You could also download the hammock hang angle calculator. If anything it might cost $1 and really helps you get to that 30° angle.
You could also download the hammock hang angle calculator. If anything it might cost $1 and really helps you get to that 30° angle.
For those not aware of the trig functions involved, the attacheddiagram may be instructive
HammockPhysics_original.jpg
For a 30 deg angle, and a ridgeline of exactly 86% of hammock length, the ridge line will be in tension in accordance with the numbers provided. Of course, the lengths will never be exact, and the angle used approximate.
So for 30 deg, and 200 lbs. If ridge length is exactly 86% (or less), tension in the line will be 2x 175 lbs. if fractionally more than 86%, tension will drop to zero, so you can reach up and twist the line between thumb and finger.
If hang angle goes to 20 deg. Then tension in the ridge line will be maximised, at 550 lbs. So it is not a surprise that ridgelines snap.
So when you set up your hammock, sit in it carefully, and if the line is in tension, lengthen your suspension until there is a little slack.
?So why 86%? - sine 60 deg is 0.86
I'm confused. I thought with the hammock loaded, there's supposed to be room for a fingerwidth 90* turn. Which translates to slack, to me. It's still plenty snug enough to hold up a bugnet and other lightweight things, but nowhere near taut.Originally Posted by La Picker
There are no Exacts in the hammock life.
Truth!
Shug
Whooooo Buddy)))) All Secure in Sector Seven
Zilla, I disagree. This is the old confusion of what a structural ridgeline is. There are two types of ridgelines being used by hammockers, and what you say applies to ones that are not intended to control the sag angle of the hammock. If the OP likes the feel of the hammock when the ridgeline is taut, he should be using a stronger line.
Thanks for the video. Good info for me
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I'm confused. I do know to hang a hammock but all this contradicting info is confusing me. What is the PROPER way to hang a hammock with a structural ridgeline? I know you should shoot for as close to 30* as possible. What about the ridgeline tautness?
"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view-until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." -Atticus Finch
I'm not sure either. I'm going to follow the video PapaSmurf linked, and go with 30 deg for my suspension and just fiddle around with my ridgeline until I think it's right.
Don't be confused, as a lot of this information is discussing an "ideal" setup (not to be confused with PROPER). I think OutandBack said it best in post #10, finding the ideal distance between two tress so there isn't immense force on your ridgeline is the best case scenario.
However, I'm sure most if not all of us have encountered a time when that just wasn't possible and the trees were too far apart. Here the ridgeline can provide the structure to keep your hammock with the proper sag. Keep in mind that this setup and having a very tight ridgeline puts a lot of stress on the line, so make sure it can handle the forces in play.
So I'll go out on a limb and say there isn't a PROPER way to hang your hammock. What one finds comfortable isn't necessarily what another will encounter. Rideglines aren't necessary on a hammock, but many find them to be helpful. If something works for you and you find it comfortable, go with that. Just be aware of different setups and if you can, try them out. Mirroring what someone else does may indeed be great, but you'll never know if there is setup that works even better for you.
It's actually pretty simple. If the purpose of your structural ridge line is to cause the hammock to mimic a 30 (or whatever your chosen comfort zone is) degree hang and your ridgeline is slack (ie not taut), then your suspension is already at an angle of 30 degrees or greater and your ridgeline is not actually serving any purpose other than keeping your bug net out of your face and/or hanging your flashlight.
The degree (no pun) to which your suspension angle is less than 30 degrees (as in when the trees are further apart, etc.) will determine how much tension is actually applied to your structural ridgeline.
To say that your ridgeline is "right" when it has a certain amount of tension on it (as in the 90 degree bend rule) just doesn't agree with the physics of the application nor the purpose of a structural ridgeline. The only way you can cause a certain specific amount of tension to always be on your ridgeline would be to always hang your hammock at exactly the same hang angle. If your hanging scenario is that static, there's no need for the structural ridgeline to begin with (except to keep you bugnet out of your face and/or hang your flashlight).
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