Are you planning for camping in the forest or a holiday near the beach? Or you want some fun for your kid at home? Then a hammock is a perfect part of the picture you are thinking about, or is it not?
Hammocks are the signature of peace and rest. When you need a perfect place to spend your leisure time, reading a book, sight-seeing or even sleeping, then a hammock is your best choice.
Many people do not like hammocks because they think it will give them a backache and will be uncomfortable. They also think that they would lose their balance and fall off. And there is also this misconception that sleeping in a hammock will leave their knees and feet cold. But is it really so or are these just the speculations of mind? Of course, these are just mind made things. If you ever had such problems with a hammock, then you probably don't know how to set up one! But don't worry because in this article you're going to learn how to set up hammock nice and comfy.
How to set up the hammock
Step 1:
Find two trees to hang your hammock between. Here are some points that will help you in tree selection.
- The tree must be alive. Don’t hang your hammock on a dead tree because it can snap and break.
- There must be enough space between the trees for the hammock to be hung. Five paces of space are usually enough.
- There must be no big bush between those trees. Bushes can tear your hammock, and they might also contain insects or other poisonous animals that may harm you.
- Trees must be about a foot wide. If you hang the hammockon a narrower tree, then it might not be able to bear your weight.
- Try setting up your hammock perpendicular to the weather so that you might be affected less by the effects of wind and rain.
Step 2:
Wrap the tree straps on the trees and hook the rings of the tree strap to the rings of the end of your hammock. You’ll need two straps 10 feet long each for hammock suspension. Let us look at some of the tips for this step.
- Tie an over loop hand knot at one end of your strap. This might be just a few inches in diameter.
- Attach the un-looped end of your rope with a carabiner.
- Stand in front of your tree and target your strap at 4 feet of height. Place the looped end at your target and loop the carabiner end of the strap around the tree. Make sure the strap is flat because it helps to grip your hammockwithout any damage done to the tree.
- Pass the carabiner end through the loop and tighten the strap then take the strap to the other side.
- Repeat the above step as long as enough strap is left to hang the hammock. Then tuck the carabiner side through one or two wraps around the tree and pull it tight.
- Attach the hammockto the carabiners.
Step 3:
Adjusting the height of your hammock is necessary to make it comfortable. Follow these tips while setting up the hammock.
- Set up your hammockat the sitting height as that of the chair. This height is 18 inches from the ground.
- Adjust the straps so that they form an angle of 30 degrees with the ground.
- Check-in with the tension in the straps. It must not be too much to break the hammockneither too loose to make it uncomfortable.
- To adjust the height of the hammock, you have to set up the tree straps at the height of 4-5 feet from the ground. If the carabine side of the strap is too short or long, then it must be adjusted by opening or wrapping the strap around the tree to get the suitable height.
Adjust the height of the hammock so that it does not sag too much or is too taut to sit on with ease. The traditional style allows a little sag that makes hammocks comfortable.
How to sleep well in a hammock
If you have set up your hammock right then don’t be afraid of falling from it. Hammocks are designed for better balance and flexibility. So, once you’ve set it right, you can lay down in it nice and comfy. Now you will discover some of the tips that are definitely going to help you with having an improved comfort experience of a hammock.
Choose a hammock that matches your size and weight
Buy a hammock that suits your size, weight and need for a better experience. There are two types of hammocks available for you to choose from
- Single hammocks: these hammocks are 4-5 feet in width. They are best for camping and backpacking due to lesser weight. Their weight limit ranges from 300-400 pounds.
- Double hammocks: Double hammocks provide a space of 5-6 feet of width. They have the additional benefit of hammock sharing along with comfort. They can support up to 500 pounds of weight.
The length of a hammock is not much of a problem unless you are extra tall. Make sure that the hammock is two feet longer than your height which most hammocks are anyways.
Hammocks with pop-up mosquito nets
If you stargazer or a jungle explorer than hammocks are definitely going to enhance your experience. But when it comes to outdoor activity, mosquitoes a quite a part of it. One must get complete protection from mosquitoes and other such insects in order to keep safe from diseases they spread. This doesn’t mean you should give up hammocks because hammocks with mosquito net are also available these days. These nets keep all the insects away from you, whether you are annoyed of bees which keep buzzing in your ears while you want to read in your hammock in the backyard or afraid of poisonous insects deep down in the forest.
Lay diagonally!
When you’ve set up your hammock, you suddenly realize that it's curved! How are you going to sleep in a curved banana-shaped bed? Laying in the centre of the hammock might cause discomfort because of this shape. But you don't need to worry about that! Because the best way to lie in a hammock flat is to lie down diagonally. Hammocks have been used for centuries as sleeping beds. Why did all those people who slept in hammock didn’t get a backache? Here is the reason how you can shift your place to an easy posture for sleeping.
- Get into your hammocks you would usually do.
- Lay down in the centre with your body curved.
- Now shift your feet to one side of the hammock, at least 18 to 20 inches from centre.
- Do this similarly to your head.
- Make an angle of 30 degrees of your body with the centre of the hammock.
- You will realize that your body is much flatter than it was at the centre and you'll get your sleeping posture, alright.
When a hammock is empty, all the tension of the strap lies on the sides of the hammock, but as you lie down on it, the tension shifts to the centre while the outer edges sag. You can use this tension to mould your hammock sleeping style as you like. Of course, you'll not have a perfectly flat position, but you don’t even need it because you are in your best posture with your head and feet slightly lifted.
Use a Mattress
If you are camping in a cold place, then a nylon hammock might not just be enough. For such spots, one can take a mattress to keep themselves warm at night. Using a mattress not only reduces cold but also makes your hammock ;more comfortable. If you don’t want to lie diagonally, then you can use a mattress to straighten out your hammock for you.
Wrap yourself up in a blanket or a sleeping bag to keep warm
It is usually very cold in the forest at night because of the trees. You'll need to get a blanket to get yourself warm in a hammock. Wrap up yourself in a nice blanket before you pop into your hammock to save yourself from the cold. Sleeping bags can also be used to prevent cold.
To Conclude
Hammocks are perfect resting places where one can relax according to his taste. One last advice, set up your hammock where you can have a beautiful view of the world. This will help to soothe you down and provide you with such calmness and peace as one can imagine. Hammocks are comfy, do not be afraid of them. You just need to get the right settlement with them, and they will surely enhance your relaxing experience
