Is my setup okay?

[Always_Tired]

Hi everybody!

I'm a newbie to hammocking--just fell down an internet rabbit hole on hammock history and physics about a month ago and decided to try it full time.

I just moved to a new studio apartment where I can't drill into the walls, so I bought a stand to go with my new hammock. I did a lot of research, but I'm sure I could've done more.

Anyway, I wanted to get some opinions on my setup. I read that the stand should be 2 ft. longer than the hammock itself, so I ordered a stand that said it was adjustable and could accommodate hammocks 9-14 ft. long. I'm 5'10" and heard that 11 ft. hammocks are the way to go, so that's what I bought.

The stand isn't 13 ft. long, though. It's only 126 in./10.5 ft. So I'm not sure if my setup is ideal (as ideal as a stand can be, that is).

I've included pics so hopefully someone more knowledgeable than me can tell at a glance if it looks...safe enough, I guess? I'm not sure what potential issues could arise if the stand isn't long enough.

I have been using it for over a week now with no noticeable issues. It doesn't creak or seem unstable, and I'm able to stretch out and get comfortable. I've been really enjoying it and sleeping better than I have in a long time, so I think it's okay, but I'd just like to be sure.

Here are the links to the specific hammock and the stand, if that helps.

The Hammock: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C4KRSTJD...roduct_details
(I know it's on the cheaper side, and I may upgrade later, but I like it for now)

The Stand: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071V89F8H...roduct_details


Thank you so much for any help you can offer! I really appreciate this community.

[Crazytown3]

Wow, I can't believe you are actually using that stuff. I'm kidding of course. I think it sounds good/looks good. If it's comfortable and you are sleeping good, then it is good. The reality of this stuff is you could pour infinite amounts of money into equipment and the same with time, and never reach an endpoint.

Start with your current setup. Learn what you like about it, and what bugs you (if anything). That will give you a place to go in the future.

[PopcornFool]

+1 on:

If it's comfortable and you are sleeping good, then it is good.

Crazytown is spot on with his advice, IMO.

I'm so far down the rabbit hole that I've become close personal friends with the Cheshire Cat. But that's just me. You do you. HYOH.

[Always_Tired]

+1 on:


Crazytown is spot on with his advice, IMO.

I'm so far down the rabbit hole that I've become close personal friends with the Cheshire Cat. But that's just me. You do you. HYOH.

Thank you both so much! I’m completely new to this and wanted to do it right. I like it as it is, so I’ll stick with it, but maybe sometime down the road, once I’ve learned more about hammocks and how I prefer them, I can try something different. That’s what’s so great about this, it’s affordable and customizable. Thanks again!

[dwighop]

Well it can be affordable until the rabbit holes get deeper.

Thank you both so much! I’m completely new to this and wanted to do it right. I like it as it is, so I’ll stick with it, but maybe sometime down the road, once I’ve learned more about hammocks and how I prefer them, I can try something different. That’s what’s so great about this, it’s affordable and customizable. Thanks again!

[Shug]

I think it looks real good. Are you insulation as you sleep. Does your back get a bit cold at night?
Enjoy the hammock quest.
Shug

[LowTech]

I have a cheap Brazilian style hammock that I use sometimes, especially during the hot summer when sweating on nylon is not fun. It's great that you found one that wide (I may have to upgrade) since it will let you get diagonal enough to be comfortable, well done!
Things that I've done to mine,
- I made a ridgeline that I can easily add if the hang angle is not perfect, or if I need to use a bug net (I sleep outside all year) or want to have a ridgeline organizer, etc.
- I also made some dogbone extensions for using standard UQs.

Hang in there it only gets better .

"Sent w/o me knowing"

[cougarmeat]

Replace that, "...the stand should be two feet longer than the hammock itself." with, "when hung, the ends of the hammock should be a distance about 83% of the physical hammock length. For an 11 ft gathered end, that's a tad over 9 ft. The physical dimension of your stand is 10.5 ft so it just works. The reason for 83% is it gives the hammock the necessary sag that allows you to turn a bit diagonal - which is how you get a flat-ish lie. All these numbers are "ish's" and "about". Most important is comfort to you - along with not putting undue stress on the hammock/suspension.

