Hanging with a tight structural ridgeline

[muzzo909]

I just got back from an overnight and the only trees I could hang from were about 20 feet apart. I had my straps as high as I could reach, but I couldn't get the hammock's ridgeline to loosen up to the proper tension. I ended up sleeping with the ridgeline under a pretty decent amount of tension. I was still comfortable for the night but was concerned about my setup.
My question is if it's ok to hang with the ridgeline really tight? Are there any problems that could arise?
Thanks for any help!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[WV]

That's what a structural ridgeline is for, but it needs to be as strong as your hammock suspension rope (the one that's roughly at a 30° angle), and the main rope to the tree may need to be twice as strong (but only twice as strong - there's no way to pull it tighter than a 15° angle without some sort of ratchet device). Most hammock ridgelines are not structural ​ridgelines because they haven't been built strong enough, and their users don't pull them that tight.

[muzzo909]

That's what a structural ridgeline is for, but it needs to be as strong as your hammock suspension rope (the one that's roughly at a 30° angle), and the main rope to the tree may need to be twice as strong (but only twice as strong - there's no way to pull it tighter than a 15° angle without some sort of ratchet device). Most hammock ridgelines are not structural ​ridgelines because they haven't been built strong enough, and their users don't pull them that tight.

The ridgeline, when your hammock is hung properly, should be able to bend a little using your fingers. My ridgeline was under a lot of tension and couldn't be bent. Is this amount of tension still ok for hanging and only an issue as far as comfort goes?
My ridgeline is 7/64 Amsteel and I'm using 1" webbing as my tree straps. I'd say the straps were at about a 20° angle. Best I could do under the circumstances.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Phantom Grappler]

When you ignore the 30 degree hang angle--extra stress is put on entire suspension including trees. I would never try to hang a flat angle hang, something might bust. I use 1/8 amsteel and Dutch's dyneema straps and sometimes hang a little flatter than 30 degrees because my tarp ridgeline and hammock ridgeline are one and the same. This weekend I set up at John Rock Hang and my ridgeline was droopy---then when I got in hammock it tightened up flat. I don't know if I could bend ridgeline while I was in hammock, cause I couldn't reach it.
None of my suspension has zing-it that can snap when hang angle is too flat. I just hope I never have a tree croak on me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MrJames]

When you ignore the 30 degree hang angle--extra stress is put on entire suspension including trees. I would never try to hang a flat angle hang, something might bust. I use 1/8 amsteel and Dutch's dyneema straps and sometimes hang a little flatter than 30 degrees because my tarp ridgeline and hammock ridgeline are one and the same. This weekend I set up at John Rock Hang and my ridgeline was droopy---then when I got in hammock it tightened up flat. I don't know if I could bend ridgeline while I was in hammock, cause I couldn't reach it.
None of my suspension has zing-it that can snap when hang angle is too flat. I just hope I never have a tree croak on me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

+1

[muzzo909]

When you ignore the 30 degree hang angle--extra stress is put on entire suspension including trees. I would never try to hang a flat angle hang, something might bust. I use 1/8 amsteel and Dutch's dyneema straps and sometimes hang a little flatter than 30 degrees because my tarp ridgeline and hammock ridgeline are one and the same. This weekend I set up at John Rock Hang and my ridgeline was droopy---then when I got in hammock it tightened up flat. I don't know if I could bend ridgeline while I was in hammock, cause I couldn't reach it.
None of my suspension has zing-it that can snap when hang angle is too flat. I just hope I never have a tree croak on me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I completely agree with you that's why I think I wanted some opinions. Ultimately, I aim for a 30° angle but this time it didn't work out.
And I'm aware that as the angle of your straps gets flatter there is more stress put on the entire system.
Can the Amsteel handle this stress or should it be avoided at all costs?
FYI my hammock ridgeline and suspension are independent from my tarp, and the trees I used were extremely substantial so I wasn't worried about them failing and crushing my noggin!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dutch]

Since you had an amsteel ridgeline it wasn't going to break that. It isn't the most desirable set up but sometimes the perfect set up isn't possible I have had to hang off trees that were too far apart, to thin, to close. You put more stress than usual on the system but if hanging once or twice with a 20 degree angle is going to break something, then you need more room for error IMO. It also isn't great for the trees so shoot for 30 degrees when ever possible. Don't fret over it being slightly off, especially with the amsteel ridgeline. There are more important things to worry about like male pattern baldness.

[Tikker]

what dutch said

[GadgetUK437]

I don't know if I could bend ridgeline while I was in hammock, cause I couldn't reach it.

Deep sag... or short arms?!?

[jcksparow]

Well, this thread has certainly made me feel better about my occasionally-tighter-than-I-would-generally-prefer amsteel structural ridgeline.