dd hammocks
- Thread starter sandbag47
- Start date
I'm glad everybody's so happy with his or her hammock. Myself on the other hand.. I'm less pleased. First of all I must admit that I'm not that of a big hammock user and my experiences are limited. So I hope that the problems I've had with it are due to wrongfull use and help might come to me through you guys. The story:
I wanted to test it out, so went to the woods, etc etc. It was dark and I had set up my hammock in between two trees standing about 2,5 meters from eachother. I briefly tested the hammock; sat in it, lay down in it and it was pretty comfy on first impressions. I did not tighten it between the two trees so that it was streched straight because I vaguely heard that tying it to tight wasn't comfy. After that we had a brew around the fire and when it was time to sleep I got in. first impressions where: how the hell can anyone get in this thing, let alone sleep. Well, this was probably due to no experience and I needed a little getting used to. Then I noticed that it wasnt set up as a hammock should be set up: like the bottom half of a cocoon. No it was tight in the middle, left and right of the middle it dropped down and to the sides it went up again. In a cross section drawing a bit like this:
So after another try of tying it again, retying it, tying it and re-retying I put my sleeping mat on the forest floor next to the fire and slept like a baby. Although initially a few words I reminded on the letter from DD-hammocks kept tormenting my soul: "Before using your hammock we recommend you have a quick look at our hammock set-up instructions wich can be found on our website
." ( "aahrg" I thought for a minute. and fell vast asleep)
The next day I rushed to the nearest computer to check www.ddhammocks.com (tips page) to check what on earth I'd done wrong. I apperently tied the hammock too losely and the trees had to be a little further from eachother. So I packed my hammock again and speeded to the nearest forest. There I took the time to ( in daylight) set up my hammock again. This time I set it up tighter then the night before. I lay down in it and I almost rolled out of it. The issue from the night before (see picture) was somewhat solved. But I almost rolled out because at my left side the rim of the hammock was as tight as my bottox at that time and the right side was loosely hanging halfway and not tight at all. (see picture below)
Well. I checked everything on the hammock and I finally noticed that one side was longer than the other. I didnt have a go go gadget ruler, so I went back home again to get the exact dimensions of the hammock.
I discovered that one side is a good 10 cm's longer than the other. So one side ties straight before the other side even gets a chance. (see picture below)
Now. My question is: 'is this something that I can fix, or compensate. I'm I just a bad hammock person, or Is the extra 10 cm's the core of the problem? If anyone can help me with this I would be very thankfull. Cheers for now!
Geuf
I wanted to test it out, so went to the woods, etc etc. It was dark and I had set up my hammock in between two trees standing about 2,5 meters from eachother. I briefly tested the hammock; sat in it, lay down in it and it was pretty comfy on first impressions. I did not tighten it between the two trees so that it was streched straight because I vaguely heard that tying it to tight wasn't comfy. After that we had a brew around the fire and when it was time to sleep I got in. first impressions where: how the hell can anyone get in this thing, let alone sleep. Well, this was probably due to no experience and I needed a little getting used to. Then I noticed that it wasnt set up as a hammock should be set up: like the bottom half of a cocoon. No it was tight in the middle, left and right of the middle it dropped down and to the sides it went up again. In a cross section drawing a bit like this:
So after another try of tying it again, retying it, tying it and re-retying I put my sleeping mat on the forest floor next to the fire and slept like a baby. Although initially a few words I reminded on the letter from DD-hammocks kept tormenting my soul: "Before using your hammock we recommend you have a quick look at our hammock set-up instructions wich can be found on our website
." ( "aahrg" I thought for a minute. and fell vast asleep)The next day I rushed to the nearest computer to check www.ddhammocks.com (tips page) to check what on earth I'd done wrong. I apperently tied the hammock too losely and the trees had to be a little further from eachother. So I packed my hammock again and speeded to the nearest forest. There I took the time to ( in daylight) set up my hammock again. This time I set it up tighter then the night before. I lay down in it and I almost rolled out of it. The issue from the night before (see picture) was somewhat solved. But I almost rolled out because at my left side the rim of the hammock was as tight as my bottox at that time and the right side was loosely hanging halfway and not tight at all. (see picture below)
Well. I checked everything on the hammock and I finally noticed that one side was longer than the other. I didnt have a go go gadget ruler, so I went back home again to get the exact dimensions of the hammock.
