Chameleon: Wide vs Reg?

**RPJR7** · 11-09-2017, 11:04

I have yet to pull the trigger on my Chameleon....I think I've got the fabric figured out, but now the width. I've never had the opportunity to lay in a wide gathered end hammock. What are the advantages? Is it easier to side sleep in them, or achieve a more diagonal lay?

Help!

Thanks!

**DuctTapeMessiah** · 11-09-2017, 11:19

Maybe Wide would be a better option if you’re taller than 6’3” — the most distinct advantage to a wide chameleon is that it comes in Moroccan Blue!

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**sqidmark** · 11-09-2017, 12:00

Everbody is different, and for a wide range of variables such as height, girth, personal preference and physical ailments. No matter what anybody tells you, the only way to KNOW is to try. Better if you can set up side by side. Better yet if you can try for mulitple consecutive nights, at least three. If possible, get or make a relatively inexpensive netless in both standard and wide versions and compare. Then get the width of chameleon that suits YOU best. Sell the netless if you no longer need them.

That said...I'm 5'4" and on the lighter end of the scale and have more than my share of physical ailments. I'm talking finished widths here. I find that 70" is just rediculous overkill. 60" is perfect as a backpacker and 62" is nice indoors, not too excessive. I also find that even with a much wider width, no matter how diagonal I start out I always wake up at the same angle as if I were in a standard width hammock.

So with all that, you now know no more than you did before. Happy experimenting!

**RPJR7** · 11-09-2017, 12:35

Actually, squid mark, I do know more now than I did before, so thanks for your post!

**Coldcityely** · 11-09-2017, 21:52

I have a regular width chameleon I have been using all year and I am getting my wide chameleon in the mail on Monday. I have very little experience with wide hammocks, but I felt like I needed more fabric to stretch out on for a better lay then I was getting in the chameleon, even though I loved it and figured out how to sleep in it, so I bit the bullet and am about to find out more. So, while this does not tell you anything new, I will definitely try and let you know as soon as I can what the difference is for me. Good luck and I’m so curious what others have to say on this isssue!

**Bmann** · 11-09-2017, 22:24

Please let us know the difference, I lay good in my chameleon, but I wonder if it could be great if it were wider,I'm 6' if that matters.

**akford** · 11-09-2017, 23:05

I’m shorter than most that would be considering a wide (5’7”)and only got to try out the wide for a short period vs my regular width one, so take my comments with a big grain of salt. For lounging, even at my height, I found the wide (even) more comfortable than the regular width. Calf ridge and ankle pressure/ knee hyperextension were non-existent. There was some excess fabric and the space felt cavernous, but was extremely comfortable and didn’t flop in when using the tie-outs. My brother(who ended up with a wide and is around 6’) has felt like much of the advantage gained by the extra material was lost when using a regular width underquilt. We didn’t spend a lot of time really trying to dial it in however, so this issue might be surmountable with some tweaking, a wide underquilt, or a Wooki. I’d be interested to hear how people with a wide have felt their underquilt works with it and if they have any tips for taking advantage of the width (with underquilt).

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**drsolarmolar** · 11-10-2017, 09:31

Originally Posted by akford

My brother(who ended up with a wide and is around 6’) has felt like much of the advantage gained by the extra material was lost when using a regular width underquilt. We didn’t spend a lot of time really trying to dial it in however, so this issue might be surmountable with some tweaking, a wide underquilt, or a Wooki. I’d be interested to hear how people with a wide have felt their underquilt works with it and if they have any tips for taking advantage of the width (with underquilt).

Great question. I've been itching to try a gathered end hammock again and been wondering about this same thing. Been looking at a Half Zipped wide, but would the benefits of the wider width be negated by a standard width underquilt? Do they make wider width uq's? Or would you do a longer length?

**RPJR7** · 11-10-2017, 10:24

I have the same concern about wide hammocks and under quilts...do you have to get a wide UQ?...how wide? I have some UGQ zeppelins but don't really want to buy any more under quilts if I can avoid it (however, if the lay is that much better in a wide....hmmmm)

**Rex Clifton** · 11-10-2017, 14:36

Originally Posted by RPJR7

I have the same concern about wide hammocks and under quilts...do you have to get a wide UQ?...how wide? I have some UGQ zeppelins but don't really want to buy any more under quilts if I can avoid it (however, if the lay is that much better in a wide....hmmmm)

I have two Phoenix under quilts I use in my wide hammocks, they work fine. I have found no difference, one way or another.

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