How to Hang a Hammock with Poles


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The best way to Hang a Hammock with Poles is to find new spots between two trees either in a pooch, shady lawn spot, or simply use straps and wall hooks to hold the Hammock from slipping off. Take notice of the Ridgeline Length, and height of attachment points, and decide how high off the ground the hammock should be, use your favorite chair height.

Well, picture it out, it is on a sunny day, you are on leave or it is a weekend, you have your favorite novel or magazine by your side a pair of sunglasses on, and most probably in your bikini or pair of shorts.

You have your favorite drink by your side probably listening to your favorite music through your earphones.

You start rocking to the rhythm, your comfort Zone probably can’t support the kind of luxury you need and there you come stumbling to the ground, with a broken bone or twisted neck.

Now let’s come back to reality your backyard probably does not have two strong trees that are exactly the required distance to make a hammock.

By default, you probably know what a hammock is, but for the newbies, who are out to try out a new camping experience, or those who want to get that tan from their backyard, after seeing that in a Miami movie, a hammock is a bed made of rope and canvas or net, that is tied across two trees or poles.

History of hammocks 

Hammocks were first used by the Maya of Central America some 1000 years down memory lane.

Hammocks provided a height above the ground that protected them against attack, by wild animals and pests.

Columbus introduced hammocks to Europe after he noticed their large use by the residents of the Bahamas.

They were later used by the army and by the ship crew due to their effective space management. Today hammocks are used for leisure, on the beach, backyard, forest, or even your study.

If you’ve watched the movie MacGyver, that guy transforms every piece of crap into something useful; the idea is making a paradise out of simple items, most of which are easily accessible.

Advantages of sleeping on a hammock

  1. Improves Health: Dr. Steven Park of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine says that you should sleep on your back with your head elevated at 15-25%, and hammocks are the perfect medicine compared to ordinary beds which are unhealthy.
  2. Initiates sleep: The slight rocking of the hammock caused by a soft breeze initiates faster sleep, just like a baby. It’s a good alternative to sleeping bags.
  3. Cure insomnia: Hammocks can indeed be used to cure insomnia or lack of sleep.
  4. Reading:  With your head raised at the perfect angle, a hammock offers the perfect atmosphere to bring out your book and immerse yourself in the world of fiction.

For this article I will use measurement feet and inches to make it easier to understand, it is not atomic science, a few calculations here won’t kill you.

Factors to consider when choosing a hammock

a). Size, the size of the hammock matters especially if you are with a spouse or a friend, in which case the strength of the hammock should be able to support you, a double hammock is necessary for the situation.

b). End-use, a hammock that can later be reconverted into a carrier bad is of much importance for a camping trip, it reduced the load instead of carrying several small bags.

c). An accessory, and ropes are needed to suspend the hammock at your desired position.

List of materials needed

  • 2 Posts: If you want some more adventure, you can cut yourself, in some woods nearby, and treat for insects and weathering by weather elements, or spoiling by insects.  You can also purchase a treated pole.6 feet tall
  • Sand; Cement; Ballast ratio 3; 2; 1. Or packaged concrete sakrete
  • Auger bit
  • Spade
  • Drill bit
  • Rope
  • Hammock
  • Water
  • 1\2 *6 eye bolt with washers

Construction instructions

  1. Using the 1\2 drill bit, drill a hole at the top of your pole about 4 inches from the top
  2. Measure two points where you want the poles to be positioned, the length between the poles should be plus 1 foot the length of your hammock.
  3. Drill holes about 1\4 of the pole’s length in the set points using the auger bit, or spade if you want it done the traditional way.
  4. Put some gravel inside the hole, it lets the water that seeps into the pole drain back to the ground leaving your pole dry.
  5. Insert your poles and make sure it sits in the Center of the hole add the concrete around the pole making sure to rum after every addition, to ensure firmness.
  6. Now that your poles are firmly in the ground you need to tie the knot which is the trickiest part because an undone knot can do unpleasant damage, especially if it comes unexpectedly.
  7. Although the knot should be tight you need to consider a time will come when you’ll need to untie it, and cutting the rope is not the relevant idea, because summer will probably come again and you don’t need to visit the store to purchase another rope.
  8. Another idea is to get atlas straps as they are easier to work with, and will not damage the bark of trees.
  9. The height of the hammock from the ground depends on your position if it is a home hammock in the yard, where probably you will have to get up once in a while to pick something up, or to meet a guest you prefer low-lying hammock.
  10. But if it is for camping out in the wild, more height is required for security from snakes, biting insects, and other animals, though it is quite frightening to wake up to a pride of lions looking up to you, wishing the straps would snap. That is if the man on the watch sleeps off and did not warn you of the impending danger.
  11. Wait for about a day for the concrete to harden for you to test your hammock.
  12. Now that your hammock is ready for use pick a kitchen stool or a surface the same height as your hammock especially if you are the clumsy types who cannot hold a martini and a book at the same time without creating a mess and spoiling your book or clothes.

A flat stable stool or an improvised one using rocks in the wild, made from your imagination, is the perfect surface to place your stuff, for example, your phone, rocks you collected, or your book. You can now enjoy your rest after taking a shower.

Conclusion

In conclusion to get the ultimate experience from your constructed hammock take into consideration the following tips;

Strap the hammock at a 30-degree angle — a hammock should be hung at an angle that allows you to rest nicely.

A flat hammock tends to sag making it uncomfortable, a steeper gradient is considered for the back.

For camping the hammock tends to be colder than the tent bed, this is because there is a higher surface area of your body exposed to cold air.

Thus, it is more important to choose a hammock made of fabric rather than a mesh one.

Your body size should also be taken into careful consideration when finding the material for the hammock and the pole thickness for maximum firmness.

I hope this article will help you have the perfect holiday experience.

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