Does the extra foot make a huge difference?

[BigVillage]

I just changed my Dream Hammock order from 10' to 11'. I tried my Wife's 10' hammock and felt really cramped. I'm 5'8" and my 11' Dutch hammock is much more comfortable to me. I like the roominess and having the ridgeline farther away.
Hopefully I'll have my DH in a couple weeks.

[cougarmeat]

I have both and yes, the 11 ft'ers are roomier, but not necessarily more comfortable. There are other factors - like fabric type a weight that influences "stretch" or give. For me, getting the proper sag changed the comfort more than the hammock length. You might have more options with a 10 ft'er as far as tree distance.

Here's another issue - with an 11 ft hammock, I'm guessing you would have to set the suspension higher than you would with a 10 ft hammock to get the same sag. And at 5'3", you don't have a lot of reach. For fun, play with the hammock calculator (http://theultimatehang.com/hammock-hang-calculator/) and see how high you need to set your suspension for different tree distances and hammock lengths. Go up to a tree with a tape measure and see how high you can comfortably reach. I'm not talking about Max reach; I mean standing next to the tree and fiddling with suspension webbing that might need one or two wraps, or sliding the whole thing up or down and inch or two.

I wish it was a simple as "longer hammocks are more comfortable." But a longer hammock is a little more expensive, a little heavier, requires a little larger tarp, etc. So are are giving somethings up by going larger and you'll want to be sure it is worth it. Maybe there's someone near Raleigh that can let you try both.

[heyyou]

I buy used gear knowing that I can try it then resell it for near what I paid if the gear doesn't suit me. Look for either a 10 or an 11 used, to see if that size works for you.

[Theguywitheyebrows]

So do you share the hammock? If so, is wider better for two? I started this hammock adventure with a girlfriend, and she didnt wanna stick around so i dont have anyone to test with lol

[hutzelbein]

As you can see from all the different responses, comfort is very personal. There are people who are 6' tall and prefer 10', and some who are 5' and like 11'. To make matters worse, fabric and design of the hammock make a difference as well. I'm 5'4" and absolutely love my 10' (actually I measured even less) Warbonnet Blackbird. But after using all the different 9', 10', 11' and 12' hammocks I made from different fabrics, I found that 10.5' is the minimum length I need to be very comfortable. You might be different.

Since a Dream Hammock is a quite a bit of an investment, I would recommend deciding on a fabric on the number of layers, and then get two simple no-net hammocks made from that fabric with the same amount of layers - one in 10', one in 11'. Test them for a couple of nights - then you'll know for sure.

[Comet_Seeker]

Thank you everyone for all the advice and things to think about!

[Milwaukee Dan]

https://youtu.be/SuSOIWd1Gfw
Great video on the subject

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[T- Minus]

Don't forget that a structural RL changes things alot. Less worry about hammock angle as it keeps the sag in the general area based on the hammock. (still best around the 30* mark for hardware and the hammock but there is some room based on personal preference.) The RL in my WBB XLC is closer to the hammock body than my Dutch Half-wit that is .5 ft the smaller. Both have very similar lays with the Dutch being the roomier IMO since it has knotty mods that allow Right and Left lays vs. the XLC being one or the other, Mine is a R lay. But when the hammocks are used in a sitting mode the higher the RL (so its not in your face ) is a bonus. But come winter and the use of a Top cover the closer the RL the closer the Top cover and less heat loss. I tend to use both, but the xlc is a better winter camper and the Half-wit better for summer due to it's lighter weight and minimal netting. I'm 5'11 and don't think I would be better off in anything smaller than 10.5' hammock.