This is my first year hanging. I just got my Blackbird a couple of months ago. Even in the few times I have hung it I have learned a lot. One thing I hadn't anticipated, that now makes so much sense, is that the further the trees are apart the lower the hammock hangs. The instructions suggest looking for trees that are 14-20 feet apart. I liked the hang much better with trees 15 feet apart than I did at 20. What is your ideal distance?

i use whoopies with biners and bring along 2 set's of nylon straps. long and short. i have never really stepped a distance off between tree's to see how far apart they are. i am sure it matters to a degree, but i figure if it look's like a 30 degree hang, and is comfy, i go with it.

My ideal distance is enough to get the hang angle comfortable. I know what it looks like and feels like, but never measured it. I generally find five big steps is about right between trees. Finding the perfect spacing at campsites is not always possible so I also take extra straps to extend if necessary. Nylon stretches and I will be replacing this season with poly to reduce that. Having to get up and make adjustments because of stretch sucks. Too short does leave me sagging and not comfortable.

I agree that too long and too short are uncomfortable but, I've never actually measured it. I just sort of eyeball the perfect trees and it works.

(Sounds like Little Red Riding Hood doesn't it? "... and Papa Bear's bed was too long but Baby Bear's bed was too short. Mama Bear's bed was just right.")

I've been practicing at 15' and an angle around 20 degrees. Seems about right. At 30 degrees, I'm uncomfortable.

I've had the issue a few times where the only trees were further apart then I would have liked ~30ft. I found a good sized stick in the woods with a "Y" at the top and placed it under the rope near the hammock, that sure made a difference.

15 feet is about perfect for me, have hung as close as 10 & as far as 30... when it gets out to 30, I end up closer to the ground than I like.