i just bought a HH and was wondering if anyone has used one on the AT, I dont feel very safe in it and am considering going back to my missing link (MSR)I kind of feel like a bear bag hanging there when I’m inside it.
John
Hennesey hammock
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#2
I used a Hennesey Hammock on the 2nd half of my thru-hike of the AT in 02 with little problems. It takes a little getting used to and there is a concern if it’s cold outside. The hammock doesn’t insulate well underneath so you will need to modify a ridge rest or similar product so you don’t freeze your butt off in the Whites. You really can’t beat the weight of the hennesey (1.5 lbs). I was quite comfortable most nights and would recommend giving it a trial run. If it doesn’t work you can always have your tent mailed to you.
D-con
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#3
I just got the JRB 3-season set for the Hennessey (or whatever other hammock you want). It’s awesome for maintaining the comfort of the hammock, and you can use it as a normal quilt, too.
Check it out…might work for you, too.
www.jacksrbetter.com
Jeff
Jeff
system
#4
I have heard a few comments about wet-butt with regards to hammocking. Although I love my HH A-sym, I have yet to experience this phenomenom, and from what I understand so far, don’t want to either.
The tarp that comes with it seems a tad bit small, and I can see how rain anything more then a misting could easily get around the corners and drip/run down the hammock nadir, and soak yer arse. Question is, would a larger tarp reconcile this? I know one hiker (Welsh Nomad) had a rather oversized tarp that allowed for copious space underneath to sit under, store bag under without worry of rain, etc, but does this also protect against wet-butt??
Also, I am a cold sleeper, and my 20 TNF Cat Meow with a 1" self inflater has been good to me so far, but how about for colder times? Are the hammock quilts (see above) or other insulators worth it, or work?? So far, I have taken my system above down to about 30F without problems, and slept well enough. How about for colder times though??
OK, enough on hiking thoughts, exam in 3 hours…back to the grind
-xtn (day-dreaming of hiking) :boy
airferret
system
#5
Thanks for all your help, HH offers a rainfly upgrade and I havent recieved it yet. As far as it being cold has anyone used just a sleeping pad and a sleeping bag inside the HH,I am thinking of a Big Agnes sleeping bag because it has alot more room with less weight.
John
system
#6
There is a wide range of things one can do to stay warm in winter. However, what works, weight, and cost all come into play. I love my HH and sleep in it every night outside trying out different setups for winter. So far the temp have been from 20* to 50*… I have used a different number of pads from the BA insulated Mummy with 1/4 blue mat to using 2 air pads. I’ve tried 0* & 20* sleeping bags and tried layers of clothes with no bag. I’ve been playing around with the VBL (Vapor Barrier Liner) as well, but only seems to work well in really cold situations. They do take some time to get use to and pose problems most people won’t have in a tent/tarp… However, the benefits of the hammock outweigh them in my book. I used my HH for 6 months on the AT this year. I didn’t use it all the time, but glad I had it instead of a tent.
glee
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#7
I too was worried about rain in the hammock. The tarp they give you is way too small and any wind blown rain will come right in. I solved this by tieing the the two tie downs for the hammock body to each other over the top of the hammock and the ties on the rain fly down low to the ground. I survived an intense thunder storm last summer using this method and remained completely dry. I did not have a problem with water dripping down the ropes into the hammock. I also slept in it in the spring during some rather cold nights in the Whites. I found if I put my 1/2 ridge rest under my body and my fleece under my legs and feet I stayed nice and cozy. I prefer the hammock to a tent in nice weather or hot weather.
Big B
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#8
Thanks for all the great info everyone. I have been looking at the HH for a while now. I believe I will be purchasing one shortly after christmas for this springs hiking trips. Thanks for all your input good and bad.
The HH really seems to be a very good light weight sleeping system that works very well.
Trailfoot
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#9
I used the HH Asym model last summer. Very pleased. The fly that comes with it is small and you can get rain in on the sides unless angled properly. Hennessey offers a replacement fly that is larger.
In weather that is say under 50 degrees you are going to sleep cold in my opinion. A closed cell pad does help some. Hennessey now has their SuperShelter kit that you can buy and add (and carry the additional weight) to use the hammock in colder weather. Check out www.backpackinggeartest.com for some on-going field reviews during cold weather use.
Even if the SuperShelter kit works in the cold, you are then going to be carrying an additional 12 ounces or so of weight. That is worth keeping in mind.
