Help me decide?

[Spaced]

Currently on fence between;

12' x 74" 1.6 Hyper D xl
12' x 66" 1.2 MTN xl

I'm 6 foot 4" and weigh around 170lb, broad shoulder, slim build. Currently i use a 12 foot x 68" that gives me a flat lay, but i think a wider base would give my feet more room to wiggle, and I like to wiggle from back to side so this seems important...but am i wrong?

I do not want to compromise on comfort which is why I am leaning towards HyperD, mostly because you can't go wrong with more width in terms of comfort, but you can definitely go wrong with less imo and my only real experience is with 68"

If I'm wrong on width, I would feel less cautious about going narrower, in which case the MTN is my top pick because it's meant to be very supportive for it's weight, but if it's restrictive of my comfort or wiggling, I'd rather carry the extra weight and maximize sleep.


what's your favorite material, out of these 2? Would the difference be noticeable for a taller person? Do any of you regularly carry wider hammocks on longer trips because of the comfort benefits, or are they marginal enough to warrant a lighter/narrower setup?

Cheers!

[cmc4free]

I like both. The MTN XL is a little less stretchy, seems to me, even with the lighter weight. Hammock dimensions and fabric are both quite personal choices, so I don't think my preferences will necessarily help you, though. For the record, I am 6'1", 165 lbs, and an 11' x 64" is optimal for me, but I barely move once settled in the hammock.

If you're looking to try a new hammock that's more different than what you have, I'd go for the HyperD XL at full width.

Depending on your interest in shaving ounces, the 12' x 74" 1.6 oz/yd² hammock body (minus weight of thread, structural ridgeline, and continuous loops) should weigh around 14oz, and the 12' x 66" 1.2 oz/yd² should weigh around 9.5oz. These figures account for the hemmed edges and ends, but are just approximations. Their respective packed volumes would follow roughly the same ratio as their weights.

FWIW, I personally wouldn't sacrifice sleep comfort to save 4-5 oz. I would prefer to make that up elsewhere - for example lighter shell materials in my quilts, less hardware in hammock and tarp suspension, etc. Simplify, then iterate. There are lots of other areas to save weight that may not directly impact your experience and the restorative power of sleep as much, especially if you think a wider hammock will suit you best.

Welcome to the forum!

[tinktheman12]

I’m no expert but it seems with your height you might want that wider fabric. But perhaps 66” is enough width for you to be comfortable. At my height of 5’11” I’m comfy in a Warbonnet Traveler XL which is 11’ x 62”

[KarlaW]

Agree with you.

[Spaced]

Morning all!

I like both. The MTN XL is a little less stretchy, seems to me, even with the lighter weight. Hammock dimensions and fabric are both quite personal choices, so I don't think my preferences will necessarily help you, though. For the record, I am 6'1", 165 lbs, and an 11' x 64" is optimal for me, but I barely move once settled in the hammock.


If you're looking to try a new hammock that's more different than what you have, I'd go for the HyperD XL at full width.

Depending on your interest in shaving ounces, the 12' x 74" 1.6 oz/yd² hammock body (minus weight of thread, structural ridgeline, and continuous loops) should weigh around 14oz, and the 12' x 66" 1.2 oz/yd² should weigh around 9.5oz. These figures account for the hemmed edges and ends, but are just approximations. Their respective packed volumes would follow roughly the same ratio as their weights.

FWIW, I personally wouldn't sacrifice sleep comfort to save 4-5 oz. I would prefer to make that up elsewhere - for example lighter shell materials in my quilts, less hardware in hammock and tarp suspension, etc. Simplify, then iterate. There are lots of other areas to save weight that may not directly impact your experience and the restorative power of sleep as much, especially if you think a wider hammock will suit you best.
Welcome to the forum!

Same, i wouldn't sacrifice sleep for 4-5 oz I just liked the idea of having a lighter, less flappy (possibly more supportive) setup if i could get away with it...but honestly I do like the idea of more width, if only to realize I don't need it lol. On my current setup I have excess flap even at 68" but it doesn't bother me that much and if it lets me wiggle then it's worth it i think.

