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  1. #1
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    Question Tall and Skinny, Can't Find the Sweet Spot for Long

    Hello all! New to the forum as a reader and poster. Looks like a great community. Here's my somewhat long winded issue.

    I Want to Love Sleeping in a Hammock
    CameleonScreenShotwithMarkUp.jpgCameleonScreenShotwithMarkUp.jpg

    Hello hammock loving community. In advance, thank you for your thoughtful responses and helpful advice.
    Quickly about me… in 2019 I backpacked well over 1000 miles (most of it during an 800 mile Arizona Trail thru hike). I found myself struggling to find a comfortable position and overall difficulty with sleep which lead to fatigue and the like—not ideal when walking with a loaded pack for 20 miles (ish) day in and day out.
    In spite of my ground sleeping woes, I still have a great love for backpacking and in fact was planning a NOBO hike of the CDT this year—Covid 19 has put that on hold.
    Anyway… my sleeping difficulties have lead me into the world of hammocking. I have spent many a youtube hour with Shug and Derek Hansen (The Ultimate Hang) and others.
    I borrowed a hammock from a hammock enthusiast neighbor and tried to sleep the night out in his Outdoor Vitals Solo Plus (10’x4.5’). Although it held some promise; I like the “cuddle” (support) the hammock provided, I did not make it through the night. Despite my best efforts to “sleep on the diagonal” my feet and legs were just too high to be comfortable. Well, I’m not a quitter and based on my reading I knew that a 10’ hammock was too small for me. And so, with a hopeful heart, I ordered a Hummingbird Hammock Long (11’ x 63”). With a weight rating of 350lbs at only 8.2 oz I was thrilled. Being a long distance hiker, weight is crucial, especially considering the need to be able to go to the ground and carry a duel system over the course of a 3000 mile hike.
    Using the hammock hang calculator I have my hammock hung in my house, I have attempted to sleep in the hammock perhaps 7 times and without fail, the comfort clock runs out after 3 hours; despite my best efforts, I am unable to find a position of comfort and I end up abandoning the hammock for my bed, which I promptly fall asleep in.
    I am a nearly exclusive side sleeper in my bed. In the hammock I feel forced to be on my back or in a partial side position or in a fetal position, which I cannot maintain, my legs insist on straightening. The main complaints are feeling like my butt is being compressed (equivalent to tired butt syndrome from sitting way too long) and then my legs being forced upward (even worse when trying for the side position). I’m not finding the concept of a “flat lay” to be actually true and as a newbie to the world I feel that term gives a false expectation. Particularly when trying to sleep on my side with my legs straight it is horribly uncomfortable and untenable.
    I have played around with the length of my structural ridgeline as well as having my head end lower.
    So… to the heart of it.
    1. I am 6’3” and 150 LBS (yes, think of a string bean, that’s me!)
    2. Hummingbird Hammock Long (11’ x 63”; 350 lb limit)
    3. Pack weight is among my top priorities (quality of sleep is right up there too)
    4. My suspension angle is 30 to 40 degrees—structural ridgeline is 110”
    5. Any suggestions for a primary side sleeper? 3 hours on my back is all I can do and I wouldn’t even say that I love it for that long.
    6. I understand the concept of diagonal lay and yet my legs still seem to be hyperextented with my feet higher than butt. This appears to not just be me either (see Dutchware Cameleon product screenshot)
    7. Are tall side-sleepers not well suited for hammocking?
    8. Are there qualitative differences in hammock comfort—obviously the Dream Hammock and the Cameleon and the Blackbird are highly loved.
    9. Would a 12’ hammock or an extra wide hammock help with the lay for 6’3” me?
    10. What about materials? Do some lay “flatter” than others?

    In closing, I really do want to fall in love with hammock camping. But I am not there. Please help!!! Advice from taller folks would be extremely helpful.

  2. #2
    all secure in sector 7 Shug's Avatar
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    Possibly get a firmer hammock fabric (they are not all created equally) or even a double later has more support and maybe you can get flatter.
    May just take some time to find your sweet spot.
    Shug



    Whooooo Buddy)))) All Secure in Sector Seven

  3. #3
    SilvrSurfr's Avatar
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    Hummingbirds are not very popular hammocks with the HF community. I don't know anyone who owns one. I'm personally somewhat suspicious of an "almost" 11' hammock that is made from "Actual FAA certified reserve parachute material, uncoated 1.1 oz calendared ripstop nylon PIA-C-44378 T4 only made in the United States of America," that weighs 8.2 ounces. It sounds uncomfortable, and I would question the durability of the 1.1 ounce fabric.

    So if I had to guess, I'd say that is not the right hammock for you. I'd try a real "cottage vendor" hammock. Maybe start with just a Dutch netless hammock ($42) until you figure out your issues. I tried 1.0 and 1.1 oz. hammocks and decided they're not for me, not from a comfort and durability standpoint. I now stick to something like Hexon 1.6 - lighter fabrics just haven't worked for me (I'm 5'11" and 165 lbs.).

