Hammocks.I fancy getting one,what type?. [Archive]

Spacemonkey

31-07-2005, 10:30

I have two Jungle Hammocks on the way from http://www.mosquitohammock.com/ so I'll let you know what they are like to use for two weeks, as I'm using them in the first fortnight of September. As soon as they arrive I'll take a trip to the woods for a trial run and post a mini review. These have inbuilt mossy nets, and the jungle ones have black net to allow better vision. The straps are webbing and the hammock material is water proof. I will however be using my existing basha sheet and not those little diamond ones. In my opinion, these are the cheapest of their type and the quality sounds ok, but I'll let you know on that one soon.

CLEM

31-07-2005, 10:47

Look forward to reading your review Spacemonkey,thanks. :)

CLEM

31-07-2005, 20:27

No one else use a hammock then?

Spacemonkey

31-07-2005, 20:44

Yup... that's what I thought!!!

HuBBa

31-07-2005, 20:47

Well, i do now :P But you'all know where i got mine :)

actually, it's not that hard to make one and fabric cost will prob be cheaper than buying one.

Spacemonkey

31-07-2005, 22:16

Thinking about it, if you want a cheap way to find out if hammocking is for you, then I can thoroughly recommend the US Jungle hammock at £15 here: http://www.sofmilitary.co.uk/military/products.asp?pg=137
(bottom of page) It's very light and compact and quite good. It's what I use now til my mossy hammock arrives. Perfectly good for this country.

Kepis

31-07-2005, 22:30

Got mine from Paradise Hammocks,

http://www.paradisehammocks.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=8 1&osCsid=d75323245d8c0b2577e662b 3b990e9ab

and it's huge, all i did was change the ropes it came supplied with for 2 x 5m lengths of webbing, all i got to do now is get a new mossie net, as the old one is, well err old. :(

Anyone recommend a mossie net for use with a hammock?

Shepherd

31-07-2005, 23:57

I have always enjoyed hammocks. I even used to have on stung up in my VW camper from seatbelt bracket to boot hinge. Not so good on the move but great as an extra bed :)

When in the Jungle i prefer them as with a good mozi net i find i am less of a meal for all that crawl and fly in the night.

My latest acquisition (bought today) looks like it could be the Rolls Royce of Hammocks made by Hennessy Hammocks and although i couldn't resist having a little play today i hope to be giving it a proper test later in the week...

It's not a great pic but you get the idea..
http://www.fe4r.com/forumpix/hammock.jpg

Graywolf

01-08-2005, 01:00

Well just spent my first ever couple of nights in a hammock at the meet in South Wales and I can say that it is the best couple of nights sleep I have had for a long time ,I have a bad back and always wake up in some sort of pain,but I had none over the weekend.The hammock I have is the Mosquito Hammocks ,Jungle Version from Trek Direct.I think it was about £77.00 with free postage.Even a few of the more experienced bushcrafters attending the meet in Wales were impressed,One small point I would have liked the webbing on the hammock maybe to have been longer.

wentworth

01-08-2005, 10:01

Hi Shepherd, your Hennessy looks like it's set up pretty loose. Was the hammock set up with the ridge line straight/taut?
Also, some of you may be interested in these hammocks, they look good, and really cheap for hammock/mozzienet/tarp combo
http://www.hammockbliss.safeshopper.c om/

match

01-08-2005, 13:55

I think that there are really two choices for hammocks - the hennessy style, or the 'normal' style.

If you're looking at 'normal' hammocks, then try to choose a wide one, as this will allow you room to turn/sleep on your side.

Try to always hang your hammock as stretched out as possible - the more of a dip in the middle of the hammock, the more you'll sink into it and move about. Also experiment with different levels - it is usually true that hammocks are most comfortable if you hang them perfectly level, but you might find this isn't true for you.

Most importantly, remember that if its cold you'll want some kind of blanket/mat unerneath you (thin hammocks provide little insulation and hanging up means you lose a lot more heat through air movement). If its in Scotland you'll want some kind of midge/mosquito netting :) and some kind of basha/tarp to keep the rain off...

wentworth

01-08-2005, 15:06

The point about hanging the hammock level not being for everyone is right- I like mine hung a little higher at the foot end. And since my upper body is heavier than my lower, this adds to the effect. I find I am more confortable this way.
As to the other point about having your hammock stretched out; if you pull a 'normal' hammock too tight, it squeezes your shoulders and makes it incapable of sleeping on a diagonal. It took me quite a few go's with my homemade one to work this out! All trial and error.

