If there’s one question among new hiking enthusiasts that folks are not sure of, it’s “How am I supposed to set up my new hammock?” There are over 100 different ways that on how to set up a hammock at home and camping sites, but learning the basics of safety, security, and comfort is the first step before you start to get creative.
With the help of this speedy five-minute tutorial, you’ll finally be able to say you know how to set up any hammock not only in record time, but without any confusion as well.
How to Set Up a Hammock Securely?
Step 1: Measuring Distance
After you’ve found the perfect place to hang your hammock, it’s important that you first measure the distance between the two trees, posts, or whichever you use, that you want to use for the hammock.
This is not only going to let you know whether it’s long enough but also how much sag you’re able to adjust in the bottom of the hammock.
There are two ways that you can measure, and that is either with tape or with your own feet. For a faster setup, you can just take as many steps as necessary between the two ends to determine the distance. For the sake of this tutorial, let’s say you have 10-15 feet of space available to you.
Step 2: Tethering the Straps and Ropes
The next step will be to install the straps and ropes that are responsible for keeping your new hammock above the ground, and this is also where most novice installers might feel a little overwhelmed. In all reality, tethering the straps and ropes only takes two steps and a little bit of attentiveness.
First, you’re going to want to make sure that the straps are secured around a hefty branch or the trunk of the tree or solid posts. It’s recommended that you use the straps and not just the rope as it gives you extra resistance and it will also protect the bark on the tree.
Once your straps are in place, you can then thread the rope through the strap, making sure that you insert the non-looped end of the rope first. You will then bring the non-looped end of the rope through the loop and pull it slightly snug.
The next step is that before you completely tighten the rope, make sure that the straps are at shoulder height, as this prevents your hammock from touching the ground once you get into it and it will also make sure it’s not too high. You will then need to repeat step two for the other tree or post you’ll be tying your hammock to.
Step 3: Installing the Hammock
The vast majority of hammocks will either have a hook or a carabiner at each end which you will use to connect it to the ropes that you have just hung.
If your hammock rope already has notches in it, all you have to do is hook the hammock into the notch. However, if you do not have preinstalled notches, you’re going to need to tie the rope through the hook or the carabiner with a very tight knot, ensuring that there isn’t any slippage or give.
Step 4: Climbing into the Hammock
The next step is when you’ll finally be able to test whether you learned how to set up a hammock correctly, or if you’re going to have to repeat the above steps again.
If you find that the hammock isn’t as stable as you hoped it would be, don’t worry since all you have to do is either follow the previous steps to set it up again and take a look at the tips and tricks for setting up a hammock below.
To get into your hammock, you’re going to want to put your knee in the middle of the bottom curve, balancing on your other foot. You’ll also want to use both of your hands to keep the hammock stable so that you can lower yourself in face down. You can then roll yourself over (gently) until you are lying on your back.
The more often you get in and out of your hammock, the easier it’s going to be to use and eventually you’ll get to the point where you can teach other people how to get in safely.
What are Some Tips and Tricks for Setting Up a Hammock?
Now that you have a clear idea of how to set up your hammock, it’s important to take note of these tips and tricks that can make the process easier.
Tip 1: Finding the Ideal Height
If you’re having a little bit of extra trouble with trying to figure out how high your hammock should be off of the ground, you can boot up the internet and do a quick search for a hammock hang calculator.
There are free browser-based apps that help you to find where you should affix your tree straps so your hammock can sway peacefully in the wind.
Tip 2: Angling the Suspension Rope
Once you have placed the straps and tethered the rope, for even more security while in the hammock, try angling the ropes to where they’re at a 30-degree angle from ground level.
This will help eliminate any discomfort, give you the perfect amount of sag, and protect the integrity of your hammock over years of use.
Tip 3: Achieving a Deep Sag
If you’re worried about falling out of the hammock, it could be as a result of it being pitched too tightly, meaning that there’s little to no material left over to keep you protected.
The deeper the sag of your hammock, the more material you’re going to have to make sure you’re not going to roll out at a minute’s notice. Also, sleeping diagonally can help prevent the likelihood of spinning out of the hammock as well.
Our Final Thoughts
As long as you have a little bit of patience and perseverance, hanging a hammock is as simple as one, two, three, especially once you get a lot of experience with using the one you have.
At first, you’re bound to make a couple of mistakes, but as long as you follow this tutorial step by step, you’ll find that pitching your hammock is easier than you ever imagined, and it’s certainly something that you’ll be able to teach every member of your family to do.
