Hennessy Hammock / Tent

[wihill]

Here's mine up north...  FL looks warmer already.     :p  
 

[String Cutter]

ttt

[JC]

I've spent quite a few nights in one. It's well worth the money for lightweight camping. Down here, in warmer weather it is incredibly comfortable....especially in wet areas or when it rains when getting off the ground has a distinct advantage. I never found getting into or out of one a real problem. As a matter of fact, I thought it was an extremely ingenious system to keep the tent sealed from bugs and rain and still be able to get in and out. I would leave my bag pushed more up to the head area, get in, pull the bag down, slide it down to my feet and work the bag up a bit at a time zipping it up as I go. Now, I don't have to get up to go use the bathroom during the night and that might change my opinion of the speed of that procedure but otherwise, it certainly wasn't a deal breaker for me.  

By their very nature, they are much, much cooler than an on the ground tent. Most of the time for me, that was a distinct advantage. In cooler months, you have to get your insulation down right but you can certainly get comfortable, at least with the right bag. Adding their cold weather system works well, supplemented with one of the foam/foil windshield reflectors you can get a Walmart, I have been comfortable into the high 20's (that's as cold as I've camped in it). Get the skins too, they work. The new oversized a-sym rainfly is a must too...it's really tough to cook in the rain without it.

It's a lot like my tree-saddle: you have to practice with it and figure out the best way to use it...it's not just a "go out and hang it and it's awesome". But, once you do spend a few afternoon naps in it or even a night or two around the house (where you can always go inside if you are uncomfortable), it fills a niche no tent can, in my opinion.

The main disadvantage is gear storage...but in ultralight ground tents I have the same problem. I bought a second ultralight tarp at REI and use paracord to string my gear and then just tarp it. Not had any problems with that yet and like I said, I had the same problem with small ground tents too.

I will agree that you are far more comfortable sleeping if you can sleep on your back. I like to sleep on my side and can almost get in that position...but I can sleep on my back too so it doesn't really bother me in that regard.

If you buy one, commit to it and give it a full season's chance. I will say you don't see many used ones on fleabay or anywhere else I looked for one before I got one from the factory.

Good luck, if you get it let us know how it works out for you.

[String Cutter]

Can you use one of those car windsheild reflector by themselves or will I also need to use a pad??

[JC]

Depends on how cold it is and how warm you like to sleep. With their current supershelter and overcover you probably won't need the windshield reflector. At the time, mind didn't come with the new open cell foam pad, so I used the windshield reflector because I knew from ground camping experience it was a cheap, effective insulator. I was told that the current system doesn't work as well when you put closed cell foam (reflector) in with the open cell. Supposedly, just the slim open cell foam with the supershelter and overcover is enough for most everyone. I used a very low rated bag, and add a liner when it's cold. I simply don't like to be cold so my setup may have been a bit more than you need.

The only reason I sold mine was a friend camped with me, he wanted to try it out so I begrudgingly agreed to trade for the night. Throughout the night I had to talk myself out of waking him up to get my hammock back...the next morning he just had to have it...willing to pay me what I had in it so I bit.  I don't do a lot of backpacking anymore so thought the money tied up in that could be used for something else I would use more. If I still did ultralight/light backpack camping it would be my only choice. I slept FAR more comfortable in one than on the ground with any pad I ever used...and I went through a few of them, even two stacked at one point.

They are not for everyone, but for those that do decide on them, there is nothing else out there that compares. Again, you just hardly see them up for sale used.

[gobbler10ga]

Love them except a pain to crawl into So I bought a regular hammock and modified it

[Morpheus32]

In terms of organizing your gear.  I make sure I am up high enough and use a webbing daisy chain to suspend my ruck off the ground.  I like to keep it at the foot end so I can easily get in and out.  One little thing that helped was a small section of carpet.  I take off my boots, hand them up outside covered by my ruck so they are in the breeze and can try.  My socks get hung up inside at the foot end on the string.  I use the carpet section to stand on so I don't bring dirt in with me if it is muddy or dirty.  

As mentioned, you need to work out the bugs but I like mine for ultralight camping...

Jeff

[Soilarch]

I've not used these hammocks, but I've spent several nights in one.

Two problems everyone is commenting on is staying warm and just getting into the blasted things.