Spacemonkey

01-08-2005, 16:58

The ones from Trek Direct are actually from the site I mention in the US as he actually makes them. If you buy from the US they work out half price. I have been given a great deal on a pair of Jungle Hammocks that was irresistable, as the pair with postage from the US work out less than Trek Direct want for 1!!!

CLEM

01-08-2005, 17:54

innocent bystander

01-08-2005, 18:32

What are the advantages and disadvantages between the Hennessy types and the normal style hammocks,ive never used/tried either so any advise and opinions are appreciated,i am here to learn. :)

Oh and what do you good folks reckon to the Eco type shelter hammock for sale on the Woodlore site.

I really rate the Eco hammock Clem. But i have to after spending that much ! :rolleyes:

No, seriously, i like it a lot - it's huge, so you can get really comfy. And if you haven't got the mosi net fixed to it, it fold's really small. I use mine with a sass hoochie.

CLEM

01-08-2005, 20:15

I guess the Eco is worth a look see then! :)

innocent bystander

01-08-2005, 21:39

I can vouch for it's strength. If it can take my lardy butt, it'll support anyone. :rolleyes:

Angus Og

01-08-2005, 22:05

I guess the Eco is worth a look see then! :)

Yep I got one as well great piece of kit. Would post some pic's but there safely locked up on my admin account and I **** up the password and can’t get access. :(

MagiKelly

01-08-2005, 22:55

I have a Hennessy and am very happy with it but at the recent Scottish Meet up I had a look at Sandbender's ecosystem and liked the open feel of it. The Hennessy has the comfort of a hammock but has the feal of being sort of in a tent. However, I felt the Ecosystem was overpriced. I had a look around and bought a Double Hammock from Paradise Hammocks. This is the same size and construction as the Ecosystem. I then went out and bought 2 big carabiners and 10m of climbing tape. I took the original hanging fittings out and put the caribiners through the ends of the hammock. I cut the climbing tape into two 5m lenths and sewed loops in the ends. Total cost about £68 compared to £145 for the ecosystem. Here is a couple of pictures of a friend trying it out.

http://www.magikelly.co.uk/hammock1.jpg

http://www.magikelly.co.uk/hammock2.jpg

Now here is a close up of the carabiners. Notice the loops I sewed in the tapes are not what takes the weight. You tie the ends to the trees then take up the slack at the caribiners and tie them off there. This was an aspect of the Ecosystem I really liked.

http://www.magikelly.co.uk/hammock3.jpg

The Paradise Hammock fits into it's own bag that is attached (you can just see this in the second picture hanging behind Stuart's right elbow). It still fits in with the tapes and carabiners attached. As to being strong, my two girls have used it as a swing and play thing for hours on end with no damage to the hammock. The girls on the other hand have sustained all sorts of brusing etc.

I have ordered the midgie net for the ecosystem and a XXL Basha from Kathmandu Trekking to complete the set up and think I will have saved about £70 - £80, which is enough to buy two spare double hammock. Also I have a bigger tarp, so more living space.

I have slept out in the hammock and definately find getting in and out much easier than the Hennessy. I also really like the fact that you can see what is going on around you much easier. This may not be as much of a difference when using the midgie netting but at least with this set up you have the choice of whether to use it or not. My only concern is that as the hammock is so long the ends are fairly near the edge of the tarp so in driving rain the ends may get wet. This is not going to happen in the middle of woodland but I am generally near the shore at the edge of woodland where this could be a possability. Only time and some experimentation will show if this is likely to be a problem or not.

Motorbike Man

01-08-2005, 23:58

CLEM

02-08-2005, 07:15

So what are the advantages/disadvantages between the hennessy type and the regulat type hammocks ? Thanks.

HuBBa

02-08-2005, 08:17

Clem: Time to talk out of my ass for a while as i haven't built a Hennesey asymmetrical yet :)

But from what i've gathered, the biggest advantage of a Hennesey is the diagonal resting position. You can achieve this in a normal straight one aswell but since it is sewn into a asymetrical shape, it does it a bit better.

