Asymmetrical versus symmetrical question

[svaller]

I want to get a better hammock than what I have and am not sure about asymmetrical versus symmetrical. Everyone I know has symmetrical ENOs and mine is a Trek Light Gear gathered end hammock. Haven't had a chance to try out anything else to compare them. How do you guys go about guiding someone around this decision? I want a hammock with a zippered bug net, ridge line, and light weight as I intend to do a lot more backpacking. I'm 5'7 and about 230 lbs. and in the Kansas City area.

I've read a tons and watched a bunch of videos (as if that is anything new) and am not sure how to slice this one. I sleep however I end up in the hammock and don't find myself favoring a particular lay angle.

[chefko]

I'm sure others will chime in shortly, but your best bet would probably be to try to get out to a group hang and try different people's setups. I have a HH asym Elxplorer myself, and my brother just got a Lawson Blue Ridge hammock. I do like the bridge style hammocks, though they are probably heavier than gathered end hammocks due to the spreader bars. There's really no "right" answer to this question though... everyone seems to have their own preferences tbh.

[SilvrSurfr]

Not a big fan of asym designs - I personally like a simple gathered-end hammock (like the Dutch netless with a Fronkey bugnet). I don't like defined lay hammocks because I often loan out my hammocks to friends and family and no telling how they might like to lay. However, I do have a Dutch Chameleon which is symmetrical - works fine for me.

[Red Wing]

I want to get a better hammock than what I have and am not sure about asymmetrical versus symmetrical. Everyone I know has symmetrical ENOs and mine is a Trek Light Gear gathered end hammock. Haven't had a chance to try out anything else to compare them. How do you guys go about guiding someone around this decision? I want a hammock with a zippered bug net, ridge line, and light weight as I intend to do a lot more backpacking. I'm 5'7 and about 230 lbs. and in the Kansas City area.

I've read a tons and watched a bunch of videos (as if that is anything new) and am not sure how to slice this one. I sleep however I end up in the hammock and don't find myself favoring a particular lay angle.

If you like a "cleaner" interior where all the fabric is nice and taught and not drooping in your face, asym is the way to go. Currently using my Envy over my Dutch for this reason. The cleaner interior of the asym feels more spacious than my symmetrical Dutch hammock.

[MAD777]

For a zippered bugnet, I favor an asymmetrical design. I've tried both.
For a net less or fronkey style separate net, then, symmetrical is better, more versatile for me.
I don't like zippered hammocks, so the latter setup suits me.

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[sidneyhornblower]

I want to get a better hammock than what I have and am not sure about asymmetrical versus symmetrical.

You could find both symmetrical and asymmetrical hammocks with zippered bug nets. Probably one good way to help you make up your mind is going to be based on how you sleep in the hammock you have. Assuming you're lying on your back on a diagonal, do you favor one side or the other with head and feet?

Put another way, if you always lie with your head left and feet right, then an asym hammock built for that lay is probably a good choice. Ditto if you always lie down with head right and feet left. Just make sure the asymmetry of the hammock matches that lay.

On the other hand, if you're not sure or you don't care or, as you indicate, you sometimes go one way and sometimes another, then get a hammock that's symmetrical, without a dedicated lay.

My gathered end is a simple netless hammock, but I always go head left, feet right. In the future, I may (or may not) end up with an asym hammock but the symmetrical one I have is quite comfy. There's also the possibly negligible advantage that I could loan it or sell it to someone who favors a head right / feet left lay.

[hutzelbein]

The only reason to get an integrated hammock with a symmetrical bug net would be if you switch your lay direction during the night. If you don't mind staying put in one direction during the night, asymmetrical bug nets only have advantages. They need less netting and are therefore lighter. There is no unecessary fabric that hangs loose when you don't need it. And it does not pull up the edges of the hammock.

With symmetrical bug nets, the designer needs to decide whether it's better to give the user enough space, so that the sides of the hammock aren't pulled up anywhere, or to keep the net tight and avoid it sagging too much. Most symmetrical designs are a compromise. If I needed a symmetrical hammock, I would probably go with the Dream Hammock Raven, because it seems to avoid this issue. It still uses more bug netting than an asymmetrical hammock - so it should be heavier than a comparable asymmetrical hammock.

[svaller]

All the comments so far are awesome, thank you all. There are some really excellent points and very helpful. At this point, I find that I sleep all over the place and am on my back and side throughout the night. It sounds like the symmetrical hammock will be my best bet for a while. I would love to try out some other styles, so I may hold off my purchase to see if I can find anyone hanging around the Kansas City area or Sacramento. I will be finding myself out in CA a lot over the next few months.

[cougarmeat]

If you get asymmetrical you might want to use some method to identify the head end (assuming there is a "head" end - like the BlackBird). I use a different colored/size ring or amsteel. Sometimes the side you get out on is important. It saves just a little time if you know which is the head end before you set up.