Left lay? Right lay?

[carmike]

Hi all,

I'm pretty new to hammocking, but I've now been on four trips to northern MN (in the BWCA), carrying only a hammock for my sleeping system, and I'm, well, in love. Can't imagine going back to the ground.

I'm currently sleeping in an ENO doublenest that I/we received for a wedding present. My wife, after our last trip, fought me for the hammock, so I ended up sleeping on the ground for one last time (I know, I said I'd never do it, but...well...). But now I've got a question....

....What if I/we don't want a designated left/right lay? The ENO works great for me...sometimes I go one way, sometimes the other. Depends how I feel, etc. I guess I'm wondering if in my "ambidextrous" state, if I should avoid those hammocks that force me to choose? I always lay on a diagonal, but it's not always the same direction. My wife appears to be the same. She's only been on one "hammock" trip, and she spent a few nights in it, laying both ways, and she also doesn't have a preference.


Carl

[Sailor]

I've a Warbonnet with foot box on the right, but I'll bet I spend half the time laying shoulders right/feet left, and it seems to work fine. I wouldn't worry...

[Phantom Grappler]

Some gathered end hammocks can be used either left lay or right lay--with no adjustment--and some of them can be spun upside down and inside out, and then used for reversal of lay.
Some hammocks are made for only one direction of lay.


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[kitsapcowboy]

I believe you are in the fortunate minority who are "ambidextrous" hammock hangers. I've been told that most people, who are predominately right-handed, are also right lay. I am right-handed, but I prefer (strongly) to lay left; right lay feels wrong to me -- like putting boxers on backwards. However, I did order my SLD Trail Lair with tie-outs to allow the hammock to be configured for a lay in either direction, just in case I ever loan it.

That said, while most gathered-end hammocks allow the hanger to switch direction of lay without obstacle, I think anyone who believes that direction of lay is completely irrelevant probably hasn't laid in the opposite direction under an asym tarp in the rain. Since the fly is cut to cover one lay or the other, you can switch lays in the hammock, but your head and feet will be exposed without doing something about your weather protection...

[JmBoh]

i find myself head left/feet right for some reason. I just kinda naturally end up that way. dunno why.

[SilvrSurfr]

I'm head right/feet left. I strictly use simple, gathered-end hammocks, partly so I don't have to worry about such things.

[sqidmark]

In the house I find that I naturally lay right. My wife HAS to lay left. Outside with the spreader bar, I switch to left to avoid unnecessary collisions. We use simple netless gathered ends with knotty mods at foot end on both sides, so the hammocks do not affect which direction we lay.

[Singingcrowsings]

I wasn't sure about my preference, and despite being right handed, tend to do opposite things than other right handers, which is one of the reasons why I got my Freebird (a simple gathered end hammock) - you can lay either way. As it turns out, I prefer a left lay, and I get a weirded out feeling when I see people lay to the right. Ha ha!

I've been told laying the opposite to what an integrated hammock is designed for could put pressure on the sewn/zippered area and damage the hammock.

[TominMN]

It's the integrated net and how it is shaped that will make a hammock right or left lay. Netless GE hammocks aren't an issue. Learning if you heavily opt for one or the other in a netless will be great info if you ever want one with an integrated net.

[Intimidator]

It's the integrated net and how it is shaped that will make a hammock right or left lay. Netless GE hammocks aren't an issue. Learning if you heavily opt for one or the other in a netless will be great info if you ever want one with an integrated net.

A simply light designs hammock has a symmetrical netting design so you can lay either way.

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