This also means you need to use a bit less fabric (not much) than in a straight hammock since you are utilizing the fabric better. It does however require you to use 3-4 lines, 2 loadbearing and 2 stretching, instead of two. But i think most hennesey's can be used as a normal straight one aswell (allthough somewhat "crooked").

These are observations only that i've gathered from examining their design & reading peoples opinion here on the forums. So if anyone have any different opinion re. the difference, please correct me =)

/HuBBa

HuBBa

02-08-2005, 08:27

Motorbike-man. That looks like a standard thai hammock (as seen on the DYI). The enclosed features might not be good for most people and you could wonder a bit exactly what type of nylon "Parachute nylon" is. The site states breathable and extremely tough but that really tells you nothing. Normally strength is not a big issue unless you are like me, a big-stoned bloke :P:P:P

But for £15 you wont be ruined if it's crap :) (Imho, that price might just cover the cost of the materials actually. )

Graywolf

02-08-2005, 10:48

Have a look at these.
http://www.mosquitohammock.com/

leon-1

02-08-2005, 11:02

I know the old ebay thing about if it looks too good to be true it probably is, but has anyone had any experiance of these? (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5225964117&fromMakeTrack=true)

Hi MBM, I can tell you exactly what it is like as I have one that I bought for the Merthyr Mawr meet.

They are pretty sturdy pack down quite small and are lightweight. The sashes on it are long (they quote nine meters) and the sash material is tubular webbing, which makes it very strong, so they are also softer on the tree bark.

It is a thai hammock design. Thai hammocks you can sleep on top of both layers or inside and as long as you have adequate insulation under you, therma-rest or reindeer pelt, they are pretty good all year round.

All in all, I thought that for the money they are well worth it :D

Marts

02-08-2005, 11:03

CLEM

02-08-2005, 17:54

Its looking as if the Hennessy hammock is going to be the best choice i reckon.

Motorbike Man

03-08-2005, 10:43

Hi MBM, I can tell you exactly what it is like as I have one that I bought for the Merthyr Mawr meet.

They are pretty sturdy pack down quite small and are lightweight. The sashes on it are long (they quote nine meters) and the sash material is tubular webbing, which makes it very strong, so they are also softer on the tree bark.

It is a thai hammock design. Thai hammocks you can sleep on top of both layers or inside and as long as you have adequate insulation under you, therma-rest or reindeer pelt, they are pretty good all year round.

All in all, I thought that for the money they are well worth it :D
Hmm...looks like it could be a good entry into hammock camping then. What about durability, I'm 6'2" and around the 17 - 18 stone area, is it going to be strong enough do you think?

leon-1

03-08-2005, 11:49

Hmm...looks like it could be a good entry into hammock camping then. What about durability, I'm 6'2" and around the 17 - 18 stone area, is it going to be strong enough do you think?

Ok mate, I am 5' 10" and weigh 13.5 stone at the moment. They say that it is good to 150Kg (the sashes will do this easily), 11 stone is 75Kg so 150Kg is 22 stone :), this should give you a little leeway :)

Motorbike Man

03-08-2005, 12:24

Ok mate, I am 5' 10" and weigh 13.5 stone at the moment. They say that it is good to 150Kg (the sashes will do this easily), 11 stone is 75Kg so 150Kg is 22 stone :), this should give you a little leeway :)
Cheers mate, I see a purchase coming on :D

leon-1

03-08-2005, 12:32

Cheers mate, I see a purchase coming on :D

No problems :D

spamel

03-08-2005, 13:23

Cheers mate, I see a purchase coming on :D

See, I said you had a disposable income!!!

Andrzej

03-08-2005, 13:59

I have just taken delivery of one of those US jungle hammocks as recommended by Space monkey. Having unpacked it, all the strings are nicely attached around a ring at each end.
How should I attach it to a post?

Do I go and buy a karrabiner and a length of climbing tape for each end or will string suffice. Either way how would I tie the hammock up with each method, what know to use etc.

any help would be much appreciated,
otherwise I will be sleeping on the floor at the weekend with a hammock for a bivi bag, hahaha

Shepherd

03-08-2005, 14:05

Hi Shepherd, your Hennessy looks like it's set up pretty loose. Was the hammock set up with the ridge line straight/taut?

I thought i would get picked up on that. No.. It was taught and i took it down then quickly remembered that i wanted to take a photo so quickly threw it up to show it off. Sheesh you can't get anything past you guys.. :)

Also... A word of warning... last nights forcast predicted a hot one so i thought i would string my hammock up in the garden and sleep there for a laugh...

