Hammock

[Alvey]

Hi All,
Wanting to buy a hammock for backpacking what are the trad hunters backpackers using? want a bug net and rain fly.
Leaning toward a Hennessy .

[Biathlonman]

Had one and I liked it a lot.  Get the zip model, dramatically easier to get into.  I upgraded the suspension to "whoopee slings" and thought it was well worth the price.  Ended up going back to the ground just because I found a Top and bottom quilt bulky to carry.   Would still like to add another to the arsenal.

We had a young fellow that tagged along on a canoe trip with one of those with the rain fly.  It rained and got very cold and so did he.  We had a 9x9 Egyptian canvas Baker tent with the front side wings and a front light weight closure.   The first thing he wanted to change close in our tent, no one likes to get up to change clothes in the rain.  When it got colder, we let him use the 3/4 self inflating pad that my cocker spaniel slept on in the front half of our ten, which meant that the dog insisted on sleeping behind my legs on my full sized mat.   It was a relief when the weather cleared and he could go back to his hammock.  Some people can sleep all night on their backs in them and wake up fine.  I am not one of those, I sleep on my side, get up to pee, then sleep on my other side.

[Gil]

Check out Dutchware gear. They have everything you need for lightweight hanging in the cold or rain.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Hammock Bliss makes a great set up, and affordable.

[Greg_M]

"Leaning toward a Hennessy"

Brilliant units! I've spent a lot of nights in mine - most of it in bad weather, snow, rain, wind etc..

To sleep warm put a closed cell foam pad on the hammock underneath you. I use a down mummy bag opened up like a duvet over top of me.

Leave your footwear directly under the hammock where it won't get wet or full of snow. To dress in the morning simply stand up through the slit in the hammock and don clothing under the dry comfort of the hammock's fly. I suspect the young fellow in pavan's post wasn't far enough along the learning curve to enjoy what his hammock had to offer him.

 

 

[Adam Keiper]

I've outfitted my entire family with a flock of Warbonnet Blackbirds.  We all love them!  Everything about the design is well thought out, from the footbox to the gear shelf.  I especially like the previous style with less mesh and a slightly different cut.  I use web strap suspensions with either carabiners or Dutch clips, since they make setup so easy.  Over them, I use various silnylon tarps from Warbonnet and Outdoor Equipment Supplier (OES), suspended by Dyneema lines at each end with titanium hardware by Dutch Gear.  I plan on trying a silpoly version from Underground Quilts (UGQ) soon, as well.  For insulation, I use down underquilts and topquilts from UGQ and Hammock Gear.  I don't care for pads as much, but I do use them when my whole family camps since I don't have enough quilts to go around and to supplement an underquilt in bitter cold.  The quilts are extremely comfortable and keep you very warm.  FYI, you'll need some type of bottom insulation from around 70* and below.

[Alvey]

Thanks for the reply Guys.Adam I was looking at the war bonnets ,little more then I wanted to spent on a hammock.

[Adam Keiper]

Alvey, I have a Hennessey, too, but prefer the Warbonnets.  My advise with a Hennessey would be to get one with a side zip entry (instead of bottom).  I'd also suggest replacing the rope suspension with a web and biner suspension.  The ropes are a royal pain to adjust; having to tie, untie, and retie knots.

[goingoldskool]

The parachute teams that we fly around the country use eagle's nest outfitters hammocks... they string them up all over the cargo bay of the plane.

Only way to fly!!!

God Bless,

Rodd

[Wudstix]

Have a Mosquito brand hammock with net and fly.  Hung in rain, and so far down to 29 degrees with a foam matt under my bag.  Plus Expedition weight polypro on inside 35 degree bag.  No complaints.  
       

[huskyarcher]

I love my Eno, wont go on a hunt without it!

[Jakeemt]

I use a cheap Wally World one while I sag or Henessy. With right gear I have been comfortable bellow freezing.

[David Mitchell]

You may want to try an inexpensive hammock before sinking money in a good one and see if you can sleep all night in it on your back.  Wish I had done that before buying a Hennessy--wound up giving it to my grandson.  I can enjoy napping in my hammock at home on the porch but found they don't work at all for me for the night.

[Bob Moran]

Check out the Hammock Forum  https://hammockforums.net/forum/content.php

These are guys really into hammocks. They have a sticky for newbys which is a link to Shug's series of videos. He's a wild and crazy guy, but really excellent guidance. Personally, I have a Clark Ultralight which has a bug net incorporated into it. I also use a ENO Double Nest and Hennesy hexfly for use when bugs are not an issue.

[OBXarcher]

I have a grand trunk skeeter beeter with a hennesy rain fly. Absolutely love it. Have used it on two elk hunts and numerous camping trip, probably 100+ nights in it. I use a sleeping pad inside my sleeping bag and have been fine down to 25F.

[JEFF B]

make one they aint hard to make just buy rip stop and bug net buy a 10ft piece of rip stop nylon and the same of bug net.  tie each end of the nylon then put the bug net around each end of the nylon so it all looks like a banana sew one side of the ripstop nylon and bug net together and leave the other side open on the open side sew velcro then you hop in  and velcro  up  and don't forget to tie  webbing straps on each end so that you can tie it to the trees it will be a lot cheaper and  satisfying to know that you made it and it did not cost the earth.  

[njloco]

Hammock's are very cool and I have camped in them, very comfortable. When it gets cold out or, I get wet and have things to dry out, I just light my wood stove in my tent !

[Archer1977]

I have a Hennessy also and I like it for backpacking. Definitely look into the web and carabiner suspension setup. Much easier to set up and take down. It does take some practice to find the right tree distance and height to set up though. I have an underquilt as well to keep warm.

[Kevin Hansen]

The Clark NX250 (NX270 is the newer equivalent) is worth every penny. Outfitted with their underquilt it will keep you warm down below freezing. The Clark XL tarp will keep you dry even in driving rains. Definitely worth checking out. For me the biggest selling point of a hammock over tents is the comfort factor. Like everything else though, hammocks have their places where they work and places where they don't.