Do I need a shorter hammock

[dakotaross]

I rock a 10’ SG 15 degree hammock for 50s and lower, which is about 80% of my trips. Still have an 11’ Dutch netless and 30 degree UQ for truly warm trips.

Had Jared make me a 10.5’ pentagon tarp for the SG hammock and fits that fine. Could still use for the 11’ in non-stormy weather.

Keep in mind that NONE of your accessories will need to be replaced, and you can still use your 11’ tarp - just that you get minimal benefit from the shorter hammock on tree distance. I was using a 12’ tarp and going shorter has been as good as I thought it would be. Not earth shattering significant, but significant nonetheless.


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[TominMN]

If you want just to try a 10' hammock to see if it will be comfortable for you, there's no need to buy one. You can take your 11' netless hammock and whip one or both ends to make it shorter. ...

That said, for whatever reason, it MAY feel different than any of the 10' hammocks that are available. Even those may feel different than one another! One that seems to somehow be different is the SG 10' (?) dakotaross isn't alone in really liking it.

("Need" might be a very personal thing...)

[ebrianschmidt]

What tarp are you using? While most just talk about tarp length, width also can matter for blocking wind. I've seen tarps from 7' wide to 11'6" wide and everywhere between. The wider the more wind is blocked, but also gives you a much larger porch.

7" I've only seen on some UL tarps, most are 9 to 10', Dutchware makes the 11'6" ones. Maybe you should look at those.

I actually have a 11 foot wilderness logics old man winter for my only tarp. It’s 9’5 wide I believe. I was actually looking at a Dutch wide tarp, but had to buy a duration x mid tent when my brother invited me to hike half dome. Yosemite doesn’t allow hammocks. Maybe that will be my next purchase.

[BillyBob58]

For many years, my overall fave hammock, and arguably most over all comfortable hammock, was my Claytor No Net. Part of that favoritism was probably because, being a narrow hammock, it worked best with my Speer Pea Pod. Even better than with my Speer hammock for which the Pea Pod was designed. But, it was also the GE hammock that most often gave me the least calf ridge, usually none. And it was otherwise at least as comfy as any of my other GE hammocks for my 6'1", 205 lb self. No RL was ever needed.

That hammock was only 10 ft long and 4 ft wide! I usually hung it with less sag than my hammocks with fixed RLs. And yes, I have a number of 11 ft GE hammocks, but I don't think any of them beat that hammock for comfort FOR ME, and more than one can't quite match it. But guess what: which of my other GE hammocks almost matches that Claytor? It was a TreetoTree Switchback. Which was also a 10 ft hammock, though a little wider(not much). Again, no RL and I hung it with a bit less sag. i think several other of the old timers here(maybe Dutch and OutandBack?) also had called this a very comfy hammock and one of their favs.

To make things even crazier, there was a time here on HF when the Speer hammocks were the favs of many. Plus, Speer wrote the original hammock camping book which also told us how to make our own hammocks. His recommendation for length? If memory serves, it was height plus 2 feet! So for me, that would be an 8 ft hammock! Can you imagine? I purchase one of his longer hammocks, but it was still only about a 9 footer. I felt it was great for back or fetal position, often wonderfully comfortable. Once again, like the Claytor and Switchback, calf ridge never seemed to be a problem.

Lately, my fav GE hammock(still a big fan of JRB bridge hammocks, also 90º hammocks) is a Superior Gear Insulated. They sell 10 ft hammocks, but I chickened out and got an 11 footer. But I think it is also relatively narrow and I use it with it's adjustable RL at max length. IOW, less sag. And I rarely if ever have calf ridge and if I do I can find a way around it. But I have often wondered if I would have like the 10 ft version even more? After all, I have a good history with other 10 ft GE hammocks.

[dakotaross]

For many years, my overall fave hammock, and arguably most over all comfortable hammock, was my Claytor No Net. Part of that favoritism was probably because, being a narrow hammock, it worked best with my Speer Pea Pod. Even better than with my Speer hammock for which the Pea Pod was designed. But, it was also the GE hammock that most often gave me the least calf ridge, usually none. And it was otherwise at least as comfy as any of my other GE hammocks for my 6'1", 205 lb self. No RL was ever needed.

