume that the dimensions fit my body (5'4") and build (slim to medium) well, and the way the ends are gathered feels different in a very good way, too. And then there's the footbox. Although common wisdom says that it shouldn't affect comfort, I find it does for me.

If you can, start trying out different hammocks. Do some DIYing. Change the suspension angles. Add a ridgeline and try different lengths and different grades of "tightness". It can be a bit tiresome if you don't get results fast, and it will cost you some money. But it's also fun. If you get the chance, go to a hang and check out what others are using. Good luck!

I think you nailed it, HB. I am 6'1. 205-210 lbs, and the more comfy hammocks I have tried seem to be pretty random size wise. Def one of- maybe the most comfy overall is my very long ( maybe pushing 12 ft?) and quite wide HH Safari, with it's huge sag under a ridge line I can barely reach if I am laying in it. But then again, very close to it for comfort is my 10 ft long and very narrow Claytor No Net. I do have a very popular 11 ft model, but I have not yet been able to say it is one bit more comfy than either of those, if it is even fully equal. Plus I have an even shorter Speer, which as long as I have something under my knees to defeat knee extension, or just sleep fetal, has less calf ridge than most and is about as comfy as any. So there are just a whole bunch of variables, which I think includes the user. Other than trying them out it can be hard to predict. ( and then there are those real shorties, the bridge hammocks)

[ADKrella]

I think you nailed it, HB. I am 6'1. 205-210 lbs, and the more comfy hammocks I have tried seem to be pretty random size wise. Def one of- maybe the most comfy overall is my very long ( maybe pushing 12 ft?) and quite wide HH Safari, with it's huge sag under a ridge line I can barely reach if I am laying in it. But then again, very close to it for comfort is my 10 ft long and very narrow Claytor No Net. I do have a very popular 11 ft model, but I have not yet been able to say it is one bit more comfy than either of those, if it is even fully equal. Plus I have an even shorter Speer, which as long as I have something under my knees to defeat knee extension, or just sleep fetal, has less calf ridge than most and is about as comfy as any. So there are just a whole bunch of variables, which I think includes the user. Other than trying them out it can be hard to predict. ( and then there are those real shorties, the bridge hammocks)

HB usually nails it in my experience.
Definitely spot on with the variables variable......or the variable variables.

My only question would be ....doesn't the foot box actually make the hammock "longer" per say....at least usable space for laying?
So a 10 footer would actually be like 10 + the foot box....so 10.5?
I've never had one with a foot box but they intrigue me ....specifically because of that extra usable space while saving some weight overall with a smaller footprint.
But I'm not sure if that's even how it works......