I haven’t heard much mention of the idea, but I wonder if during the winter months you couldn’t tie the hammock between two trees with the bottom laying on the ground. Then use a closed-cell pad to insulate. Wouldn’t that work until warmer weather?
In the interim, my HH is going into my warmer weather gear “switchout” box.
JAWS
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#10
Jaws, I have used my hammock on the ground like you described and it worked fine. Remember you have to get in from the bottom so it presents some contortions to get in and out. Plus the bottom is not made for this so I would worry a little about moisture and long term effects on the material. I placed mine about a foot off the ground knowing that it would sag to the ground yet still pull the sides up slightly given me weather protection on my sides.
Big B
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#11
JAWS, you can use the HH like a bivy with two trekking poles (or trees) so you can sleep on the ground with a pad in cooler weather. You’ll still need a ground cloth.
The SuperShelter is supposed to get you to 50* with the supplied open-cell pad, but you can add additional insulation as it gets colder.
Or you can just put a closed-cell pad in the hammock with you if you can stand the sweaty-back you’ll get from it. MUCH cheaper alternative, though.
If you have the $$, the underquilt is the best option IMO. Very comfortable and you don’t have to try to stay on a pad while you sleep. My JRB set takes me to 30* no problem and weighs as much as my 35F sleeping bag did. Plus it’s MUCH more versatile than a bag.
Jeff
Jeff
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#12
I still would like to hear from somebody who has slept in very cold weather with a HH, for instance, last year on the AT at Tesnatee Gap it snowed about 4" and was about 26 degrees that morning. I was very warm in my NF Blaze but would I still be warm in the HH
John
system
#13
The Hennessey web site says their Supershelter kits are on backorder - so I guess that option won’t help right now.
JEFF - are you suggesting you would not need a sleeping bag if using the HH? I don’t see how that would be.
If I use the HH during winter months, with the bottom resting on the ground and the sides (as much as possible) off the ground, I would think it would work as well as a bivy/tent EXCEPT that any internal warmth in the air would be lost through the netting.
And, if you were to bring the tarp down too close to the netting, wouldn’t you risk a condensation buildup?
Yes, I understand the bottom material in the HH is not designed to be as durable as a tent floor. Would it work to put your sleeping pad (a closed cell pad) between the ground and the HH?
JAWS
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#17
No, you’d still need a sleeping bag…but you can set up your hammock like a bivy so it’ll keep the rain and bugs off of you. The only folks I’ve heard of sleeping without a bag had several layers of clothes on.
The trees/poles don’t actually support your weight; they just hold up the fly/bug netting. If your pad is big enough you might be able to get away with no ground cloth if you had a well-drained site. I carry a compactor bag that I can cut down the sides for a ground cloth if needed.
For info about sleeping when it’s very cold, check out the following:
www.imrisk.com - Risk has slept in his hammock below zero.
http://groups.yahoo.com/hammockcamping - Yahoo group has all kinds of folks smarter than me to help you.
Ed Speer’s Hammock Tips
Jeff
system
#18
I started my 02 thru hike with the HH. Ebveryone thoyght I was nuts but by the end of the hike some people had switched to the HH. The only thing that I didnt like was the cold back and the wet butt.The rain has the tendancy to run down from the tie lines and drip in from the apex or ends. Then the water goes straight to the lowest spot(butt) and you start to get a little damp. On cold nites you have to stay on your thermorest or you will get cold.And even though you can make a sort of tent out of the hammock when you have no trees, this really sucks. It good again mosquitos but it sucks in bad weather.Also you really need to learn to sleep on your back. You can get on your side a bit but soon you need to get on your back again All of these things you can get use to. On the other hand. I could camp with no impact on the environment. I could set up on a rocky hillside while others were running around in the woods laying thier footprints down trying to find a soft spot.The hammock is good though. Its like laying in a cloud and its much cooler on hot summer nites. Just learn to tie the head a little lower than you might think. This keeps your body from wriggleing down towards the foot end as you sleep. Also I used shock cord to hold down the fly. It keeps tention on it as your weight brings down the hammock.
Virginian
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#19
I bought one of the HH for the trail and set it up in my back yard. The problem i have and hope somone can clear it up for me is… those webbings that go arounf the tree?.. if the dont wrap aeounf twice and once isnt enough it ends up falling on the ground. I followed teh instructions on the bag. can anyone help? Thanks
Anthony
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#20
You dont need to wrap it twice. It wont fall. I went around some trees that were too big to go around even once almost.
Virginian