Following on from some of the info I posted in the Delamere Forest Camp thread, I have had a few random thoughts about sleeping in a hammock.
Ive done a bit of this now over the years and there are a few bits I have had to work out to get really comfortable.
Firstly there is the issue of insulation under the hammock which, as I explained in the above thread, I think the Underblanket is by far my current favourite solution.
The other big bugbear, which I am still working on, is gravity
In a nutshell, the problem is this. A hammock hangs so that it is lower in the middle than at the ends. This means, almost inevitably, that your centre of gravity is going to end up at the bottom of this curve.
In my case that means my feet often end up higher than my head, which tends to lead to a bit of a headache when I wake up.
At least I think that is the cause.
The problem has always been how to prevent a slippery surfaced sleeping bag sliding down a slippery hammock?
So far I have tried tying one end of the hammock a bit higher, attaching a sleeping mat to the hammock sling and placing a woollen blanket between the hammock and the bag. All so far to no positive effect.
It has been suggested that I should sling the hammock more loosely and sleep diagonally, which, for some reason, I just cant get on with.
My current solution is the use of a pillow sufficiently deep that it raises my head at least level with my feet, which does work fairly well. I tend to use a stuff sack full of clothes, which fits the bill.
A trick which I intend to experiment with on my next trip is a roll of non slip matting which is a slightly tacky web of rubber that is quite light. I found it recently in a caravan accessory shop. I am wondering if this placed underneath the bag will reduce the slide factor and thus keep my head a little higher.
I'll let you know if it works.
I suppose I was wondering If anyone else has little tricks for getting comfortable in a hammock that might be worth sharing.
Ive done a bit of this now over the years and there are a few bits I have had to work out to get really comfortable.
Firstly there is the issue of insulation under the hammock which, as I explained in the above thread, I think the Underblanket is by far my current favourite solution.
The other big bugbear, which I am still working on, is gravity
In a nutshell, the problem is this. A hammock hangs so that it is lower in the middle than at the ends. This means, almost inevitably, that your centre of gravity is going to end up at the bottom of this curve.
In my case that means my feet often end up higher than my head, which tends to lead to a bit of a headache when I wake up.
At least I think that is the cause.
The problem has always been how to prevent a slippery surfaced sleeping bag sliding down a slippery hammock?
So far I have tried tying one end of the hammock a bit higher, attaching a sleeping mat to the hammock sling and placing a woollen blanket between the hammock and the bag. All so far to no positive effect.
It has been suggested that I should sling the hammock more loosely and sleep diagonally, which, for some reason, I just cant get on with.
My current solution is the use of a pillow sufficiently deep that it raises my head at least level with my feet, which does work fairly well. I tend to use a stuff sack full of clothes, which fits the bill.
A trick which I intend to experiment with on my next trip is a roll of non slip matting which is a slightly tacky web of rubber that is quite light. I found it recently in a caravan accessory shop. I am wondering if this placed underneath the bag will reduce the slide factor and thus keep my head a little higher.
I'll let you know if it works.
I suppose I was wondering If anyone else has little tricks for getting comfortable in a hammock that might be worth sharing.
. But who knows, if I get the hang of this hammock thing...
I'm just shy of 6', so I imagine it would be tricky if you're any taller than that. Although if you curl up a bit on your side it might work...
)