As a result i have descovered that cherry trees are stronger than fences.. :rolleyes:

Spacemonkey

03-08-2005, 18:35

I have just taken delivery of one of those US jungle hammocks as recommended by Space monkey.

Quite right too!

Having unpacked it, all the strings are nicely attached around a ring at each end.
How should I attach it to a post?

I use a doubled up lenght of paracord on each ring that is about 4 metres long each end. This easily holds my 10.5 stone weight, but does stretch a little when weighted. Not a problem though. Like I said, this is a cheap hammock, so sacrifices are made, but saying that it is perfecly good, and I use it now unitl my new one arrives from the US. I'm using it all this weekend too. You could attach rope easily to each ring and string it up.

Motorbike Man

03-08-2005, 22:25

Cheers mate, I see a purchase coming on :D
Woohoo!!! Just got me a hammock :D All I need to do know is learn the knots to stop me having an abrupt wakening in the night :rolleyes:

leon-1

03-08-2005, 23:23

Woohoo!!! Just got me a hammock :D All I need to do know is learn the knots to stop me having an abrupt wakening in the night :rolleyes:

Believe it or not since I have been using one I have been using a bow for tying your shoes and it has never let me down yet after a few wraps around the tree :D

bushblade

03-08-2005, 23:29

I have a Hennessy and am very happy with it but at the recent Scottish Meet up I had a look at Sandbender's ecosystem and liked the open feel of it. The Hennessy has the comfort of a hammock but has the feal of being sort of in a tent. However, I felt the Ecosystem was overpriced. I had a look around and bought a Double Hammock from Paradise Hammocks. This is the same size and construction as the Ecosystem. I then went out and bought 2 big carabiners and 10m of climbing tape. I took the original hanging fittings out and put the caribiners through the ends of the hammock. I cut the climbing tape into two 5m lenths and sewed loops in the ends. Total cost about £68 compared to £145 for the ecosystem. Here is a couple of pictures of a friend trying it out.

Now here is a close up of the carabiners. Notice the loops I sewed in the tapes are not what takes the weight. You tie the ends to the trees then take up the slack at the caribiners and tie them off there. This was an aspect of the Ecosystem I really liked.

http://www.magikelly.co.uk/hammock3.jpg

Sounds very familiar :)
I would recomend not putting the carabiners through the hammock but a bit of paracord or similar through the hammock and clip the carabiner to the paracord. It works better at preventing drips reaching the hammock.
This pic may help to show what I mean;

http://img1.yoxio.com/img/182300.jpg (http://img1.yoxio.com/view/182300.htm)

You can see a bit better in this one but its from last year before I switched to carabiners and climbing tape (stainless steel rings and regular nylon webbing instead).
http://img1.yoxio.com/img/189157.jpg (http://img1.yoxio.com/view/189157.htm)

Carabiners are better than rings, they're stronger, have other uses, you can quickly detatch the suspension lines (for packing up when wet, so the hammock stays dry) and they aid in set up as you can clip them up underneath your hoochie so the hammock does not touch the ground while setting up/tying knots.
The knots and set up/take down are what realy impressed me with the eco system too. I would strongly recomend anyone looking at getting a hammock to buy Rays DVD of how to set up the system and then go and put your own version together.
One thing I don't like about the eco system is the distance between the hoochie and the hammock, sideways rain can hit the hammock, not as much of a problem in the jungle but not the best for UK use. But with the tai style hammocks you can put the hammock really close under the hochie in bad weather. You can also pitch this system much closer to the ground (if you wish to keep a low profile).
I've seen a lot of peoples pics of their hammock set ups on here, but one common thing I've noticed is the lack of drip lines, these are so important if you want to have a dry night. Also I see a lot of people pitching their hoochies with the sides quite low and ridge line high, but you get much better coverage from your roof if you pitch it almost flat (this applies to use with a bivi bag too). :)

bushblade

03-08-2005, 23:37

forgot to mention, the carabiners clipped to the paracord loops make it easier to set up with a mosi net too, as you can tie it off below the carabiner (so no drips get to the mosi net too).