Staying warm isn't that hard.  You need a heavy and LONG sleeping bag.  If you can get one that's long enough for you to fold up over your head and keep all the heat from escaping you'll be fine.  I don't know what the coldest night was but I'll bet I've slept during nights that got close to being mid 30s.  Keep the heat from leaving the top (where your head is). The sleeping bag isn't flat when it's in a hammock and heat rises.

For getting into I always hang them just low enough you can push down in the center, throw a leg over, spread it and sit.  Never had a problem, don't know how other guys rig 'em up.

[Ragnarok Forge]

I have not used one but staying warm in them can't be any harder than doing so on the ground.  Actually the ground is usually cold and often wet so it should be easier when you use a mummy bag that is rated for the proper temperatures.  

This has been a good thread.  I am more convinced than ever to buy two. One for the wife and a larger one for me to put in our hunting rucks as emergency shelters.

[JC]

T., the Hennessey's enter from the bottom...into the cocoon of the hammock so unless you turn it into a chair (which works great by the way) you won't be throwing any leg over it. . The overcover really does a good job of holding in heat too. It is a must if you do cold weather in it.

Clay, spend a couple of naps in them around the house, you'll figure a few things out that will make your life more comfortable in the woods.

[Ragnarok Forge]

JC,

We will both do that.  She and I do a lot of impromptu camping and river trips.  Here in the NW there is no shortage of trees around so hanging them will be easy enough.  That and it rains here on the West Coast.  As in a lot of rain, a lot of the time so something that is light and we can get up off the ground in will be perfect.

[Greg Clark]

Used one in MT last elk season.  Luckily it was pretty warm because I don't believe you can stay warm in one when it gets down in the mid to low 30s.  I had the underpad (cold weather system) and stuffed extra clothes between but still could not stay warm when it got down in the 30s.  

Super comfortable but definitely has its limitations for colder weather.

[Ragnarok Forge]

I am figuring to give them a shot by utilizing an Army bivy sack and 3 component cold weather bag I have from my time in the military.  I slept plenty warm in 10 degree weather in that bag.  It seems to me that the main problem is that the fabric lets the wind affect you a lot.  Putting my bag in the goretex bivy bag should hopefully take care of that.

[Onehair]

Go to youtube and look at the many videos on set up and cold weather. I have been looking at them myself for about 2 years and just have not done it. I did hunt Co. one year using a jungle hammock. Cold enough for the water to freeze but I made it fine as far as the cold. The jungle hammock's roof is about 10" above your face and I had a real problem with frost build up due to condensation.

[oneshot-onekill]

Got the Clarks North American and love it....I have back, shoulder and knee issues(old age) and sleep like a baby in mine. Have not had it in cold weather yet so can't comment on that. Always had trouble sleeping on the ground even with good pad and bag....now it's not a problem. Got mine with the XXL rain fly and keeps the rain off great.

[JohnHV]

I spent last weekend in an Expedition Asym.  We were in the North Georgia monutains and the first night it got down to 28oF.  Colder than I had planned for!  

I had an inexpensive midweight bag and the clothes on my back. I was cold, but not bitterly cold.  I think I would have been fine with a thermarest pad under me and a better bag.  (My son had the expensive sleeping bag on this trip!)

As it turned out, the next night it warmed up into the 40oF range and I was very confortable.  Woke up to a light rain and was warm and dry!  Another nice thing was that we had to pack up in the rain. A quick shake of the fly removed most of the water and when I got home I hung the hammock up in my barn and it was bone dry in a matter of hours. Alot easier than having to set up a tent to dry out after a trip.

The hammock is definitely the most comfortable setup I have used.

Tried one, could not stand it. I felt like I was trapped, could not get comfortable on my back and it made my back hurt worse than normal. I went back to my 9x9 Eena baker/camp fire tent. With that I at least have a comfortable warm place to enjoy my down time out of the wind and rain.

[seboomook]

I've had mine quite a while now, and use it in Maine comfortably in temps to the low 20's. Woke up cold when it got to the teens though.
Best combination I've found for the cold is an emergency reflective blanket under a good self inflating pad. Then add a long down bag. a thicker wider pad helps hold the sides open so you can roll on your side. depend what you want to carry. Overall a great setup if your packing light

[DEATHMASTER]

Look for the book hammock camping. Many great tips for the use of them.

Tim