Hammock Hang Calculator
How high to hang a hammock: hang point height and strap length from the distance between trees or posts, hammock length, sit height and hang angle, plus the tension on each strap.
How it works
ridgeline = 0.83 × hammock length · sag = √((length ÷ 2)² − (ridgeline ÷ 2)²) · rise = (distance − ridgeline) ÷ 2 × tan(angle) · hang height = sit height + sag + rise · tension = weight ÷ (2 × sin angle)
A gathered-end hammock lies most comfortably when its ends hang about 30° below horizontal and the body sags to a ridgeline of about 83% of its length, which lets you lie on the diagonal. Treating the loaded body and straps as straight lines — the approach used by Derek Hansen’s popular hang calculator — gives how far the hammock sags, how much the straps climb to the anchor, and so how high to fix them for your chosen sit height. The 30° angle is also a safety choice: strap tension equals the load divided by twice the sine of the angle, so 30° gives exactly your weight on each strap, while a tight 10° hang nearly triples it.
Worked example
Trees 4.5 m apart with a 3.3 m hammock: the ridgeline is 0.83 × 3.3 = 2.74 m and the loaded hammock sags √(1.65² − 1.37²) = 0.92 m below its ends. Each strap spans (4.5 − 2.74) ÷ 2 = 0.88 m horizontally, so at 30° it is 1.02 m long and climbs 0.51 m. The hang point height is 0.45 + 0.92 + 0.51 = 1.88 m, and each strap carries 80 kgf for an 80 kg person.
Sources: The Ultimate Hang (Derek Hansen) — Hammock hang calculator · REI Expert Advice — How to hang a hammock
Frequently asked questions
How high should I hang a hammock?
With trees 4.5 m (15 ft) apart and a 3.3 m (11 ft) hammock at a 30° angle, fix the straps about 1.9 m (6 ft) up so the hammock sits about 45 cm (18″) above the ground when you are in it. Closer trees need lower straps.
How far apart should trees be for a hammock?
About 3.5–5 m (12–16 ft) for most camping hammocks, and roughly the hammock length plus 1–1.5 m for Yucatán-style hammocks hung from hooks.
Why hang a hammock at 30 degrees?
At 30° the hammock has enough sag to lie flat on the diagonal, and each strap carries about your body weight. Pulling it tight raises the strap force sharply — at 10° it is almost three times your weight.
How much does a hammock sag?
With a ridgeline of 83% of its length, a 3.3 m (11 ft) hammock sags about 90 cm (3 ft) below its ends when loaded, which is why the straps go so much higher than the seat.
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This calculator is for educational purposes. Double-check important results before acting on them.