    I also own a Chameleon and it is as comfortable as any hammock I've slept in, but you don't necessarily need to start with that. A netless hammock is a good, cheap way to get into things - then you can branch out into hammocks with integrated bugnets once you figure things out. Some people just go straight to bridge hammocks, but I'm not into using a pad, and bridge hammocks are generally more expensive than gathered-hammocks.

    And if you don't have the time or patience to figure out this hammock thing, then you can always sleep in a tent on the ground! Personally, I'll never go back to ground pounding - too uncomfortable. It took me a while to figure out this hammock thing, but it was time well spent.
    "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." Ralph Waldo Emerson

  4. #4
    Senior Member
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    I just got a 12’ Dutch netless that is pretty darn nice. I have many 10 and 11 foot hammocks and this one does seem to lay a bit flatter. Next in line is the 11’ wide Dutch netless. Both great inexpensive options. And as of now, unobtainable.


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  5. #5
    Senior Member BillyBob58's Avatar
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    Hello Jump! And welcome!

    I am not familiar with the Hummingbird hammock, so someone else will have to fill you in on that. I am also not familiar with "numb butt" syndrome. Cold butt syndrome, for sure. Could this be caused by having your head end too high relative to the foot end? I don't know.

    Did you have this same problem with the 10X4.5 hammock? If you have not already done so, I would raise the foot end about a foot higher than the head end of the unoccupied hammock, get in and see how it goes. The closer your feet are to the foot end of the hammock, the closer they will come to the upward curve of the hammock. Which will put a twist in your knees when on your back and your waist when on your side(side torque).

    Whether you have already done that or not, I highly suggest getting your self some sort of nice, fat, cushy knee pillow. This can solve a multitude of hammock related ailments when back sleeping. Some think it also helps with side sleeping, by putting it between the thighs.

    The trouble a lot of folks have when trying to sleep sideways( EDIT: I mean sleeping on their side) with legs straight is, even on the diagonal, the curve of the hammock want to twist us in the wrong direction, putting stress on our waist. I have even heard of folks using a pillow under the wist to help with that. But if you want to be flat enough to rest a yardstick on your chest, abdomen and legs and contact all points, you are probably going to need a bridge hammock. But, gathered hammocks have their charms also, and when they do give me problems, a knee pillow fixes most of them. For using a knee pillow while backpacking, a spare water proof office trash bag can be inflated, tied closed on the ends, and placed in a stuff sack. Or use those compression storage bags. But while at home, just try a regular pillow. I would try that immediately! Good luck! BTW, my all time fav hammock for side sleeping with legs straight is the 10X4ft Claytor No Net. I am 6'1".
    Last edited by BillyBob58; 04-03-2020 at 10:09.

  6. #6
    Phantom Grappler's Avatar
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    Jump!, I’m comfortable in my 12x6 hammock. It’s not for everybody, it just might be your comfort zone.
    There are also bridge hammocks.
    Maybe go to the nearest local hammock hang and possibly hammock campers will let you try their rig.
    Also some of the shorter hammocks are even shorter than their advertised length and width.
    I’m considering getting a hammock for backpacking and it will be 11 and a half feet long by five and a half feet wide.
    You have more camping experience than me and we welcome you to share your stories with us.
    Good luck Jump!

  7. #7
    Senior Member
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    You might also consider a hammock from Warbonnet such as the XLC. I found my WBBB to have a flatter lay then my DIY hammocks

  8. #8
    TallPaul's Avatar
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    I would also recommend hanging someplace other than your preset hooks inside. Tough to do these days I know. But trees allow you to raise and lower the foot/head, etc.
    I also get the need for saving weight but trade-off better sleep for the weight penalty. A different fabric may help.

  9. #9
    Senior Member
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    Im 6'1" and have an XLC and a Wide Chameleon. As comfy as the XLC is, the WIDE made a huge difference. It also takes a little while to find the right angle and fussing around to find that spot. I would try the Wide Dutch Netless and see. Its cheap enough that youre not investing a fortune.
    Last edited by Immortalviking; 04-02-2020 at 13:28.

  10. #10
    New Member
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    I found myself in the same situation after buying my first gathered end hammock. Well I found a hammock comfortable to lie in, it was not comfortable enough to sleep in.
    Everything I read on the Forum seem to point to a lot of fiddling and trying different hammocks, but I was skeptical. I didn't want to spend a fortune and endless time and fiddling trying to get comfortable. I think the light weight availability, and inexpensiveness of GE hammocks make them kind of a default choice. But I think for a great many people a Bridge hammock is the way to go.
    A Ridge Runner with no net and using the hiking pole mod comes in only 4 oz is higher than what you currently have.

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