Ridge line question

Bruceter

Bruceter

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May 19, 2000
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I have a question for hammock users.
My son wanted to try a hammock and he got one of the inexpensive ones from Walmart to start with. I see references to ridge lines that look like they are attached to the suspension lines of the hammock. How do you determine the length of the ridge line? Is para-cord OK to use for it?

TIA

Bruceter
 
You just string up your hammock and then run a line straight across at a point where it gives you enough room to tie mosquito netting or a tarp across the ridge line and still be able to move around in the hammock. Paracord works fine.
 
I do not connect my ridgeline to the hammock straps. Paracord is good. Lighter weight cords are available, but are more prone to tangles and bad knots.

If raining, I set up the tarp first.
 
^^ they are both correct.

Ridgeline is meant to suspend a tarp or net high enough off the body to protect you. The "strength" of the ridgeline depends on the weight it's going to support. In most cases [3 seasons] paracord is fine to use. In the winter, I'd use something more substantial like common rope.

Tarred Bank line is what I use. Available on amazon
 
Thanks for the input. My son wants to try to sleep in it tonight. We are going to rig it up in the backyard between the clothesline poles. It's supposed to get down to the 20's tonight, we'll see if he makes it all night.:D

Bruceter
 
With it getting cold make sure he has plenty of insulation under him, extra blankets are your friend under you in a hammock.
 
He is headed out in a little bit. We rigged up a couple of blankets under the hammock and he is putting his pad in the hammock, its one with about a half inch of closed cell foam laminated to some egg crate open cell foam. He has a 0 or -10 rated bag (can't remember which) so I'm not to worried about him. We also rigged up a tarp over the hammock to keep the wind off of him. Not to mention that he is only about 20' from the back door if he decides it's too cold;)

Bruceter
 
automotive windshield sun shades...the aluminum types...a perfect heat reflector to put between him and the hammock. It will help reflect his own heat back at him.
 
Well, he survived, said he was plenty warm. He was a little disappointed that it only got down to 22 last night though.

Bruceter
 
Cool, I find hammocks to be by far my favorite way to camp, after lots of broken bones and injuries sleeping on the ground is just an exercise in pain for me. Hammocks have helped me be able to get out and camp and enjoy it again.
 
cricketdave said:
Cool, I find hammocks to be by far my favorite way to camp, after lots of broken bones and injuries sleeping on the ground is just an exercise in pain for me. Hammocks have helped me be able to get out and camp and enjoy it again.
Click to expand...

ugh, I'm the complete opposite LOL. My hammocks turned into sliding boards and by morning, my head was lower than my feet....:thumbdn:
 
What kind of hammock? I started with a old army surplus jungle hammock, lots of mishaps with that and much giggling from the other campers. Moved to a Hennessy and have been very pleased with the not sliding to either end or flipping over on the side and dumping my butt.
 
cricketdave said:
What kind of hammock? I started with a old army surplus jungle hammock, lots of mishaps with that and much giggling from the other campers. Moved to a Hennessy and have been very pleased with the not sliding to either end or flipping over on the side and dumping my butt.
Click to expand...

It was a cheap surplus one...I think I paid like $15 for it? It was light, which is why I got it.

Looked a lot like this one.......

06-003hammock1.jpg


Notice his less exaggerated position of what I experienced. My feet would end up way higher than his appear LOL...
 
Lol oh yeah those suck. Even the army surplus one worked better than that. The worst time I had with it, it turned on the side away from the zipper and dumped me on the ground and I had hard time reaching up to the zipper and dragging my butt out of it. Well that and never set one up on a game trail, freaking deer ran into me in the night. Scared me out of 10yrs which I don't have to spare.
 
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