Hennessy Veterans --- Ridgeline Question

**MikeG77** · 03-07-2019, 23:22

I have an Explorer Classic. The other day when I was laying in it I noticed the ridgeline was as tight as a guitar string. Is this normal?? It almost seems like my weight was being held by the ridgeline more than by the suspension system.

**SilvrSurfr** · 03-07-2019, 23:37

Some say you should have a bit of slack in the ridgeline. I always liked mine a bit tight. Just follow the Hammock Hang Calculator and get the 30* angle and you should be fine.

http://theultimatehang.com/hammock-hang-calculator/

**Bubba** · 03-07-2019, 23:42

Structural ridgelines do a couple of things. It supports bugnets but more importantly it sets a consistent sag on the hammock regardless of the suspension angle. Your ridgeline was really tight because your suspension angle was less than 30 degrees. If you lengthened your suspension a little it would take tension off the ridgeline.

**ofuros** · 03-08-2019, 00:32

Its a structural ridgeline, its designed to be taut to share the load...plus it gives you the same lay every time & keeps the bugnet from hanging in your face.

**sidneyhornblower** · 03-08-2019, 06:40

Mine was always pretty tight. Try playing around with suspension angles just to get an idea of how changes affect the lay and the ridge line. I've since passed my Expedition on to my daughter, but I'll say that the hammock at this point is five years old and so far its ridge line is still doing its job.

**dkurfiss** · 03-08-2019, 07:50

Since you are talking Hennessy you might want to check out the video's there for their set up instructions.
https://hennessyhammock.com/pages/set-up-instructions

**Halfed** · 03-08-2019, 09:09

HH has a shorter ridgeline, if you follow the 30 degrees rule it will still be tight although not like a musical instrument.

**Snaps** · 03-10-2019, 08:06

When I had a Hennessy Explorer, I was always most comfortable in it when the ridgeline was guitar-string tight. In the hammocks I've owned since, the ridgelines have needed to be a lot less taut to achieve the same (and usually better) level of comfort.

**TxAggie** · 03-10-2019, 09:20

It should be fully stretched, but not absolutely tight. Once the ridgeline is fully extended, making it any tighter doesn’t do anything but add stress to the system, you’re not lengthening the lay by making it tighter.

Dutch has a video covering this. I will say that I find my HH SRL being SLIGHTLY tighter than my Chameleon, but not much:

https://youtu.be/SIig-7z089k

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