Hanging at home

[alphaniner]

I know this forum and the hammock phenomenon in general are mostly focused on camping, but for full timers and home hangers there are a variety of hammock types that aren't ideal for camping (Mayan, Brazilian, Nicaraguan, etc).

Compared to camping hammocks, it's much more difficult to find feedback and testimonials for these kinds of hammocks.

I've been a full timer for about a year and a half now on a Vivere hammock and stand. While I'm happy with the setup more or less, I'm considering an upgrade and hoping to get some input from people who have tried some of these kinds of hammocks - particularly full timers.

I'm also interested to know about practical tweaks and accessories people have made to improve their experience. For example, I found out early on that a pillow under my knees was essential to avoid over-extension, and I saw others here say the same. Conversely, I got the impression most folks favor standard pillows for their heads, whereas I kept downsizing until I settled on one of those U shaped travel pillows. Sometimes I use it snapped shut with the opening at the top of my head, other times I unsnap it and just put one of the narrrow sides under my neck. Only problem is it gets very warm in the summer. At some point I mean to try a tubular neck pillow with a more breathable filling.

Finally, anyone "pimping their hang" with impractical tweaks and accessories like TV screen setups ideal for view from a hammock, or machinations to keep you swinging all night long?

Edit: Also, any thoughts on this rather unique single-spreader "Viking hammock"?

[bigdisgrace]

some indoor hanging threads

https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...g-and-hammocks

https://hammockforums.net/forum/show...indoor-hanging

https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...eping-problems

https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...zilian-hammock

[nualle]

I'm a full timer who has tried several different setups (Mayan, cottage vendor gathered-ends, DIY bridge from a cottage vendor pattern). The pillow I want differs according to the setup but I find, fairly consistently, that I want the pillow's loft and not its warmth-reflection. I'm planning on getting one of these and using half of its filling to make a much smaller pillow.

One of the setups I tried was an improvised version of the Viking hammock you link to. I no longer recall why I tried my bridge without one of its spreader bars (falling out wasn't the issue), but I didn't shorten its lines to compensate, so my feet ended up way lower than I liked. That setup didn't last long. It's interesting to see someone marketing it as a thing in itself.

[OneClick]

No pimping going on at my home. Just a basic 11' netless argon tucked away in the farthest corner of the house upstairs. $2 travel pillow. Never slept so good in my life.

I'll also sleep in the basement where it's cool, dark and quiet. Basically a 9-hour coma where I feel like don't move an inch all night.

[alphaniner]

some indoor hanging threads
...

Thanks for the links!

I'm planning on getting one of these and using half of its filling to make a much smaller pillow.

That's interesting. I bought a Purple seat cushion this summer for my desk chair, mostly for the cooling aspect. It's good quality. Please report back if you buy it.

After making the post I was motivated to look into a neck pillow. I decided to try this as I used a normal-shape buckwheat pillow years ago and loved it.

One of the setups I tried was an improvised version of the Viking hammock you link to. I no longer recall why I tried my bridge without one of its spreader bars (falling out wasn't the issue), but I didn't shorten its lines to compensate, so my feet ended up way lower than I liked. That setup didn't last long. It's interesting to see someone marketing it as a thing in itself.

Yeah, if I lived in FL I'd check out the Viking. The cost is just too steep to buy it as an experiment, especially since the pictures and description aren't so great and there's no customer reviews. Maybe I'll keep an eye out for a used bridge hammock to modify as you described.

No pimping going on at my home. Just a basic 11' netless argon tucked away in the farthest corner of the house upstairs. $2 travel pillow. Never slept so good in my life.

I'll also sleep in the basement where it's cool, dark and quiet. Basically a 9-hour coma where I feel like don't move an inch all night.

I had a standard travel pillow, it was one of the steps on my "downsizing" journey but was still way too big for me.

Wish I had a basement. They're very uncommon in my area due to the water table; a search for houses with basements on Zillow sometime back yeilded one result. Ironically my next-door neighbor is the only person I know that has one.

[Festinalente]

O man i wrote a somewhat long reply and some how it got lost in bunny space
I started out in a vivere as well. I used it for over a year. It was too small for me though i started getting bad heel pain. I moved to a dutch netless i like it though i am stuck using a stand everytime i tried to buy a tato stand but they are never in stock when i want a upgrade.a tensa would not fit well in my room. i am not a diy sorta girl so building one is out. So right now i am using a seara not ideal. I have done alot of tweeking but i got my head lower then my feet without draggin my butt on the ground. It could be a bit more though. I am much happier with the dutch netless heel pain is gone at least. And i admit my sleep quality has improved alot but i think i could do better.
So my next set up i am trying a 12 custom free bird from dream hammock on a 13 ft siesta stand which allows me to adjust my head and feet up and down.
As for pillows i have a fillo pillow it worked better in the vivere but in the dutch not as good i am still looking for better options.

