View Full Version : Question for Hennessy users
I`ve just become a proud member of the Hennessy owners club courtesy of one of Jacks` bargains. :You_Rock_
Having done a bit of reading on here and t`web just wondered what peoples thoughts are on the tree huggers that come with the system. They appear to be fairly sturdy and the recommended lashing should do the trick nicely.
What I want to know is has anybody used the tried and trusted carabiner/climbing tape method rather than the huggers and rope supplied. How do the huggers and rope cope in rainy weather, do you need to add drip lines to protect the hammock ??
If you have gone to carabiners, have you just shortened off the existing ropes, attached the crab to that then added climbing tape/webbing on the other side ??
Just curious
Rich
He' s left the building
02-12-2007, 14:08
.............................. ..........
He' s left the building
02-12-2007, 14:16
If you have gone to carabiners, have you just shortened off the existing ropes, attached the crab to that then added climbing tape/webbing on the other side ??
That's what some of the other guys on the trip had done to theirs.
I'm also interested to know if it's better, I just used mine as it came straight 'out of the box' due to inexperience!
Cheers Boops
I`m going to be taking it out next Saturday and it looks like it`s going to be a fairly moist night out.
Rich
I use karabiners with the Hennessey tree huggers - just seems easier to get the two ends of the tree huggers together first and also to pass the rope through. Can't say as I've used drip lines, although I think perhaps I should.
Gailainne
02-12-2007, 15:25
Have a scroll thro this site hammockforums (http://www.hammockforums.net/), some excellent stuff on there.
I've given up on the HH I'm afraid, for me theres to many negatives and not enough positives, but dont let me put you off, its a very personnal thing and until you try it out, you wont know.
Stephen
What would you describe as the negatives Stephen, I think I should know about these before I go out next week.
Cheers for the link, there`s some good stuff on there.
Rich
Gailainne
02-12-2007, 17:41
Shewie
Like I said hammocks are very personal, much more so than tents, but as you asked, I think its because I started out with a DD hammock which is a top loader, I found it very difficult to adjust to the Hennessey bottom loader concept.
With the DD;
your sleeping bag is open, mat is in the pocket underneath, or your underblanket is slung underneath. Unzip the net, sit down on your sleeping bag, remove your boots, remove your socks, remove your trousers, rotate into the bag. Zip up the net, take off your top(s) zip up your bag, settled, if the underblanket needs adjusting, unzip the net, adjust, zip up, sorted.
With the HH;
your sleeping bag is open, mat is underneath the sleeping bag, or your underblanket is slung underneath. With an underblanket installed, pull the blanket to one side, open the velcro, and sit inside the hammock, remove your boots, remove your socks, remove your trousers, climb inside the hammock, close the velcro, then fiddle about to get inside your bag, zip up your bag. If the underblanket needs adjusting, unless you can grab the adjuster thru the net, you have to get out the hammock, adjust then get back inside.
The tarp that comes standard with the hh is a joke, it doesnt cover the hammock far less allow you any space to cook or sit undercover, you have to buy the hex fly at an additional £45 (free upgrade btw to ppl buying in the states).
Like I said this a very personal thing and you may love the HH, shrug give it an unbiased go. I'm an old warped guy who likes his comforts :rolleyes:
I have a JRB Bridge hammock on order :D (you will see threads on this as well at the hammock forum) I'm seriously looking forward to it.
Kindest regards
Stephen
Danceswithhelicopters
02-12-2007, 22:04
An easy solution to the sleeping bag samba is DON'T get in it!
Use it as a duvet and you avoid the tortuous entry. With an underblanket you are toasty.
raskusdrotti
02-12-2007, 22:57
I have another solution to the sleeping bag thing.
I unzip the bottom couple of feet of the sleeping bag and pull it over my head so i'm in it with my feet sticking out.
I then open the velcro, sit down, zip my feet up and lift them in - job done.:D
I have another solution to the sleeping bag thing.
