So in my time here and my time in the hammock I've learned a few things about how to decrease the discomfort of the ridge which seems to always run across my calves when laying in a gathered end hammock.
- Don't string the hammock too tight. A properly set structural ridgeline can help to reduce the chance of this, but remember you don't want to be able to use your ridgeline as a musical instrument.
- Hang the foot end of the hammock slightly higher than the head. This also helps with the sliding down problem that alot of new hangers experience where you go to sleep all comfortable but awaken in the middle of the night with your feet and TQ hanging over the edge of the hammock. As little as four inches seems to help, but I've found 6 inches to be the magic number on my particular hammock, just one more bit of fiddle factor many of us seem to love about hammocks.
- 3. For side sleepers: If you sleep on your right side sleep Head left, feet right. If left side sleeper sleep head right, feet left. I've found that this moves my calves beyond the ridge of fabric and decreases the amount of wiggling I need to do to get comfortable.
- 4. Use a small pillow or stuff sack of clothing under your legs. You want something that is soft enough to absorb the ridge but still provide plenty of support to your legs.
What have you come up with to defeat the ridge?
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