So I got myself a nice vented winter sock, but it was made to 11 foot length instead of 10 as ordered. No problem, the maker made and sent me a 10 footer before even receiving the too-long one back in the mail. Great customer service. Though only briefly setting my Blackbird 10 foot hammock with the 11 foot sock was enough to make me think "not only is 11 feet clearly too long, but it could probably be shorter than 10 feet," an observation that was reinforced when I set up the replacement 10 foot sock. I measured it out and the 10 footer is more than ample--perhaps as much as two feet more than needed. Lots of flop and overlap** when set so that the vent is over one's head.

This would appear to make sense, as a 10 foot hammock when set has a ridgeline of some 8 feet and a few inches. I don't think I'm practicing some kind of weird hammock hanging system.

So the question is: why is a sock for a ten foot hammock ten feet long? Why isn't it closer to 8 feet? Would a shorter one work just as well?

I've got an old un-vented sock that's closer to 8 feet than 10 feet in length...

Contemplating selling* the "as-new, set up once" ten footer and special ordering a sock about 8 feet in length.

Posted this because I'm genuinely curious: have I missed some essential truth of socks? Would a shorter one work? Through some ten minutes of measuring, observing, sitting in a hammock with the sock on, it sure seems like it could be shorter and work just as well.

Also true: the apparently longer-than-needed sock would work just fine, of course--overlap doesn't prevent it from doing its job...

Any thoughts?

*I won't ask to return it, as they made me what I asked--a 10 foot sock--and the thing is drop-dead gorgeous and light at 7.4 oz with mesh stuff sack. Note this is NOT an offer to sell the item: do not offer to buy it as a result of this post.

**Along the long dimension: girth-wise, seems just right.