Hello,

Last year I purchased a new Warbonnet XLC for camping. I use webbing with Beetle Buckles from Dutchware for suspension. After multiple nights sleeping in my backyard as well as in the wilderness (probably 12-15 nights total), I continue to struggle with knee flexion/hyperextension causing discomfort and poor sleep. I use a camp pillow for my head and neck that feels very comfortable to me. Temp regulation isn’t the issue, my underquilt and topquilt do a great job keeping me cozy.
I’ve slept best when adding a great deal of cushion/large pillow behind my knees to alleviate hyperextension, and with the hammock set more on the loose end of the spectrum. I usually try to bury my feet deep into the footbox because I’ve read in multiple places that this hammock is designed for a diagonal lay.

About me: I am fairly tall and skinny, 6’ 2” and 165 pounds. When in my bed, I prefer to sleep with my head and shoulders propped up a good bit. I have tried:

-Sleeping with the hammock set very tight
-Sleeping with the hammock set very loose
-Using the Warbonnet-designed leveling attachment on the ridge line and sleeping with the ridgeline tension more in the middle per recommendations.
-Following Warbonnet recommendations to have the foot end significantly higher than the head end (about 18”)

Most of the time my sleep has been very light to non-existent until the wee hours of the morning when I finally wear down and fall asleep for a few hours.

Any ideas? Should I try laying more “in-line?” Is tighter better to alleviate the knee flexion? Could setting the foot end much closer to level with the head end help me sleep more similar to how I do in a bed, with my head higher than my feet? Do I need to try changing the length of the ridgeline by wrapping around a carabiner?

Please help, I really love how this hammock is setup and built, if only I could sleep better!

Are you experiencing soreness in your heels or calf ridge? I don’t own a XLC, but they should be having you lie at a diagonal to maximize the flatness. The integrated footbox is there to aid in that.

Let your hammock ridge line guide you. You don’t want it super tight nor very loose. My own experiences, if I had to choose one side or another, I would want my hammock to be alittle more loose then tight.

My advice, keep experimenting with laying diagonal. Even if it seems crazy, keep positioning your head towards the middle of the edge of the hammock until you find that sweet spot.

Calf ridge for sure. I found a Shug video last night on calf ridge and re-energized to try again with the foot end 12-18” up, set a bit loose, possibly shorten the ridgeline temporarily with a carabiner wrap if needed, and right proper writhing technique.

Where do you mean head at middle of the edge?

Just more of an extreme diagonal. Most folks I show how to lay diagonal, can’t believe how far down they are in their hammock. Their head isn’t necessarily at the top of their hammock.

Ok, cool, so “deeper in.” My head has definitely been closer to the outside edge (and the gathered head end) previously, I’ll try this. In theory that would move the calf ridge to a more agreeable spot nearer my midsection…

Really appreciate the feedback, multiple people are saying “just get a different hammock!” I’d rather not start this journey all over again if I don’t need too…

The only way I can get a flat lay in my XLC is with the ridgeline perfectly level. I tried and tried to get comfortable with the foot end higher as recommended, but was just miserable. I sleep great with the hammock level. This is just my experience and YMMV. I’m 6’5 and 250 for what it’s worth.

I set up my hammock last weekend in the yard for two test sleeps.

-The trees I use are fairly close together, so I wrapped the ridgeline around a carabiner to shorten it a bit to proper tension.

-I still set the foot end 12-18” higher than the head end. This was definitely better for me, after experimenting with it quite a bit.

-I continued to lay very diagonally and to get my feet deep into the footbox. The main change I made was changing my position fore and aft within the hammock while maintaining this diagonal, to find the most comfortable place for the calf ridge to hit. The best spot always had my head/shoulders near the logo on the bug net where the zippers meet. Cooler weather makes all this writhing more challenging due to the constraints of the top quilt, but I figured it out.

-I still needed a pillow or clothing beneath my legs, usually up under my thighs worked best.

-one decent night of sleep, and one great night of sleep! Thank you for all your help! I feel so much better about this hammock now!

Glad you got your “perfect lay” now Yardstick.

I have an original blackbird from 2009 and I never sleep better than when in there. No comparison to tenting or even in my bed.

I thought about tenting this year so I could have my dog inside with me so I wouldn’t have to haul around her 3 lb tent when in my hammock.

The good night sleep in the warbonnet won out. I’ll be setting up her pup tent under me and sleeping like a baby this year.

YardstickAngler: "

-I continued to lay very diagonally and to get my feet deep into the footbox. The main change I made was changing my position fore and aft within the hammock while maintaining this diagonal, to find the most comfortable place for the calf ridge to hit. The best spot always had my head/shoulders near the logo on the bug net where the zippers meet. “



"

This! I think it’s designed for that logo to be right there at your neck/shoulder. I get my best hangs when it’s right about there . Makes it easier to open the zipper in the dark too,

BonzSF: "

YardstickAngler: "


-I continued to lay very diagonally and to get my feet deep into the footbox. The main change I made was changing my position fore and aft within the hammock while maintaining this diagonal, to find the most comfortable place for the calf ridge to hit. The best spot always had my head/shoulders near the logo on the bug net where the zippers meet. “



"

This! I think it’s designed for that logo to be right there at your neck/shoulder. I get my best hangs when it’s right about there . Makes it easier to open the zipper in the dark too,"

+2. I use a small pillow too