Help me out...please

[JeepinPete]

I've been lurking on the forum for a year give or take. Can't really say what got me interested in hammock camping, but something did. Anyways, I picked up a cheap hammock off of Amazon last Black Friday and used it for the first time earlier this spring.

I've had back problems ever since I was a teen (45 now). The comfort the first time I tried out the hammock was unreal. My back pain simply wasn't there. Now if that was all to the story, this post would be useless

Anyway, the first two nights out I made it in a couple hours before I got too cold. It took a long time to fall asleep, which from reading here appears to be a common event for new hammock sleepers. Lots of reading here got me through that, and the third night I slept through the night. My back felt great, but I had the worse sore throat in memory. You see, I do not sleep on my back, and apparently I snore even worse than normal when I did sleep on my back in the hammock.

So now I was on a quest to figure out a hammock system that would work for me. So far that quest has not been successful. The first hammock did not have a bug net, so I picked up a Hennessy hammock. It isn't working out at all. Feels too small, even though it is the larger version. I've tried it out three separate nights, it doesn't seem to be getting better.

In a bed, I sleep half way between my side and stomach. I'm 5'9", 250 lbs. Please give me some suggestions, I really want to find the perfect hammock for me.

Thank
Pete

[rweb82]

Some folks can side-sleep in a gathered end hammock, but I have never been able to find a comfortable way to do that. I just sleep on my back, and am fine.

You could check out the Warbonnet Ridgerunner- which is a bridge-style hammock. Or you could try a 90° hammock, such as the Gamma UL hammock tent or Amok Draumr 3.0. Both of those use an inflatable pad for support/insulation, and to achieve a flat lay.

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[dkurfiss]

Welcome to Hammock Forums.

Each person is so different it is, IMO, almost impossible to recommend a solution. My solution probably would not work for you

What I will recommend is attending a hang event and checking out everyone's set up. That way you can actually see what people are talking about and most folks will let you kick off your shoes and actually lay in their set up.

Here is a thread of the one coming up in Oct in PA https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...ighlight=mahha

Good luck finding your solution.

[TrailSlug]

Welcome to the quest. I would recommend buying "popular" hammocks and trying them out. If they do not work for you then you can sell them here at a slight loss. If you can find a group hang that would be one way of testing hammocks that support your weight range. You may want to check out the bridge hammock that is designed for us larger guys here:
https://hammockforums.net/forum/show...-Bridge-update

[dirtwheels]

Hope you get it squared. The hammock really depends on what you are doing, backpacking, car camping, or bed replacement. +1 on the bridge options and Amok. I have tried bridges, plan to buy one since I like them so well. I have an Amok and love it, it's really a floating bed. Haven't tried the Gamma but they are very interesting and have a good rep.

2 Words, GROUP HANG.

[DannyII]

I always try the cheap solution first, before spending on a more expensive one. I have an 11' Hexon 1.6 wide (72" wide"). If I slide toward the head end, I can side sleep in it. The longer length really helps that.

[SilvrSurfr]

For me personally, I can't sleep on my side in a hammock - too uncomfortable. I also got the sore throat from snoring on my back (since I sleep on my side in a bed). I eventually learned that I needed to sleep in my hammock for a couple of nights before going out camping. I just had to learn to cock my head to the side to avoid the snoring and sore throat.

[ofuros]

Back issues too.
On my back I snore, on my side I don't...but I have to use a makeshift pillow of some kind for comfort/support.

After a day of exertion, go to bed hydrated. Breathing in cool cold air all night can also give you a sore/dry throat. I usually have a small bottle of water handy in the hammock if I wake up dry.

[Phantom Grappler]

Two words--get a Long Hammock----
Eleven and Eleven Plus and while your at it Go Wide or Go Home.
Your mileage may vary.
And I hope you like what you get.

Phantom lost in a 12x6

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[AlaskaChad]

My back felt great, but I had the worse sore throat in memory. You see, I do not sleep on my back, and apparently I snore even worse than normal when I did sleep on my back in the hammock.

You may want to look into a sleep study to determine if you have obstructive sleep apnea, like many of us snorers do. I need a CPAP regardless of where I sleep, but I've learned to make it work very well in my hammock.

In bed, I'm a side sleeper, but I sleep like a baby on my back when in a hammock - provided I'm using my CPAP. Otherwise, I get a terrible dry, sore throat and those around me get a sleepless night due to my snores.


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