Hammock to Ridgeline Ratio

[Fish<><]

My narrowest hammock, a Switchback at 48" wide, feels best with the ridgeline length at nearly 90% of the hammock length.

At a 90% ridgline length, are you able to hold the optimal 30 degree hangle? Just curious...

[MAD777]

Actually, to have the 30% angle on the suspension without a ridgeline, the distance from end to end of the hammock is 86.6% of the hammock length. That's just math (the cosine of 30* is 0.866).

So, a shorter ridgeline will have tension in it if hung at 30* and a longer ridgline will go slack unless hung flatter than 30*.

[samsara]

Don't forget that there are many things involved in a good flat lay in your hammock: foot end/head end heights, where you are laying in the hammock and where your back side is located, etc.

My advice would be to do what all of the others have suggested and spend some quality time in your hammock working things out. Move around in the hammock to see if sliding your butt a few inches to the left or right change things (it probably will) and move your body farther towards the foot end and head end to see what that does. I know for me it took a little while but now I'm pretty efficient at finding the sweet spot in a new hammock fairly quickly (I even sleep every night in an ENO DN without needing a ridgeline and I sleep on my back and both sides VERY comfortably and I'm 6'2").

Lke FLRider said... it's time spent in a hammock so it's time well spent

Dave

[Fish<><]

Actually, to have the 30% angle on the suspension without a ridgeline, the distance from end to end of the hammock is 86.6% of the hammock length. That's just math (the cosine of 30* is 0.866).

So, a shorter ridgeline will have tension in it if hung at 30* and a longer ridgline will go slack unless hung flatter than 30*.

Very clear and concise explanation. Also allows me to understand something I was concerned about when I was a newb. Thanks mad.

[Laochri]

Thanks Guys. It seems my ridgeling is set up close to 81% of my hammock length. I guess I need to just find my sweet spot. The way I made my ridgeline is I put a Locked Brummel on both ends and slipped it over my whoopies.

[MDSH]

Actually, to have the 30% angle on the suspension without a ridgeline, the distance from end to end of the hammock is 86.6% of the hammock length. That's just math (the cosine of 30* is 0.866).

So, a shorter ridgeline will have tension in it if hung at 30* and a longer ridgline will go slack unless hung flatter than 30*.

Where is it written that the angle should be 30*?