That hammock was only 10 ft long and 4 ft wide! I usually hung it with less sag than my hammocks with fixed RLs. And yes, I have a number of 11 ft GE hammocks, but I don't think any of them beat that hammock for comfort FOR ME, and more than one can't quite match it. But guess what: which of my other GE hammocks almost matches that Claytor? It was a TreetoTree Switchback. Which was also a 10 ft hammock, though a little wider(not much). Again, no RL and I hung it with a bit less sag. i think several other of the old timers here(maybe Dutch and OutandBack?) also had called this a very comfy hammock and one of their favs.

To make things even crazier, there was a time here on HF when the Speer hammocks were the favs of many. Plus, Speer wrote the original hammock camping book which also told us how to make our own hammocks. His recommendation for length? If memory serves, it was height plus 2 feet! So for me, that would be an 8 ft hammock! Can you imagine? I purchase one of his longer hammocks, but it was still only about a 9 footer. I felt it was great for back or fetal position, often wonderfully comfortable. Once again, like the Claytor and Switchback, calf ridge never seemed to be a problem.

Lately, my fav GE hammock(still a big fan of JRB bridge hammocks, also 90º hammocks) is a Superior Gear Insulated. They sell 10 ft hammocks, but I chickened out and got an 11 footer. But I think it is also relatively narrow and I use it with it's adjustable RL at max length. IOW, less sag. And I rarely if ever have calf ridge and if I do I can find a way around it. But I have often wondered if I would have like the 10 ft version even more? After all, I have a good history with other 10 ft GE hammocks.

I rocked a Claytor NoNet for a while, too! Agreed, one of the most comfy hammocks but got tired of my quilt drooping over the side. Also agreed that the SG feels narrow and said quilt droops when I don’t use the net - something that heretofore had been my modus operandi. Perhaps the narrower hammock allows more of the space on the ends to be utilized on the lay?


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[Karla "with a k"]

OP: How tall are you?

[BillyBob58]

I rocked a Claytor NoNet for a while, too! Agreed, one of the most comfy hammocks but got tired of my quilt drooping over the side. Also agreed that the SG feels narrow and said quilt droops when I don’t use the net - something that heretofore had been my modus operandi. Perhaps the narrower hammock allows more of the space on the ends to be utilized on the lay?


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By "drooping over the side", do you mean quilt edges hanging over the hammock edges, or do you mean the TQ actually falling out of the hammock? I have had the problem of the TQ wanting to drop out of the hammock on a few hammocks. I probably never noticed it on the Claytor since I almost always used it with the Speer Pea Pod. Which, since it completely surrounded the hammock and Velcroed closed on top, that problem did not exist. Even if I added an additional thin quilt or clothing on top to boost warmth, the pod would hold it all in. That was a great system, IMO. But now, I feel like the SG Cocoon system approaches the pod, and I have always felt my JRB bridge + TQ/UQ systems also came close. Again, maybe something about those narrow- but in this(original JRB bridge) case also deep- hammocks. Maybe causing the TQ to be funneled down on top of me, rather than go flying off to one side? Not sure. Just works well for me, closer to the pod efficiency.

But, back to Ebrianschmidt's query re: hammock length. Yes, even though I am 6'1" and a bit over 200 lbs, I have had good luck with both shorter and narrower hammocks. 10 ft or even in one case(Speer) 9 ft. However, I think the consensus here is that 11 ft or even longer is always more comfy, particularly for the taller folks. And, most seem to prefer the wider hammocks as well, though I think at some point excess fabric becomes an irritant. Has for me at least. So much about hammocking is apparently like a pair of shoes. What is comfy for me might be anything but for you. So unfortunately, you kind of just have to try them out. And preferably more than a quick try, as sometimes a learning curve is involved.

This is a picture from way back of Ed Speer in one of his hammocks. He sure looks comfy to me. I don't think he was as tall as me, but I have certainly spent a few comfy nights in one of his hammocks, which was definitely no more than 9 ft long(his longer version LOL! And I am here to testify that his hammocks were considered very comfy by a bunch of folks here at HF back in antiquity. Like 18 years ago. I had only had an 11 ft HH Explorer UL at that time(loved it!), and bought one because so many folks here at HF preferred the Speer and even very highly rated it! A lot of folks made their own, for a very low price, using his directions(from his book) and recommendations of height + 2 ft, if you can believe that.





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