I discovered that one side is a good 10 cm's longer than the other. So one side ties straight before the other side even gets a chance. (see picture below)
Now. My question is: 'is this something that I can fix, or compensate. I'm I just a bad hammock person, or Is the extra 10 cm's the core of the problem? If anyone can help me with this I would be very thankfull. Cheers for now!
Geuf
That is weird Geuf, I haven't heard of a DD being so out on one side like that before. The only thing I can think of that might help is when you tie off the hammock to the trees make sure that both sides of the hammock are equally taut by pulling the long-side tapes tighter around the tree.
I sometimes get the first problem you described, with a strip along the centre seeming to be tighter than the sides, but shifting my body weight around inside usually sorts this.
I sometimes get the first problem you described, with a strip along the centre seeming to be tighter than the sides, but shifting my body weight around inside usually sorts this.
Geuf said:
So ... if you fold your hammock in half (lengthwise) you don't get it aligned symmetrical? If so I reckon it's a production / manufacturing fault. Mine has on both sides the same length. Best to contact DD ...
just as I thought. But I wanted to check here what your thoughts were. Since I'm kind of a hammock noob. Thanks for sharing!
Cheers
Cheers
Mmmmmmm interesting ........ I had a similar problem (see here). I thought I was just hanging it wrong - several attempts and one side was still higher than the other. Might go and measure the sides now - although mine was a travel hammock so they'd have to get both the hammock and the net lengths wrong ..... which I would have thought is unlikely.
Thanks for the advices. I did talk to DD-Hammocks. They told me to send the hammock back. If it is a manucaturing fault they will immediately send me anotherone AND they will cover the shipping costs. How awesome! great service, and quick too.
Sure, although personally I'd recommend a 3x3m basha, hootchie or tarp rather than a 2x3m one, just gives you a little more protection from the elements.
However, having just got mine I'm sure the folk on here will have suggestions based on more hammocking experience than mine.
However, having just got mine I'm sure the folk on here will have suggestions based on more hammocking experience than mine.
At 2.7m it's about the same length at the hammock, allowing for hammock sag it should be fine. Personally I'd rather have the extra length offered by a 3m tarp.
Edit: in heavy rain you may have to set the hootchie quite low over the hammock to stop the ends getting soaked.
And remember to use some climbers' carabinas with the webbing so that it sheds the rain, or some other rig. Simple drip lines do not work in heavy continous rain!
Oooooooooh yes!Sounds like someone else who learned that the hard way
My friend and I both had our first hammocks, went camping for the first time in south-wales (just before the summer bushmoot) it was the week of continuous rain and flooding. We got flooded out of one wood, the rain kept on coming; our hammocks had numerous drip-lines but it didnt stop our hammocks from getting soaked!LOL! The first and last time I got my hammock soaked, I was camping in a thick stand of pine. Wind was howling and the rain bucketing down, wasn't until too late that I realised there was a small river running down the trunks of the trees straight into my hammock Drip lines had no effect whatsoever. That's when I made the switch to carabiners.
Drip lines had no effect whatsoever. That's when I made the switch to carabiners.
Yep, me too, im using two carabiners either end. This has spurred me to right a new article about DD Hammocks on my new site, I'll be sure to write about the rain/carabiner tip!
Karibiners are nice, but a costly luxury IMO, personally I've plumped for these:
Maillon Rapide 6mm Standard
From Cave & Crag...£1.50 each rather than £6-8.00 a pop! Higher rating weight wise, and you can undo them if you need to.
Or maybe I'm just a tight bum?
Maillon Rapide 6mm Standard
From Cave & Crag...£1.50 each rather than £6-8.00 a pop! Higher rating weight wise, and you can undo them if you need to.
Or maybe I'm just a tight bum?
Similar threads