Motorbike Man

04-08-2005, 00:02

Believe it or not since I have been using one I have been using a bow for tying your shoes and it has never let me down yet after a few wraps around the tree :D
but, but, but what about the Evenks and double quarter turns with a falcons head and half twist and, and, and......... :D

leon-1

04-08-2005, 03:01

but, but, but what about the Evenks and double quarter turns with a falcons head and half twist and, and, and......... :D

If it works, it works and it is just as easy as any other knot to do :D

I know lots of different knots, but this is what I started with years ago and it worked so I am happy with it, they are easy to undo and do so I don't worry about it :D

MagiKelly

04-08-2005, 09:52

forgot to mention, the carabiners clipped to the paracord loops make it easier to set up with a mosi net too, as you can tie it off below the carabiner (so no drips get to the mosi net too).

I was going to set it up as you have and still may but decided that the way it is at the moment had less possable failure points. The loop through the hammock going to the clip / ring is eliminated so cannot fail. I did think abou the water running down the lines and wetting the hammock but I think that the tapes tied to the clip will act as drip lines. This is the bit I need to test and will be what decides whether I revert to the original Ecosystem type set up or not.

I have the Mosi net and I tie it off below the clips as well. I just tie it round the end of the hammock material. So provided I am right above about the ties working as drip lines I will be fine. The netting ridge line is tied to the clips but I presume that yours is tied to the ring / clip as well so no difference there.

Something worth mentioning for anyone who tries this approach is that when you get the Mosi Net you will be convinced it is too short. The hammock is 3m long and the net is about 2m. I was convinced that when I got in the ridge line would snap and the netting shoot to one side. It takes a bit of experimenting but you will soon get the idea.

Also the Mosi net means you have to sling the hammock quite slack which stops you getting the hammock close to the underside of the tarp. You tie the hammock to the tree higher than the tarp but there is still only so much of an angle you can get before the lines from the hammock are fouling the edge of the tarp. This is an area I am going to be working on most to find the best set up. The Hennessy Hammocks are very good in this respect, especially with a Hex Fly. You will stay dry whatever the weather does. I think it will take me a little while to get this same confidence with the open hammock system.

For those of you who think that none of the above makes sense. You are right. Untill you have experimented with these hammocks much of this may not make sense but once you have it will all become clear.

CLEM

04-08-2005, 20:28

Thanks for all the advice,thoughts and opinions folks,its very much appreciated.

bushblade

04-08-2005, 21:10

I was going to set it up as you have and still may but decided that the way it is at the moment had less possable failure points. The loop through the hammock going to the clip / ring is eliminated so cannot fail. I did think abou the water running down the lines and wetting the hammock but I think that the tapes tied to the clip will act as drip lines. This is the bit I need to test and will be what decides whether I revert to the original Ecosystem type set up or not.

I think you'll be fine with the cord loops, Ive had the same bits of cord on mine since summer 2003 and they are still going strong.
Its the vertical orientation of the carabiner that improves drip resistance, both by drips not being able to run against gravity up the carabiner at the hammock end, and by allowing the suspension tapes to hang on the bottom side of the carabiner further improving their role as drip lines.

I clip my mossi net (which I very rarely use actualy) to a line that runs just underneath my hoochie, so does not affect the distance between hammock and hoochie. You can see the line in the first pic with various bits of gear hanging off it. If you look close you may see another line I set up underneath the hammock to hang my boots/wet kit on at night.

Kepis

04-08-2005, 21:57

I have ordered the midgie net for the ecosystem and a XXL Basha from Kathmandu Trekking to complete the set up and think I will have saved about £70 - £80, which is enough to buy two spare double hammock. Also I have a bigger tarp, so more living space.

My only concern is that as the hammock is so long the ends are fairly near the edge of the tarp so in driving rain the ends may get wet. This is not going to happen in the middle of woodland but I am generally near the shore at the edge of woodland where this could be a possability. Only time and some experimentation will show if this is likely to be a problem or not.

I have the same hammock as you Magikelly, set it up for the first time yesterday and noticed the hammock protrudes from under the tarp at both ends, and thought, um if it rains me get wet :( , dont suppose you have a web addy for Kathmandi Trekking do you?, what size is the XXL Tarp?, where did you get your Karibiners from, my local shops only seem to have small and/or cheap and nasty (non load bearing) types at the moment, barring that, what size are they?

