Bad Neck + Hammock

[TurboPants]

I'll start by saying I'm ignorant on hammocks and have a bad neck due to a car injury, but therapy has helped make it 90% pain free now. I'm a side sleeper and I've always liked tents more but I really don't sleep well in my tent (BA Copper Spur), because I can't pack anything large enough to give me a good 5-6" of pillow for neck support. The cocoon pillow was not the answer, nor were the down ones I tried that compress down to 1/2" thick under your head.

ALL THAT ASIDE, my thinking is maybe a hammock would put my neck in a different position that will make it easier to get comfortable. Now I know the obvious thing to do is go check them out in person. I live in NE Ohio, which is a hiker's black hole. Everything escapes here except snow unfortunately! The only place I'd know to look is REI, and the closest one is a few hours away. I'm looking for anyone who has any neck issues to comment on if hammocks were better or worse for you. It would awesome to find a local person on here who owns a hammock that would let me check it out for a few minutes. Just looking for some advice so I can try out all my options, because otherwise my hikes will continue being sleepless and painful. Thanks in advance!

[SteelCut]

You should probably post this on hammockforums.net. Lots of resources there and also more likely to find someone local to you that could help you.

[slbirdnerd]

I'm a new hanger as of last fall, and while I don't have the neck issue you've been dealing with, I can't sleep well (sometimes at all) on the ground. My neck, back and hips would just ache, all night, making for a rough start the next day.

So far the hammock is extremely comfortable, especially on my side. You lay catty-corner in them and if you hang it right and lay right, you're nearly flat. I do need a small pillow mostly for neck support. There are all kinds of pillows out there but most hammock and quilt makers sell one that attaches to the end of the hammock via shock cord so it doesn't end up sliding all over.

HammockForums.net is the best place to start, as well as The Ultimate hang (website, and read his book):
http://theultimatehang.com/

I have a Warbonnet Blackbird Double Layer 1.1, Warbonnet Superfly tarp, and under/top quilts from Hammock Gear. Highly recommend them.

[Dochartaigh]

Lots of people with serious things like back injuries sleep in hammocks full time because it helps relieve their pain and they sleep better. I'm sure everybody is different, but I would give it a try. I know in a hammock all I need is a super small pillow under my neck (with my head not even laying on it), and I feel completely supported in a hammock (don't even really need the pillow to be honest, but it's comfy no matter what!).

I would highly suggest picking up a $32 DutchWareGear hammock to try out. Suspension for the hammock, if you don't mind doing something simple like splicing together some Amsteel rope, runs about $15. You won't be able to test out the hammock long-term this time of year without investing in an underquilt (unless you can hang it in your house somewhere), but it should give you an idea of if you like it or not and want to pursue the idea some more.

[TurboPants]

I know in a hammock all I need is a super small pillow under my neck (with my head not even laying on it), and I feel completely supported in a hammock (don't even really need the pillow to be honest, but it's comfy no matter what!).

That is what I have heard for years so it's what makes me think it's worth a try. I appreciate everyone chiming in, especially since I didn't know there were hammock dedicated forums. I have MUCH to learn.

[brancher]

I am a hammocker. Ther are lots of ways to manage neck and posture - many (probably most) modern hammocks are wide enough so that you can adjust your posture to be a side sleeper or a back sleeper (some folks are even stomach sleepers in wide hammocks). There is a South American influence in hammocking today, in which the person lays at a diagonal to the longitudinal axis of the hammock and 'finds' his best spot from there. With my hammock, I just use my blothes bag (pretty darned small) and prop it under my head. Since I am already at a sliht up-slant (my butt is at the bottom), that's all I need.

As far as vendors, there are bunches of them. The bad nes is that there aren't a lot of places where you can just go in and try out various hammocks. However, as someone else suggested, Hammockforums has a lot of knowledgeable folks, and many members attand hangs', weekend jaunts where everybody brings hammocks, tarps, diy stuff, woodcraft, etc, etc, and you would most assuredly be able to try one out at one of these.

Good luck! (...and get your wallet out).

[dhagan]

DONT GO TO HAMMOCKFORUMS.NET!!! You will be sucked into their evil world...never to return to your ground dwelling of the past! They will lie to you about comfort, convenience, and the great sleep you get. Dont start shopping with the vendors...it will never end! I started with the evil book The ultimate hang. The subliminal messages took over my body. I now surf all of these stupid forums...all the time. Im afraid Im going to lose my job, my wife, my kids, my dog...But! They will NEVER take away my hammock!

[TurboPants]

Did the voices tell you to say that? lol

[dhagan]

Did the voices tell you to say that? lol

No!...Yes!....Shut up!...Dont tell me what to do!

[gunner76]

welcome to the madness

[kayak karl]

consider making a small cotton pillow case. pad one side of it with foam, like a pillow top mattress. stuff with clothes to give you the thickness you want. also the length of the hammock will be important. im 6-3 and am most comfortable in a hammock 11' to 12'

[gbolt]

No!...Yes!....Shut up!...Dont tell me what to do!

Quit hangin around and making bad jokes! This is a serious forum.

Thanks for the laugh!