I did ponder dropping to 11' but I've read so many threads on the topic here and it seems unanimous that longer = more comfy, if a little more effort to dial things in in terms of hanging height etc, which I don't mind. I'll admit if i could find total comfort in 11 foot by 64" i'd take it, I'm just not ready to pay to find out right now lol.

cheers, cmc4free!

I’m no expert but it seems with your height you might want that wider fabric. But perhaps 66” is enough width for you to be comfortable. At my height of 5’11” I’m comfy in a Warbonnet Traveler XL which is 11’ x 62”

I was speaking with the folks at DH and they thought 66" might just be in my comfort range too. I figure if the MTN is a bit more supportive and with an asymmetrical lay, the overall width might not be as much of an issue in terms of comfort/side sleeping. It's just a big question of "but what if?" right now lol

Thanks, Tink!

Still got 3-4 days to make up my mind but I think the 74" is looking more and more likely...the potential to starfish is just too great haha.

[PopcornFool]

Do any of you regularly carry wider hammocks on longer trips because of the comfort benefits, or are they marginal enough to warrant a lighter/narrower setup?

I always carry a wider hammock. Everything is a trade-off when you are trying to minimize weight for long backpacking trips. But when I'm struggling to decide between giving up sleep comfort to save a few grams, I always choose comfort. I've learned that it doesn't matter how light my pack is, if my sleep isn't good, the entire trip is miserable. Personally, I'd rather carry more weight to ensure quality sleep.

[Spaced]

I always carry a wider hammock. Everything is a trade-off when you are trying to minimize weight for long backpacking trips. But when I'm struggling to decide between giving up sleep comfort to save a few grams, I always choose comfort. I've learned that it doesn't matter how light my pack is, if my sleep isn't good, the entire trip is miserable. Personally, I'd rather carry more weight to ensure quality sleep.

I agree. in terms of weight savings at most I'd be looking at 9 oz from my current setup, which is considerable...but I'm mostly looking to go full ham on comfort and packability (hyperd is also highly packable I believe?) to make sure it's viable for longer trips, and I can definitely save weight elsewhere...like upgrading my 56oz UQ after winter passes xD

I can't wait to start back-and-forthing over wide vs long UQs haha.

[Zingger]

I made a MTN XL 1.7 12' x 68" at 6' even I was walled in and wanted a better view. I cut it down to 11' x 62" and still have some extra material on the side wall but do like the feel. For lounging my HyperD is very comfortable at 11' x 64" but my back prefers the MTN fabric when using it for longer periods of time. I bet the 12x66 would give you plenty of room. Once you go super wide the underquilt becomes a limiting factor, at least on a full lenght UQ.

[Spaced]

I made a MTN XL 1.7 12' x 68" at 6' even I was walled in and wanted a better view. I cut it down to 11' x 62" and still have some extra material on the side wall but do like the feel. For lounging my HyperD is very comfortable at 11' x 64" but my back prefers the MTN fabric when using it for longer periods of time. I bet the 12x66 would give you plenty of room. Once you go super wide the underquilt becomes a limiting factor, at least on a full lenght UQ.

I have a 4 season synthetic UQ that is 83" x 52" and even then I can feel the straps if I go too wide, so I appreciate your point. I camp a lot in wet, windy weather so will almost always have UQ suspension restricting my wiggling and as much as I like the idea of 74", I dislike heelhiking over shockcord to make use of it lol.

I decided on the 1.2 mtn. it was actually only 65" when i rechecked and decided that since I know I can get flat with 68, 3" less is something I'm willing to risk for the added support and weight savings. I figured for the sake of experience it's better to know your lower comfort limit

cheers!

[kmjohnson1974]

I am 6’2” and bought a 72” wide hammock from DH a while back. The Hennessy I had at the time was not nearly wide enough. The hammock is great, but after a few years of use, I realize I probably should have gone with something around 68.” When I get my flat lay, the edge of the hammock flaps over my feet about 4-6”. You’re a bit taller than me, so 72” may be about right for you.

Note: My hammock is the 1.6 HD. The 1.2 may be different since it will have a bit more stretch to it.


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