Apologies for all the questions

MagiKelly

04-08-2005, 22:28

I have the same hammock as you Magikelly, set it up for the first time yesterday and noticed the hammock protrudes from under the tarp at both ends, and thought, um if it rains me get wet :( , dont suppose you have a web addy for Kathmandi Trekking do you?, what size is the XXL Tarp?, where did you get your Karibiners from, my local shops only seem to have small and/or cheap and nasty (non load bearing) types at the moment, barring that, what size are they?

Apologies for all the questions

Kathmandi Trekking can be found at
http://home.freeuk.net/kathmandu/index.html

The XXL tarp is 3m by 2.5m Cost is about £48 including postage.

The caribiners came from Tiso, their climbing section. They are proper climbing caribiners which is why they were £9.50 each.

The thing to remember about setting up the hammock is to remember to give it a good sloop. i.e. plenty of slack so that it is not at its full 3m long.

underground

04-08-2005, 22:31

Kathmandi Trekking can be found at
http://home.freeuk.net/kathmandu/index.html

The XXL tarp is 3m by 2.5m Cost is about £48 including postage.

The caribiners came from Tiso, their climbing section. They are proper climbing caribiners which is why they were £9.50 each.

The thing to remember about setting up the hammock is to remember to give it a good sloop. i.e. plenty of slack so that it is not at its full 3m long.

Hi Magikelly, if you don't mind me asking, what sort of karabiners did you buy for £9.50 each??? :eek: I know shops can be a bit dispersed in Scotland but that sounds expensive.... very expensive actually...

MagiKelly

04-08-2005, 22:34

I think you'll be fine with the cord loops, Ive had the same bits of cord on mine since summer 2003 and they are still going strong.
Its the vertical orientation of the carabiner that improves drip resistance, both by drips not being able to run against gravity up the carabiner at the hammock end, and by allowing the suspension tapes to hang on the bottom side of the carabiner further improving their role as drip lines.

I clip my mossi net (which I very rarely use actualy) to a line that runs just underneath my hoochie, so does not affect the distance between hammock and hoochie. You can see the line in the first pic with various bits of gear hanging off it. If you look close you may see another line I set up underneath the hammock to hang my boots/wet kit on at night.

I am pretty confident that I could form loops that would not break but if I do not need to then I would prefer not too. Certainly the drip proofness is better with your system. Although if you are putting the Mosi net on a separate line I would use the rings to save a little weight. The advantage of the carabiners is that they can be unclipped to put the Mosi net on.

How do you find the Mosi net for length when used on a separate line?

Kepis

04-08-2005, 22:37

Thanks John.

MagiKelly

04-08-2005, 22:38

Hi Magikelly, if you don't mind me asking, what sort of karabiners did you buy for £9.50 each??? :eek: I know shops can be a bit dispersed in Scotland but that sounds expensive.... very expensive actually...

Ones like these

http://www.gear-zone.co.uk/eshop/DMM-Zodiac-SG-12mm-Screwgate-Carabiner.html

Seems to be about a normal price for this spec. There are cheaper but I wanted a large size and screwgate.

Grez

05-08-2005, 10:29

Hi All,

Just wondering why more people don't use the "Eco Sleep system" is it purely a cost thing or is there something else?

Cheers

Grez..

HuBBa

05-08-2005, 10:40

I suspect it's a cost thing :)

Which is why i'm making my own :P

wentworth

05-08-2005, 11:01

The eco system thing looks really nice, but it's also really expensive. I also question how much protection the tarp would give in a really wind blown rain. It's also heavy in comparison to Hennessy, Speer, or even the homemade alternatives.
But I haven't tried it out. Feel free to correct me.

HuBBa

05-08-2005, 11:21

My normal hammock weighs in at 1200 grams, which is about 4-600 grams higher than your average solution. This however is with all webbing and the entire thing is in cordura nylon. I am planning to make a new asymetric one which will shave off a bit of the length & weight.

The tarp i'm still working on getting a good lightweight material. But estimate so far will be roughly 2-300 grams tops.

Now, of course, if you are a small and light person you can get away with very very light gear aswell :) Me being a 20 stone bloke quickly learns to not whine if i get a kg extra in my equipment. I need it to be tough and working at all times, if that means using cordura for the hammock then so be it.

It beats ending up on the ground with a big lump in the back of my head :)

/HuBBa

MagiKelly

05-08-2005, 11:21

Hi All,

Just wondering why more people don't use the "Eco Sleep system" is it purely a cost thing or is there something else?

