Warbonnet Blackbird XL ridge line angle setup

[Makia]

Hi
I am newish to hammocking and this forum I have just purchased a Blackbird XCL hammock second hand loving the hammock after my Hennessy.
On set up I believe the foot end of the hammock is recommended about 12 to 16 inches higher than the head? I have made a ridge line level out of a stringline level and a screw. Does anyone know what angle the Warbonnet sweetspot is set too? I have watched sweetspot video which is great they assume you have the preset sweet spot. Any thoughts on setting up would be great thanks.

[jakev383]

I believe it's still close to a 30* angle.
I personally put my foot end anywhere from 6-12" higher, plus I also put it closer to the tree (even if only a few inches) so it does not sag as much. But my bucket may be larger than yours, so you may cause it to sag differently than me

[Shug]

Hi
I am newish to hammocking and this forum I have just purchased a Blackbird XCL hammock second hand loving the hammock after my Hennessy.
On set up I believe the foot end of the hammock is recommended about 12 to 16 inches higher than the head? I have made a ridge line level out of a stringline level and a screw. Does anyone know what angle the Warbonnet sweetspot is set too? I have watched sweetspot video which is great they assume you have the preset sweet spot. Any thoughts on setting up would be great thanks.

From Warbonnet Website: https://www.warbonnetoutdoors.com/wp...mock-setup.pdf

Blackbird, Blackbird XLC, Traveler hammock Setup:
The following describes a detailed setup method that should result in maximum comfort (vs. simply hanging between 2 trees and getting inside, which works also.)
Find 2 trees that are ideally 13-17′ apart. Hang the hammock so that “once occupied” the foot end is about 16′′ higher than the head end, and by “end” I mean the end of the fabric, not the attachment point on the tree itself. Since the foot end needs to be significantly higher, the easiest way to achieve this is often to just position the hammock much closer to the foot tree AND attach the webbing to the foot tree at head height or above. Having the head end farther away from it’s tree means it will sink more when you get in and that is usually what you want.
The BB/XLC/Traveler is designed to be laid in “off-center” so that your head is very close to the head end of the hammock while your feet are alot farther away from the foot end. This allows the fabric under your legs to spread out properly when laying on the diagonal. To do this you’ll want to lay so that your eyes are aprox. even with the farthest side tieout (BB or XLC) so that one tieout is even with your eyes and the other is chest level. Once you are laying in this correct spot you will then determine if you want the head/foot end higher or lower. Most people will want it setup so that when your eyes are even with the tieout that you are basically level/horizontal from hips to shoulders, so if your upper body seems too inclined or declined simply move the webbing up or down the tree trunk to adjust.
*Here is a picture that shows much of what I have just described, the person is much closer to the head end than they are to the foot end, but since the foot end is set much higher, the person is very level from hips to shoulders rather than the torso being “inclined”. The hammock is much closer to the foot tree, and also note the upward angle of the suspension straps, you want to shoot for the suspension running upward at roughly 30 deg angle for any hammock.
You will want to avoid ever pulling the suspension “tight” so there is little to no slack left, doing this will result in the suspension stretching more and the hammock height dropping by a foot or more once weighted, It can also over-stress your suspension. You generally will raise a hammock not by tightening the suspension but by raising it on the tree. A simple test can be done once you are in the hammock... if the ridgeline seems like it is guitar-string tight (see Blackbird setup video to see me doing this test) then the hammock is probably set too tight . If the ridgeline droops (while you’re laying down) then the hammock is too loose. Tightening the suspension tightens up the ridgeline and loosening the suspension loosens the ridgeline.
When using any webbing/buckle suspension, make sure that the buckles and webbing are aligned correctly. Webbing/buckles can sometimes get twisted up in the stuffsac and if you hang the hammock without ever looking at or adjusting one end you may not notice, so be sure that even if no length adjustment is needed that you give a glance to make sure they are aligned properly before using the hammock. If the hammock is weighted with the buckles turned sideways it can damage the webbing and/or potentially lead to failure of the webbing.
Never leave the hammock in direct sunlight for prolonged periods. UV rays degrade and weaken any synthetic fabric. Regularly inspect the hammock (and suspension) for wear, and always hang close to the ground. The suspension will wear out over time and need to be replaced eventually, do this BEFORE failure occurs.
If you use a hammock as a ground-shelter, always use a ground-cloth and pad underneath to protect the hammock body from abrasion. Always make sure the area you are camping in is free of overhead hazards (such as dead trees and branches) before hanging the hammock, especially if you expect windy conditions.
If you use the Blackbird or XLC as a chair (sitting sideways with your legs hanging over the zipper), avoid leaning back against the shelf seam.

[Hang Williams]

For a BBXLC: 8.4 degrees, roughly.

Inverse sin of 16/110.

Though I really consider that more approximate than anything considering it's the same guidance (16") they give for their 10' hammock which give a steeper angle for the shorter hammock. I think that's the right angle, though. It seemed to work when I still used the level. I use approximate sternum (head end) and chin (foot end) level since that works out to be about 16" when I'm in the hammock.

[cougarmeat]

Makia, welcome to the forum.
Remember that any numbers you see - lengths and heights - are "about's, ish's, and approximately's". The main criterion is your comfort.

For example, WarBonnet suggests the distance between the apex points of the suspension dogbones on the RidgeRunner be 13 feet. But a friend of mine is much more comfortable with a 12 ft. distance. Before WB published that 16-18 inch difference, the general rule was closer to 6 - 10 inches for most hammocks. But the WB BB and XLC have sort of a "foot shelf" and that higher foot-end recommendation. I tried it and for my comfort, a shorter distance variance works better.

The higher foot-end height of the hammock is not so much "comfort" per say, as it is to mitigate the tendency (nylon is slippery) to slide towards the foot end. And some people do find it helps alleviate calf ridge issues.

Another thing to consider is the weight range and height of the person in the hammock. A 5'6" person at 125 lbs. is going to "fit" differently than someone 6'4" and 210 lbs.

So the numbers - foot height higher than head height, angle of 30°, hammock ridgeline keeping that hammock hang length at 83% of the physical length - are all starting places that you adjust so the hammock is comfortable for you.

Once you start hanging in different situations, you may find yourself saying, as you walk up to the tree, "I want my head end about here." "I want my foot end about there." and "Good enough."

Learn from the numbers, but don't fret the numbers. And again, welcome to the forum.

[Sean McC]

I highly recommend what I once saw recommended…

I made a set up in my bedroom that zi could easily adjust either ends height as well as tension. I then slept in it for two weeks. Each night making small tweaks. And if I really did not like something I just got up and got in bed.

I used a scrap 2x3 I had and a five eye bolts in each one at about 2” increments. And a daisy chain to adjust tension (not ideal s the length increments are pretty big).

This allowed me to adjust the tension and angle to what I like in the comfort of my own home. Way better than doing that after hiking numerous miles and wanting a good night sleep.

Dutch makes a really sweet indoor hang set that is actually pretty cheap. Had I not already had the other bits I might have gone that route. Still might. It is pretty sweet,