I unzip the bottom couple of feet of the sleeping bag and pull it over my head so i'm in it with my feet sticking out.
I then open the velcro, sit down, zip my feet up and lift them in - job done.:D
I had been wondering :rolleyes:
I have another solution to the sleeping bag thing.
I unzip the bottom couple of feet of the sleeping bag and pull it over my head so i'm in it with my feet sticking out.
I then open the velcro, sit down, zip my feet up and lift them in - job done.:D
what a bloody good idea!
Sounds like a good plan to me, I`ll have to then wriggle into the bivvy bag once i`m up and in somehow.
Gonna try it out this weekend with a bivvy bag and mat inside, don`t want to freeze my butt off.
Rich
lottie.lou
03-12-2007, 16:29
My sleep system is a bivi bag with the Thermalite under the sleeping bag, I have no problems getting into it, its super warm and everything stays put during the night.
The tarp does seem a bit small but I have only experienced light rain in it so far, I will be getting a bigger tarp when I have enough cash.
I don't know what you mean about climbing tape, I'll have to have a search on here. At the moment I use tree huggers and carabiners with the original rope. As someone else mentioned it means you can wrap the huggers round the tree and they will stay there while you sort the hammock out. Its a lot easier to tie a knot to them then trying to feed through the huggers and you can level the hammock a lot easier after its all been tied up.
What I meant Lottie was has anybody done away with tree huggers altogether and then used climbing tape or webbing round the tree in a longer length instead, as you would with most none Henessy hammocks.
I was thinking of shortening the rope and tying that onto a crab, then I would use about 5 metres of tape directly round the tree instead of using the huggers. Just to add a little more flexibility to the setup I suppose.
Rich
born2roam
03-12-2007, 21:06
Snip.....
What I want to know is has anybody used the tried and trusted carabiner/climbing tape method rather than the huggers and rope supplied. How do the huggers and rope cope in rainy weather, do you need to add drip lines to protect the hammock ??
Have used the huggers and rope all the time. Never needed driplines and saw thru numerous (tropical) downpours. Wonder why actually
Have used tape and carabiners on other hammocks. Carabiners are just an item I rarely if ever use so I no longer use them. Tape 'conducts' more water so I always 'needed' (saw the advantage) of a drip string (leeding into a water container type of thingy)...
When not bothered by wind the stock tarp is good enough, otherwise I use a larger (JRB) tarp.
Like said before... all the hammocks are a bit to your personal preference AND the situation you are using it. Out here I will easily forgo the mozzie netting most times of the year. Where I used my HH most of the times, SE Asia and Central America, I wouldn't dream of NOT using a mosquito netting. Then I prefer the inbuild net... easy, quick, always there (alway check your net for holes though!).
Hope this helps...
Grtz Johan
raskusdrotti
03-12-2007, 21:25
what a bloody good idea!
eye fank yow!! :bows: :D
however I can't take all the credit - there are quite a few of us who share ideas and i don't remember if it was my idea or not :rolleyes:
I still use the tree huggers, although I keep meaning to go to the scrappy and get some seat belt to make some longer ones...
Gailainne
03-12-2007, 21:38
I would be interested to hear how you got on with the "unzip the bottom of the sleeping bag method", I must admit I've tried it and to be frank it was a pain.
A nice level, dry, clean surface to undress in and then get into your bag, is to say the least rare, not to mention you still have to get into the HH and then sort out the underblanket before getting up the hammock to a comfortable position, not to mention which I notice no-one did of how to adjust the underblanket from inside ?
Shrug the open sleeping bag approach is what I normally use, but at this time of the year....I would'nt recomend it, even with an underblanket, but perhaps you sleep hotter( or colder, whatever:rolleyes: ) than me.
Like I said its a personal choice, for me, I prefer the ease of the top loader.
Enjoy the HH, a lot of ppl do, I'm not one of them.