Cheers

Grez..

Pretty much. I have no problem of paying good money for a quality product but the Eco System Hammock is £145 and to get a hammock every bit its equal has cost me £70. I did not make my own so all the people I bought the components from have made a normal profit. £35 for Paradise Hammock double, including postage, £15 for climbing tapes and £20 for carabiners. Cetainly it could be argued that the Ecosystem hammock is harder wearing material but this hardly justifies the price difference. I do not think the price of the midgie netting is too bad although still not cheap but close enough to the norm that I bought from them.

Motorbike Man

05-08-2005, 11:44

Not had a chance to play with it yet, but my Ebay Hammock (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5226797590&ssPageName=MERC_VIC_ReBay_Pr4_ PcY_BID) arrived today and I have to say, it looks a lot better than I expected with the nylon being better quality than I would have thought for the price. I'll let you know how I get on.

moduser

05-08-2005, 13:03

My Ebay hammock arrived today as well. I've seen Leon-1's so know what to expect. Plan to make some modifications to it which I'll post when there done.

SARHound

06-08-2005, 22:45

FYI,

Anyone who knows anything about hammocks knows the Clark Jungle Hammock is tops in every way imaginable.

I had a Hennessy and returned it within a week after I saw my mates Clark. There is no comparrison possible.

http://www.junglehammock.com/

Hennessy wins the marketing battle however, shame really.

Hound

Motorbike Man

06-08-2005, 22:56

My Ebay hammock arrived today as well. I've seen Leon-1's so know what to expect. Plan to make some modifications to it which I'll post when there done.
Definetly be interested in seeing those Moduser :D

Ogri the trog

06-08-2005, 23:04

Definetly be interested in seeing those Moduser :D

Me too Moduser! ;)
Any hints as to what they might be, or indeed what modifications you consider necessary for an open, homemade example?

Ogri the trog

Shepherd

07-08-2005, 01:50

FYI,

Anyone who knows anything about hammocks knows the Clark Jungle Hammock is tops in every way imaginable.

Hound

Anyone who knows anything about hammocks knows the Clark Jungle Hammock is twice the price of the Hennessy.. :)

leon-1

07-08-2005, 02:57

I wonder why is price such an issue, I have seen and used kit that is very reasonably priced and the difference is minimal.

£15 as opposed to £150, it sounds more like EGO than actual work, I have said it before and will say it again, "If it works, It works".

Cost means nothing, it is individual taste and choice. I will stick with that idea longer than someone who goes out and buys a brand name. My justification apart from anyhting else is; if someone is capable of turning out a Thai hammock that I am comfotable in for £15 then why pay £135 pounds more, I can still modify it for far less. :)

lardbloke

07-08-2005, 09:53

I have also purchased one of the ebay hammocks described above on the strenght of what is being discussed here. I can see the advantages of all the systems but for me it is a matter of cost. Why spend all that money when I can adapt my own system to my requirements and will look relatively unique. I am worried that 'Bushcraft' is becoming fashionable on the strength of a said TV programme. People are buying expensive gear that may get little use or for their needs. Lets hope we will see HH and WL knives/gear flooding boot sales in the years to come.

On a seperate note I am interested in attatching my mosquito net (multi point job) to or around the hammock and am wondering the best methods achieved by others. I was reading on another site that mosquitos aim for the underneath area of the hammock where your bum pokes down rather than around the head, sodoes the net have to cover the hammock entirely??

SARHound

07-08-2005, 15:51

Anyone who knows anything about hammocks knows the Clark Jungle Hammock is twice the price of the Hennessy.. :)

That it is. :rolleyes:

Hound

Fallow Way

07-08-2005, 16:18

I have the Eco system, love it, cant find fault with it.

