Is there a trick to accomplish the magic 30 degrees?

[Vanhalo]

Thanks for the tips. Although I didn't under understand your 1 and 3, Vanhalo. Number 5 I've seen on youtube. Seems doable.

Surely the 30 deg is when loaded? That's what I've read everywhere. If 30 deg when not loaded, doesn't that result in bum on the ground when in the hammock?

I take it the line should be pretty straight but not pulled tight when unloaded.

I live in a condo. We have a garden but the trees are too tiny. I think they would hold, but but my neighbours might not... I don't have a car, and cycling out in the countryside is out in the weather we are having. Just explaining I'm not totally lazy. Just frozen and eager to learn.

1. I looks for trees 15 feet apart or the width of my hiking poles fully extended.
3. I hang the foot end as high as I can reach flat footed.

[cougarmeat]

ThreeTracks. I understand your question about loaded vs unloaded angles because even thought it seems like the angle shouldn't change - it does a little. For example, when you test the tautness of a hammock ridge line cord, for me anyway, it does change when I am in or out of the hammock. But that's the point of my saying you should look for a comfort zone and not trying to match some technical number. Those numbers are only a suggested starting point. So find yourself some trees, set up your hammock, then increase or decrease the suspension distance a few centimeters and find the distance between the gathered ends that works best for you. As you lengthen the suspension, the hammock will get lower to the ground. Don't worry about that at this time (unless it is on the ground). If you do reach the ground, raise both suspension ends up the tree a bit and keep experiementing.

My point is - you are adjusting two things - hammock "sag" and height above ground. Your height above ground will change as you adjust the sag. So get the best sag first, then just move the suspension up the tree trunk until the hammock is the best height for you to enter/exit.

If your hammock already has a SRL (structural Ridge Line) - that's a cord that runs from one gathered end to the other - it will act as guide to where the manufacturer thinks the best sag is. If, when you are in the a hammock, you can pluck that cord like a guitar string, it is too tight and you should put more sag in the hammock. You should be able to take the cord between your thumb and one or two fingers and bend it about 90 degrees. Will this change when in or out of the hammock?. Yes. But repeat after me - "I am not trying to satisfy a technical number; I am trying to find comfort." So, when you find that comfort zone, you will be in the hammock. you can bend that ridge line and feel how taut it is. That will be the target you will try to repeat.

If you hammock does not have a SRL, then once you find the sag that gives you comfort, you can make a ridge line for yourself. Just tie a cord to one gathered end and cut it the length you need to tie it to the other gathered end so it runs straight across without much tension. You can even put a clip on each end so you can easily remove it if desired.

You can remove it because you just need to use it as a measure, a guide, when setting up. The S = Structural part of SRL means that cord is made of strong material (usually Amsteel) and permanently attached to the hammock. It determines sag of the hammock because even if you have the suspension too tight, that strong cord keeps the hammock ends a fixed distance apart. What I am suggesting is you can do that with Amsteel if you want, but you can also just use a lighter, removable, cord to remind you how far apart the hammock ends should be when you set the hammock up. Remember, you've made this cord length AFTER you've found the right distance apart for you.

The point all of us are making is - though in some environments (engineering a bridge, building a rocketship) it is important to match specific mathematical targets - in setting up a hammock, your comfort is the goal. All those degrees and percentages are suggestions to put your trial starting point closer to what seems to work for most people.

After thinking about my last statement, for correctness I have to say it isn't 100% true - maybe only 99.5% true. Because it sounds like I'm saying, "The numbers don't matter; only your comfort matters." The problem is, all parts of the hammock setup have stress limits; the material, the stitching, the suspension straps and connectors all have a certain "strength" rating. Most people consider their body weight and figure if it is less than what the hammock manufacturer says the hammock will hold, they don't have to worry. But the weight, or load, on the hammock is determined by body weight AND hang angle. As you set up the hammock so it is more and more horizontal - no sag - the stress on the hammock can be much more than your body weight (it's a physics thing). So I can't 100% say that angle doesn't matter as long as you are comfortable.

[BillyBob58]

I just hung my HH so that the RL appeared slightly loose, it had a slight sag in it( when unoccupied! Tighter when I get in of course) ). I normally hang it a bit tighter than that, so that it appears straight. But I needed it looser so that the hammock would not be too high on my stand, as I did not want to adjust the stands height.

So, I checked the angle with the app on my phone: 32 - 33 degrees. I would guess that if I adjusted it a bit tighter, with no sag in the line, it would be very close to 30*. But it seemed just as comfy as always, no obvious differences, and probably even less strain than normal on the suspension.

[ThreeTracks]

Thanks guys. Very good and detailed information, cougarmeat. What you say about getting the right sag first sounds like sound advice. I may not have thought of that hadn't you told me. Now I know a good trick. Thanks again.

I have a Hennessy, so it does have a SRL (see, I've learnt a new abbreviation already!). I'll pluck it. ;-)

Seems I had misunderstood this completely. But everywhere they talk about 30 deg loaded, so I assumed the angle would change when I jump in the hammock. It also looks like it does in some videos.

Oh, if this wet, cold, whitish stuff could just go away now...

[WV]

There's a difference between a ridgeline and a structural ridgeline, but it's widely misunderstood.

[SilvrSurfr]

There's a difference between a ridgeline and a structural ridgeline, but it's widely misunderstood.

Can you explain? It would seem a non-structural ridgeline is just window dressing, kind of like the Byer of Maine Moskito Hammock which is strictly to hold up the bugnet off the face.

[cougarmeat]

If I had to guess, I'd say a structural ridge line is made out of strong material, like Amsteel, that would hold hundreds of pounds. It is permanently (using loops) attached to the Amsteel at the hammock's GE to limit the distance apart. If the suspension is such that without that ridge line, the hammock end would be pulled wider apart, then the SLR takes the load. So essentially you have forces going from the tree/suspension/ridge line/ suspension/tree and the hammock always hangs with the desired sag. A SLR can be adjustable; in which case it is like a long whoopie sling.

The non-structural ridge line can be used to set the desired hang angle by acting as a measure/indicator of the desired end distance. And it's a place to put a ridge line organizer, drying clothes, etc. But it is not strong enough, either in material (just utility cord) or connections (may be clipped on with small S-biners) to take the load if the suspension is pulling the hammock ends apart further than the desired distance.

[WV]

Cougarmeat has explained it perfectly. One reason that there's confusion is that ridgelines as indicators are genuinely useful, not just window dressing. They just do a different job than structural ridgelines. Also, many (maybe even most) sites don't require a structural ridgeline as a safety factor. There can be good reasons for using either system.

[cmoulder]

To summarize:

If always hung properly—with hang angle not too shallow, and 200# or lighter hanger—1.75mm Zing-it/Lash-it is strong enough for a SRL. Probably not for bridges, which are often hung a bit shallower than 30°.

When it doubt, 7/64" Amsteel is the way to go. Lots of room for error, good for new hangers.

If very strong and very light are desired, 2.2mm Dynaglide, which some use even for Primary suspension!

[ThreeTracks]

I found one of those videos I talked about where it definitely look like the angle changes when the hammock is loaded. Start looking at about 7:15. The line looks pretty straight, then when the guy jumps in that changes significantly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks4KU9Wr4dQ

Does that mean the Hennessy ridge line isn't structural? I thought it was. Confusion...