Right hand or left hand lay

[HillbillyHanger]

The one premise that I have learned about hammocks: you don't know until you try it out! I'm a 100% side sleeper in a bed and I was concerned when I tried a hammock the first time. No issues. I sleep wonderfully in a hammock on my hammock. I've now learned to sleep a little on my back in a bed. I have a traditional XLC which is head left, feet right. I sleep really well that way. I bought a simple, gathered-end Dutchware hammock for the Winter when I don't need a bug net. I've found that I use it both ways with equal levels of comfort. The hammock bodies (at least the XLC) is symmetrical and it just relates to the spacing of the bug net and it doesn't matter. I've even slept comfortably in my XLC the opposite way cause the bug net spacing doesn't bother me.

[Latherdome]

I used to believe that lay preference was immutable, like handedness (though not correlated to handedness). For many years I could sleep only head-left. Then out of boredom/curiousity I tried the other way. At first it felt all wrong, but keeping at it, that changed. Now i can go back and forth either way: it’s totally fine. I think it’s just a habit that asymmetric bugnets (hammocks themselves are almost all symmetrical) reinforce, that people falsely assume is a fixed physiological trait.

I bet that anybody lacking some true physical anomaly can lay either way equally well with a little practice. So: don’t sweat it. Asymmetric bugnets should be a hair lighter than symmetric, and maybe easier to keep out of your face, all else equal.

What took me longer to get used to was laying initially with my feet farther from the entry side than my head. Approximately 99.998% of the time (full-timer over 8 years) i would lay with my head opposite the enter/exit side. Sit down, pivot ~60°, lay back. Then I got a WB BB XLC whose shelf configuration pretty much forces you to swing your legs to the far side, pivoting ~120°, head at entry. Man that felt weird! Will I ever get those extra degrees back?! For a whole 5 times, I protested. Now I no longer notice.


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[AmberG]

I used to believe that lay preference was immutable, like handedness (though not correlated to handedness). For many years I could sleep only head-left. Then out of boredom/curiousity I tried the other way. At first it felt all wrong, but keeping at it, that changed. Now i can go back and forth either way: it’s totally fine. I think it’s just a habit that asymmetric bugnets (hammocks themselves are almost all symmetrical) reinforce, that people falsely assume is a fixed physiological trait.

I bet that anybody lacking some true physical anomaly can lay either way equally well with a little practice. So: don’t sweat it. Asymmetric bugnets should be a hair lighter than symmetric, and maybe easier to keep out of your face, all else equal.

What took me longer to get used to was laying initially with my feet farther from the entry side than my head. Approximately 99.998% of the time (full-timer over 8 years) i would lay with my head opposite the enter/exit side. Sit down, pivot ~60°, lay back. Then I got a WB BB XLC whose shelf configuration pretty much forces you to swing your legs to the far side, pivoting ~120°, head at entry. Man that felt weird! Will I ever get those extra degrees back?! For a whole 5 times, I protested. Now I no longer notice.


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That’s probably true. I’ve always thought my head right preference has something psychological to do with being farther away from the entrance. I could *possibly* train myself to switch directions... but unless I had a good reason, I wouldn’t want to. But I’m also a little OCD.

[JollyRoger70]

I’m pretty consistent about head right; I have one asym UQ, so definitely have to stick with that orientation when I’m using that one. I picked that side because that’s the side of the bed I sleep on at home, I think. It’s pretty arbitrary, though.


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[cmoulder]

That’s probably true. I’ve always thought my head right preference has something psychological to do with being farther away from the entrance. I could *possibly* train myself to switch directions... but unless I had a good reason, I wouldn’t want to. But I’m also a little OCD.

That is a good point.

OK maybe I could force myself to switch but that would entail ditching (or at least swapping) the asym integrated net hammocks and changing several routines.

I am totally comfortable, am not a flip-flopper, have no calf ridge problem, have no need for a pillow, have no issues with net dangling on my face and have my entire process dialed in so that setup is pretty quick. I even have the little ridgeline organizer set up with the pockets on the right.

So there's no compelling reason to do so.

[AmberG]

That is a good point.

OK maybe I could force myself to switch but that would entail ditching (or at least swapping) the asym integrated net hammocks and changing several routines.

I am totally comfortable, am not a flip-flopper, have no calf ridge problem, have no need for a pillow, have no issues with net dangling on my face and have my entire process dialed in so that setup is pretty quick. I even have the little ridgeline organizer set up with the pockets on the right.

So there's no compelling reason to do so.

Just thinking, of course, but in the context of a new hanger (since I’m relatively new, myself), I think it’d be much easier than adapting once you’ve already found your “groove.” I started with a symmetrical Amazon special, and head right is what I ended up gravitating to. If I’d had an asym that was head left when I first started out, then I’d probably be sleeping head left right now and not think twice about it. I’d still recommend symmetrical though.

[Hang Williams]

It took exactly one try for me to realize I can only lay head left. Can't stand head right.

[Kmazuro]

Just like hang Williams above it took me exactly 1 try as well. Although I’m the exact opposite. I’m right handed and can only lay head right. Like you, I opted for the bugnetted hg hammock, that way you can’t go wrong.
kris

[cougarmeat]

What would happen if you laid on a bed, head left, feet right and then someone slowing rotated the bed. Would there be a point where you would no longer feel right? Just trying to understand what must be a sensitivity to magnetic lines of force.

[P-Dub]

What would happen if you laid on a bed, head left, feet right and then someone slowing rotated the bed. Would there be a point where you would no longer feel right? Just trying to understand what must be a sensitivity to magnetic lines of force.

In a bed, the lay is the same (aside from sagging mattress or some other anomaly!) In a hammock, the pressures of the fabrics are differential depending on body direction, and individuals may prefer/tolerate/need to be in one direction or the other.

For the record, I'm right handed and lay head right most of the time. Perhaps vendors sell 90% head-left setups because "everyone" thinks that it's the "correct" direction! ("I read it on the internet so it must be true....")