Stephen
edit
On the tree huggers, on the hammockforum site theres quite a few posts on what is used, the 25mm webbing with a "C" both looped seems popular, then rope for the rest, but these guys are into shaving grams off their gear. When I sell my HH I will obviously sell the tree huggers that came with it, but I bought a 25m reel of 25mm webbing and am gonna make a new set of huggers using the details on the HF site.
raskusdrotti
03-12-2007, 22:11
can't say i've ever really had a problem with it tbh. :confused:
I also own an underblanket, but to be fair i don't think it really works with the hennessy at all - it's just too fiddly as you say. I just use a mat and sleeping bag.
I have bought one of the group buy hammocks to try with the underblanket and you never know, It'll probably be better ;)
raskusdrotti
03-12-2007, 22:13
edit
On the tree huggers, on the hammockforum site theres quite a few posts on what is used, the 25mm webbing with a "C" both looped seems popular, then rope for the rest, but these guys are into shaving grams off their gear. When I sell my HH I will obviously sell the tree huggers that came with it, but I bought a 25m reel of 25mm webbing and am gonna make a new set of huggers using the details on the HF site.
missed this first time around Stephen - where did you get the webbing tape from. I'm after some for the new hammock...:D
Gailainne
03-12-2007, 22:46
can't say i've ever really had a problem with it............
I also own an underblanket, but to be fair i don't think it really works with the hennessy at all - it's just too fiddly as you say. I just use a mat and sleeping bag.
I think you just made my point, did'nt you ! So much for this statement "I have another solution to the sleeping bag thing.
I unzip the bottom couple of feet of the sleeping bag and pull it over my head so i'm in it with my feet sticking out.
I then open the velcro, sit down, zip my feet up and lift them in - job done"
TBH I'm getting a bit fed up with ppl jumping on board with comments without actually reading and understanding what was stated beforehand.
This (http://www.essentialscompany.co.uk/Cords%20and%20Webbing.html#Pol ypropylene%20Webbing) is the link for the webbing, it has a 550kg breaking strain which the B&Q webbing does not, which is why I went with it.
I'm not going to appologise for the rant, I was asked specifically for my reasons for not liking the HH, and I gave them. I havent seen any reasons to change my opinion, the person making one of the statements has refuted one.
But like I said at the beginning, have a go you might like the HH, I dont.
Stephen
raskusdrotti
03-12-2007, 22:59
I'm not going to ask you to apologise, and i was't trying to change your mind about the HH.
Apologies for not reading your post properly, I was trying to be helpful - not contradict you.
I'll consider myself told then.
Ive been using my HH regularly for two years and I love it to bits. i use a thermarest rather than an underblanket but I sleep warm anyway. I use a centre zip sungpak SF Combo as I do find that sorting out a side zip is a pain. I end up looking like a green epileptic maggot for a minute or two. I would reccommend having a square of rollmat or something to put under the velcro bit to stand on if the ground is wet, stoney or (as at the bushmoot) full of nettles, it stops you carrying detritus into the hammock on your feet.
I have slept through some serious rain with no problems at all using the standard fly but at the bushmoot it was carelessly rigged and the light rain on Saturday night left a little puddle in the bottom so I have now switched to a hex fly which is much better. The original fly was too small to work under and so I always carried a hoochie tp put up next to it - with the hex fly I dont need this (although it is useful to have the extended area anyway).
I have never even considered drip lines at all and I find there are absolutely no issues with the tree huggers as they come, they never slip at all and dont stretch or gather water.
Hope this helps
Cheers
Nick
Cheers for that nick, how did you manage to get a puddle in the hammock, was it because it was pitched wrongly into the weather ??
had the fly just a little too far to one end and one side was tied a bit slack so it drooped just a little. that with a little breeze seemed just enough to let a small drip land on the netting rather that straight off.
