Feet higher than head?

[Humpback]

I've been mulling this over. Several people have mentioned hanging the foot end higher than the head end of their hammock.
How does this stop you sliding down in the hammock? Or is it for another purpose? Alan

[MAD777]

That is the purpose. With the foot end higher, you would have to slide uphill to slide into the foot end.

[Humpback]

I thought so but bogged down in the mechanics. How much higher do folks put the foot end?

[Miguel]

I thought so but bogged down in the mechanics. How much higher do folks put the foot end?

General rule of thumb....about 6 inches.

[highlife]

How does doing this affect blood circulation to the feet?

[XTrekker]

How does doing this affect blood circulation to the feet?

Elevating the feet 6" doesn't do much for effecting blood circulation to the feet, for me anyways.

[dirtymike]

I dont typically find my feer much higher when actually in the hammock laying / direction. But if i hang them level I find at ridge that cuts into my calf.

[JollyGreen]

General rule of thumb....about 6 inches.

So make sure to not let your wife calculate this lol

[samsara]

I think most people have covered it but I have a tiny bit more to add

6" is about the norm but I have found that on some hammocks a foot works best (I'm 6'2" and can get comfy in the very short ENO DN if the foot end is about a foot higher than the head end). The reason you need to do it (or slide) is because your upper body mass is bigger/heavier than your lower (basically legs) so when you are laying down your center of mass is probably around your belly button. If you hang it with the feet elevated it helps to fix that so you don't slide down (you could do it level and slide down if you miss the good old days of sleeping in a tent that isn't on a level surface ).

I have found three benefits to hanging the foot end higher, there are probably more:

• You don't slide down to the foot end during the night
• It helps me (and many others... see the previous comment) get rid of or eliminate the calf ridge and get a better lay
• If you have been hiking a long time the slight elevation helps to reduce the swelling in your feet but not so much that you reduce blood flow (as in all things in life too much of anything is not a good thing so don't go overboard with the elevation)

When you lay at an angle your feet won't be waaaaay higher... just a bit higher
Dave

[Jayson]

I find 4 - 6" good in my Hennesy and 8 - 10" is good in my Blackbird. I suspect the difference is due to the amount of stretch in the materials.
Even at a foot higher I don't feel like my feet are higher that me head.