User Review: Warbonnet RidgeRunner

Summary

A hammock you can lay on your stomach in? It's true. I am a devoted stomach sleeper and find this hammock to be my answer to a comfortable night's sleep.

Okay, I didn't believe it either, but it is true. You can actually lay on your stomach in the Ridge Runner hammock by Warbonnet. I decided to try hammock camping because I love the idea of being able to set up just about anywhere I wanted to.

Here in N.H. trees are abundant but flat, clear spots not so much. I was never as thrilled as other hammock sleepers because I am a stomach sleeper and in a gathered end hammock you sleep on your back. But now I'm hooked and will only go back to tents on those few occasions that I can get my wife to camp with me. 

I am not a fitness geek, I don't spend my life in the woods, but I do weekend backpack about ten times per year, a couple of those in winter.

I bought this hammock new, directly from the manufacturer. It sets up like any other hammock, wrap your strap around a tree and tie the hammock ends off.

What's good about it...

1. With the Ridge Runner you lay flatter than other hammocks and you can actually sleep on your stomach without any pain. (Because I can now sleep on my stomach I find that the use of a pillow is best). 
2. Has a bug net, with a two-way zipper, that zips around on three sides. Seals you off from the bugs if they are out and just unzip the three sides and tuck it away into the small storage pouch at the foot-end of the hammock if you don't need it. (I'm 5'9" and I never know it's there).
3. It has two storage pouches which hold a decent amount of stuff. They are located on each side of you as you lay in your hammock. I put in tomorrows clothes, down booties (in case my feet get cold), a water bottle (hey, what if I wake up thirsty), a snack, a headlamp and a book to read. You never feel any of it while laying in the hammock and they are extremely easy to grab when you need them. 

They say you can replace the spreader bars with hiking poles but I have never done this because the spreader bars don't weigh much at all and I'd rather use the hiking poles on the tarp.

Speaking of tarp; this is the only drawback that I have experienced. You need a large tarp to ensure both ends are covered and you don't get wet when it rains. I find that 11' x 12' works good.  You don't get a lot of overhang on the ends but enough to work. (Too much would be a waste of weight anyway).