A concern is, with the desired sag, is the stand high enough to keep the hammock and any underquilt off the ground? At 53 inches high, that stand is one of the tallest, of its style, that I've seen.

Now when you say the hammock is 11 ft. is that the physical length of the hammock body or the distance between the ends of the hammock's suspension? If it includes the suspension, you'll find most camping hammocks mentioned here have the hammock body itself spec'd at 11 ft - which would be even roomier if your "11 ft" includes the suspension distance.

Welcome to the forum. You are off to a good start.

[Always_Tired]

Well it can be affordable until the rabbit holes get deeper.

Haha great point! I’m sure I’ll be spending a lot more over the years as I become more experienced and learn what works for me.

I think it looks real good. Are you insulation as you sleep. Does your back get a bit cold at night?
Enjoy the hammock quest.
Shug

Thank you! I run warmer than most people and only use a light blanket, so the relative lack of insulation has been a huge plus for me actually.

I have a cheap Brazilian style hammock that I use sometimes, especially during the hot summer when sweating on nylon is not fun. It's great that you found one that wide (I may have to upgrade) since it will let you get diagonal enough to be comfortable, well done!
Things that I've done to mine,
- I made a ridgeline that I can easily add if the hang angle is not perfect, or if I need to use a bug net (I sleep outside all year) or want to have a ridgeline organizer, etc.
- I also made some dogbone extensions for using standard UQs.

Hang in there it only gets better .

"Sent w/o me knowing"

Thank you! Yeah, spreading out has not been an issue at all, so I can always find a comfortable position.

I’m glad you mentioned ridgelines, because I started reading about them yesterday and wondered if that could be a way to increase the tension on mine. I think mine could be a little bit tighter, and the fact that the hooks are only 10.5’ apart (not 12’ as I originally wrote in my post—I’m a dummy who can’t do math sometimes) for my 11’ hammock has been bothering me.

Replace that, "...the stand should be two feet longer than the hammock itself." with, "when hung, the ends of the hammock should be a distance about 83% of the physical hammock length. For an 11 ft gathered end, that's a tad over 9 ft. The physical dimension of your stand is 10.5 ft so it just works. The reason for 83% is it gives the hammock the necessary sag that allows you to turn a bit diagonal - which is how you get a flat-ish lie. All these numbers are "ish's" and "about". Most important is comfort to you - along with not putting undue stress on the hammock/suspension.

A concern is, with the desired sag, is the stand high enough to keep the hammock and any underquilt off the ground? At 53 inches high, that stand is one of the tallest, of its style, that I've seen.

Now when you say the hammock is 11 ft. is that the physical length of the hammock body or the distance between the ends of the hammock's suspension? If it includes the suspension, you'll find most camping hammocks mentioned here have the hammock body itself spec'd at 11 ft - which would be even roomier if your "11 ft" includes the suspension distance.

Welcome to the forum. You are off to a good start.

Thank you so much! You’ve highlighted my concerns and reframed them in a better way. I hadn’t realized that about measuring suspension vs. the hammock body. Rookie mistake that seems so obvious now! My hammock’s full length (inc. suspension) is 133.8” long (11.15’), while the bed is 94.5” long (7.88’).

Does that affect the hanging…calculations? I’m 5’10” and haven’t had any problem spreading out diagonally, though that could be more because of the hammock’s width (63”) than its length.

Empty, the bottom of the hammock reaches 17” above the floor. When I’m in it, I’m able to swing freely without touching the bottom (I’m 172 lbs., plus a small pillow and light blanket, and occasionally a 10 lb. cat that wants to snuggle), but I’m not sure exactly how high above the floor I am.

Thank you again for your help!

[cougarmeat]

If you play with the Hammock Hang calculator here: https://theultimatehang.com/calculator/

you'll see that anything past the body of the hammock is part of the suspension length. If the "bed" is 94.5 inches, that's just under 8 feet long for purposes of calculation. Hanging that at 83% end distance would put the ends about 80 inches apart. That's a bit short for someone 5' 10". So you are really benefiting from that 63-inch hammock body width.

But all this is conjecture. If you are comfortable, you are comfortable. That's the goal.