Advice
If you cant hang from a wall a diy or tensa stand would be the best option it would probley save you some aggrivation in the long run.

Tweeks for stand
Tighten up the foot end as much as you canTake a cinder block put it to foot end tie it to the cinder blocks then bolt the whole thing to a floor
Warning this might be a bit dangerous be careful i find having the foot end bolted down is just safer all around any way.
Head end use like three or four carbeners to make the head lower then tie back the rigging to the pole this really helps but the head end is a little wonky. But it made a huge difference
For safetys sake becareful make sure you have good carbiners and they are very secure i had one snap on me. i also suggest having it attached a few places so if something fails the hammock does not fall. Yup i have had a few mishaps.

Sleeping in a hammock has been a bit of an adventure despite everything i love it its almost been a year and a half and i will never go back.

Hey in the vivere how did you deal with bottem insulation

[alphaniner]

<snip>

I actually found this site when looking into DIY stands. It was this thread about a TurtleDog build which appears similar to the Tato. Speaking of which, the Tato must really be something special if they're charging $325 for it and always out of stock. Unless you would also use the Tato for camping, you could probably find someone to build you a DIY version for less. My next step will be either a wall or ceiling hang or a DIY stand. I'm lucky to have access to all the necessary tools for both wood and metal working.

I don't really follow the tweaks you described, if you have some pics that would be cool.

As for bottom insulation, I'm a human space heater so getting too cold indoors is rarely an issue. I never needed any special insulation, but finding a pair of PJs that didn't ride up was a bit of an ordeal.

[hutzelbein]

I exchanged my bed for a hammock about 6 years ago. Initially, I slept in an 11' x 75" DIY hammock, made from very heavy ripstop nylon, but I regularly tried other hammocks, just for curiosity's sake. For the last 2 or 3 years, I have been sleeping mostly in one of Warbonnet's Heavyweight Double Layer hammocks (Traveler XL, Eldorado, XLC), because this type of hammock is very comfortable to me. The XLC and Eldorado also allow me to use a net or top cover and the WB UQP. I use the UQP indoors mostly to protect my underquilt (a Wooki XL) from damage and dirt (similar to a mattress cover), and also to help me avoid sitting in it.

The only other real contender for my main hammock would be a Mexican / Mayan hammock. I had the opportunity to test one this summer, and found it even more comfortable than my favorite hammocks. The only reasons preventing it are:

• The Mayan takes up a lot more space than my 11' hammocks.
• Since the Mayan is basically a big net and not a piece of cloth, I would need to find a way of protecting my Wooki from too much contact with my skin. I would rather like to avoid having to wash it.

I was especially impressed by the fact that I could sidesleep in the Mayan. Something that I have not been able to do for longer than half an hour in any other GE hammock.

[hutzelbein]

I forgot: I tried a couple of pillows, but settled on a small down pillow (Western Mountaineering Cloudrest). It has the perfect size for hammock use.

I use a much larger, old feather pillow under my legs.

[ssips]

I started out in a DIY gathered end 4 years ago and haven't looked back. Switched to a Mayan hammock probably a little over a year in. The Mayan is definitely suuuper comfortable. I tend to rotate between an eno doublenest and a dream sparrow these days just became I have one dog sleeping in the hammock with me and another that tends to sleep under us. Dog hair weaves its way into the fabric of my Mayan and it's just generally harder to keep clean. It's warmer on its own because of the weight of the fabric, but I haven't found a good way to use an UQ with it so it ends up sleeping cooler. Normally shouldn't be a problem sleeping indoors, but one of the dogs thinks he will die of heat stroke anytime it goes over 65° so I try to keep my room as cool as possible.

Can't help on pillows, I just have a regular size one for under my knees. I use a queen-size comforter for sleeping indoors so depending on how I'm laying, I either bunch a bit of that under my head or don't use anything.

My hammock hangs diagonally across my bedroom, so I have a pretty clear view of my TV that's mounted on one of the other walls. I do have a hangtime hook that I picked up for camping. I don't use it at home because if I wanted to watch something I'd use the TV, not my phone. But I could see it being useful indoors if you can't position a TV for hammock viewing.