Just stupid really and all my own fault, pitched properly and with a little common sense and it would never have happened.
Cheers
Nick
not to mention you still have to get into the HH and then sort out the underblanket before getting up the hammock to a comfortable position, not to mention which I notice no-one did of how to adjust the underblanket from inside ?
I also own an underblanket, but to be fair i don't think it really works with the hennessy at all - it's just too fiddly as you say. I just use a mat and sleeping bag.
Chaps, I own a Hennessy, but I don't own the underblanket that was designed here for that reason. It's not the right product for the job and I'm surprised Hennessy owners ever bought one.
I'm sure that Hennessy used to have an underquilt with a velcro slit that worked the same as the entrance but I think it was just an idea I had in my head as I can find no reference to it now. :rolleyes:
If you look on the hennessy website (http://www.hennessyhammock.com/), their cold weather solution (they call it their 'Supershelter') consists of a number of parts. An undercover, an underpad and an overcover.
It's quite an interesting idea and I've only just seen it when looking for the non-existent product I mentioned before. The undercover hangs below and is wind-proof so limits chill. The underpad is closed cell foam that sits on top of the undercover and extra insulation can be added if needed.
What's interesting is that the cover has an entry slit but the pad doesn't. I haven't worked out if manipulation of the pad is required after getting in the hammock or not yet.
I had planned on making my own underquilt from an old sleeping bag but having seen this, I'm thinking of different options as it looks less bulky.
I`ve picked up a black US poncho liner on the cheap, and just bought 5m of midweight ripstop OD nylon. I`m going to figure something out which I can use on a few different systems, as long as it cuts down on the cold air rising that`ll do me.
Rich
I`ve picked up a black US poncho liner on the cheap, and just bought 5m of midweight ripstop OD nylon. I`m going to figure something out which I can use on a few different systems, as long as it cuts down on the cold air rising that`ll do me.
Rich
It's more cold air being blown past that can be the problem. :D
Obviously the hammock material is breathable to stop you suffocating yourself but that means it's not wind-proof.
sandbag47
05-12-2007, 06:04
ok shewie sorry for hijacking your thread ...lottie.lou..... i,m doing a group buy on dd hammocks at the moment....they also do tarps and webbing aswell if anybody is interested
lottie.lou
05-12-2007, 12:28
Doh I've just started a group buy on the Hennessy Hex fly >here< (http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?p=351598#post35 1598)
I think I'll stick with that, cheers though!
Jedadiah
05-12-2007, 12:55
I use a Hennessy AND use an underblanket occasionally. All i have done is replace the underblanket rope with black bungee and plastic hooks. I pull i to one side, lean back into my HH pull my feet up and the underblanket springs back into place.
How do you go for a whazz during the night then? I just use a wide mouth Nalgene bottle in my hammock. It is covered in black and yellow striped tape so as not to confuse it with drinking water.
How do you get out in the morning? Open the velcro section, pull the underblanket to one side with hand or foot then simply and gracefully step out into the world.
I understand that some cannot get on with HH, but a little ingenuity and imagination and the HH/Hexfly/underblanket thing works a treat. I also have a TNF Nuptse down blanket that i got off e-bay (the Mrs calls it 'The magic Quilt' because when she pulls it over her, she's asleep in seconds:) ). This drapes over the HH mosi net in VERY cold conditions. It is my tribute to the 'Ogripod' mentioned elswhere by the inventor. Though now he's got a Tipi, i don't know how often it will get used!
Don Redondo
06-12-2007, 14:22
It's not the right product for the job and I'm surprised Hennessy owners ever bought one.
Tosh. I bought one and it works just fine. Set up is a bit fidly and it would fit a MK hammock that much easier but to say that it's the wrong product for the job just is'nt true. You just need to be more thoughtfull about it's use
Once my was set up it stayed permenantly and the whole thing goes into a compsac, with the tarp going into the skins seperately.
It does work, I assure you.