Standard Hammock Width vs. Wide

[ObdewlaX]

Apart from the obvious, i.e., more material, more room, what more is gained by going with a wide hammock vs. standard width?

In other words, what's the point?

[Smckinney0031]

Some people can get a flatter lay in wide, especially if they are a bigger person or have wider shoulders. I really like a wider hammock, it seems more comfortable to me

[MAD777]

Many people go wide. If car camping, I suppose there's nothing to lose.

But here's my take on narrow hammocks for gram conscious backpackers, with no loss of comfort.

https://youtu.be/NglCJ0sEGVY

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[sloanie]

I’ll admit I moved away from standard width hammocks early on and haven’t gone back for a second try. I found that, at just over 6’4” and being a bit of a restless sleeper, my extremities would end up right at the edges of the hammock. Too close for my liking, I prefer a little fabric buffer. I could probably get away with a hammock being even just being 3-4” wider than the standard 58”, but generally wide fabrics are 8-10+ inches wider and I’m fine with that.

[Caminante]

I've made a few wide hammocks and used every bit of fabric that I could (I paid for it, after all!) and have found that they are unbeatable for comfort without an UQ. You can get so diagonal and flat it's not funny. Luxurious. With an UQ, it's a different story. I haven't figured out how to use all the width with a UQ attached, no matter how I tweak the rigging or hook in the shock cords. Therefore, I wind up with fabric flopping on my face even with knotty mods deployed. With an UQ, I am much more comfortable in a "normal" width hammock. I'm inclined to try trimming down some wide fabric on my next build to something in the ~64" range to see if that's the sweet spot, but for now it's normal width only with UQ's.

[Tony c]

What's frustrating is that wide is subjective. Is it only 65-72 inches or is 60-65 also considered wide? If I'm buying fabric I pay the same for both sizes but they are not there same!

58 is an arbitrary size based on textile industry standards.

[leiavoia]

I've personally found the extra width to be useless, if not annoying. It isn't any flatter either (it's still fundamentally a football shape - now with higher sides)

[dakotaross]

Well, to each their own. I certainly find a wider hammock more comfy, but regarding those higher sides, I do REQUIRE a knotty mod to tame them. Of note, I had Jared make my Streamliner wider because the std width was clearly not working for me, and the cat cuts of the Streamliner negate the high wall effect of going wider.

[MAD777]

Of note, I had Jared make my Streamliner wider... .

I would love to see a video of this, similar to mine in post #3 above. This hammock has intrigued me from the beginning.

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[dakotaross]

I would love to see a video of this, similar to mine in post #3 above. This hammock has intrigued me from the beginning.

I'll be out this weekend and see if I can make a video. Not sure how much it will show you. The cat cut makes the side rigid, so you have no floppy material as you show in your video. I think mine is 64" wide on the ends, which should make the middle about 54". I've got another GE hammock that is wide with knotty mods and I still get steep walls, which I don't get with the Streamliner. I also have a large pocket sewn on the side which further opens up the middle of the hammock when stuff is in it, and is well supported by the rigid cat cut sides. Not sure it would work very well in a std GE hammock. I believe the extra support of the rigid sides helps to soften the forces that might otherwise cause the calf ridge. But, of course, its less material, too. I think his std Steamliner is normally 58", so that's 48" in the middle, a lot less material over the std 58" GE.