Hennessy Hammock Question

[Tripper]

Dave, Dale & Sid...  I've just joined the club tonight.

I just picked up my new Hennessy Hammock Expedition A-sym from MartinG over at OAC. Brand new and with the snakeskins. Hope it works great on my bad back!!

Something new to play with.

The wife is away and I must spend$$

Let us know how it works for you.

I'm not sure if I should use my hammock or sell it.

When you get around to using it, a trip report would be appreciated.

[Preacher]

The backcountry thermarest is a treasure - my dog put a hole in it this year with their nail getting out of the canoe since I forgot to put the yoga mat overtop of it (yes, another freaking thing I carry just for dogs...) - but I've had it for a couple years and I really got mileage out of it.

I will buy another this summer.

I'll take the old one off your hands!

[Lady Di]

I might try a repair kit before I abandon ship - I tend to be impatient with these things but realize it may be viable.

However, if I do buy another one (since I'm not much of a fixer upper ) - I will pm you

[Speckled Lout]

I'm not sure if I should use my hammock or sell it.

Hi everybody,

Dave, use it at least twice, and you'll likely never sell it.

I started hammock camping 2 years ago, and wish I would have started 20 years ago. Easily the best sleep I've had in the outdoors. I have the Hennessy Exped Asym as well, and so long as you're a back or side sleeper, you won't be disappointed. Some folks think it's too cold, but I slept outside on January 1st in Bruce National Park...in my Hennessy...in -15C weather.

Although I do have a MEC synthetic bag rated to -12C, I didn't use an underquilt, just a blue close-cell pad with an auto windshield sunlight reflector on top of that. I slept like a baby  from 11pm until about 5am, when I heeded the call of nature and decided to wuss-out and head back to the cottage rather  than get back into a cold bag. I slept in it for a week in Temagami in September with nightime lows hitting the single digits C, and had nothing but the windshield reflector under me and I was totally fine.

My wife was skeptical as well until we did a short overnight hike in Bruce National near Dyers Bay and after she slept in the hammock she promptly ordered her own.

The vast majority of folks that have tried them, are now convinced hammock campers.

Try it, and see how you like it!

Cheers,

Scott






 

[Wetdreamz]

Tripper, my son and I both have the A-sym from Hennessy and we love them too! I have to admit, however, I'm usually end up sleeping on my front when I'm in the tent, so the hammock isn't always comfortable for me, but my son won't even talk about using a tent anymore. I also have a wee bit of claustrophobia (if there is such a thing as a "wee bit" of it) so, sometimes the hammock seems a little tight, especially after enclosing the thing with my guide tarp during the 'wetter' spring trip. For the most part they're hard to beat for a good nights sleep in the outdoors.

[Preacher]

I also have a wee bit of claustrophobia (if there is such a thing as a "wee bit" of it)...

Heh me too!
The first time I used my bivy sack it was near freezing so I got all snug in my sleeping bag, zipped up, velcro tight, drawstrings and all.  Snuck one arm out to zip up the bivy and saw the label along the zipper:
"Caution, do not zip closed, asphyxiation risk."
   
Panic!  I clawed my way out and had a chilly night until my anxiety was superceded by the chill air.   

Claustraphobia is strange.  When it's pitch black and I'm not even sure my eyes are open everything is fine until I remember my 'ceiling' is a foot from my face.  Then the panic creeps up.  As though knowing changes the fact.

[MartinG]

Lost Canoe I hope you enjoy your Hammock! Another issue that seems to rear it's head with Hennessey Hammocks is the awkwardness of arranging and getting on/in to your sleeping bag and pad.

Dale seems to have solved this with years of experience and his JRB quilts. I'm not prepared to invest in the Down Under Quilt yet. Maybe after living with my hammock for a while I will venture down that road.

Another solution suggested is the use of Big Agnes Sleeping bags. They feature a sleeve which holds your Pad under you. I looked into the Big Agnes Encampment synthetic bag available at Lebarons. Nice, pricey, and a bit bulky.

The solution I chose was a Thermarest and Montbell Super Stretch Burrow Bag. In warmer conditions you can unzip the sleeping bag and use it as a top quilt sleeping directly on a Thermarest. You can slide your feet and the Thermarest inside the foot box. If it gets colder you can zip up the bag for to retain more body warmth. One nice thing about these bags is they stretch with your body. Not nearly as confining or claustrophobic as a regular mummy bag. I can actually sit crosslegged in mine in a tent.

[Wetdreamz]

Claustraphobia is strange.  When it's pitch black and I'm not even sure my eyes are open everything is fine until I remember my 'ceiling' is a foot from my face.  Then the panic creeps up.  As though knowing changes the fact.

That's so true. It's a strange condition all right, and not all together predictable at times. I've been in the MRI way too many times over the past few years and even with my eyes closed I still know I've only got several inches of clearance between the machine and my nose (or any extremity, really). It can be terrifying at times and still make you laugh from embarrassment.
I hate it.