I have been toying with the idea of designing a hammock that would allow you to roll it sort of like a pioneer blanket bag to carry gear in. You could of course do this with any hammock folded right, but I`m sketching out ideas for something designed for the purpose.

bushblade

07-08-2005, 18:27

I was out in mine last night so took some pics of the system I was describing, showing the carabiners and how they work. Sorry for no set up pics but it was dark when I pitched, and further apologies for the poor quality of the photos but I only had my phone on me. :o

Pitched before take down

http://img1.yoxio.com/img/190096.jpg (http://img1.yoxio.com/view/190096.htm)

Sleeping bag/thermarest packed away

http://img1.yoxio.com/img/190097.jpg (http://img1.yoxio.com/view/190097.htm)

Clip hammock up with dry bag at centre

http://img1.yoxio.com/img/190098.jpg (http://img1.yoxio.com/view/190098.htm)

Release suspension tapes at hammock end

http://img1.yoxio.com/img/190101.jpg (http://img1.yoxio.com/view/190101.htm)http://img1.yoxio.com/img/190102.jpg (http://img1.yoxio.com/view/190102.htm)

Hammock clipped up with carabiners so not in contact with ground

http://img1.yoxio.com/img/190103.jpg (http://img1.yoxio.com/view/190103.htm)

Release suspension tapes at tree end

http://img1.yoxio.com/img/190099.jpg (http://img1.yoxio.com/view/190099.htm)http://img1.yoxio.com/img/190100.jpg (http://img1.yoxio.com/view/190100.htm)

Hank both supension tapes

http://img1.yoxio.com/img/190104.jpg (http://img1.yoxio.com/view/190104.htm)

Then stuff the hammock into dry bag (centre first) and take down hoochie.

Fenlander

08-08-2005, 18:15

My Ebay hammock arrived today as well. I've seen Leon-1's so know what to expect. Plan to make some modifications to it which I'll post when there done.

I emailed the guy selling these hammocks and he told me he hopes to have a waterproof version of this hammock for sale next spring.

He lives in Edinburgh, and also asked whether any bushcrafter groups in the area would be interested in a demo........ :cool:

MagiKelly

08-08-2005, 19:50

I emailed the guy selling these hammocks and he told me he hopes to have a waterproof version of this hammock for sale next spring.

He lives in Edinburgh, and also asked whether any bushcrafter groups in the area would be interested in a demo........ :cool:

Tell him to register than come along to the next Scottish Meet Up. He will be more than welcome.

Fenlander

09-08-2005, 19:37

Tell him to register than come along to the next Scottish Meet Up. He will be more than welcome.

Emailed him today with you invite :D

Fenlander

10-08-2005, 19:03

Hi MBM, I can tell you exactly what it is like as I have one that I bought for the Merthyr Mawr meet.

They are pretty sturdy pack down quite small and are lightweight. The sashes on it are long (they quote nine meters) and the sash material is tubular webbing, which makes it very strong, so they are also softer on the tree bark.

It is a thai hammock design. Thai hammocks you can sleep on top of both layers or inside and as long as you have adequate insulation under you, therma-rest or reindeer pelt, they are pretty good all year round.

All in all, I thought that for the money they are well worth it :D

I bought one of these and it arrived today :)

Having inspected the seem joining the two pieces of material, I would suggest heat sealing the edges to prevent them fraying any further :eek:
I use a soldering iron to do this ;)

The quality seems almost as good as the Nomad tai hammock, though it is quite a bit heavier.

Thomas the Tank Engine

11-08-2005, 17:55

MagiKelly

11-08-2005, 22:49

I sleep in a Hennessy Hammock (Explorer Deluxe) and love it. The only problem is that my underside gets cold: I'm awaiting the arrival of their patented undercover which should warm things up nicely. Can't fault construction, weight, ease of use - and most importantly comfort - at all. Their customer service is excellent too.

I think the Hennessy is a great system. Probably the lightest all in solution as there is no waste. Enough insect netting with no waste etc, however I am moving towards the openness of the Ecosystem type but still think the Hennessy is great value for money.

BUT in my experiance they have the worst customer service of any company I have had to deal with. I will not bore you with the details but if you do a search on Hennessy Hammocks on this site you will find details. I am sure there service is not always as I experianced it, if it was they would have no customers so perhaps I was unlucky.

wentworth

11-08-2005, 23:31

Thomas the Tank Engine,
A guy on this site http://hikinghq.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1329 had trouble staying warm with the hennessy undercover. Others have too. But it may work for you...

MagiKelly

12-08-2005, 10:33

I have never been cold in any hammock. I have a thermarest in the sleeping bag with me and that seems to do fine. I have slept in my HH at tempretures of -10 and still been fine. Of course I was using bags rated for the tempreture and in winter sleeping in long johns and socks but that should be obvious.

Edit

I should add that I like the idea of the convienience of the underquilt but I just do not like it. I can't say why as it ticks all the boxes I just do not like it.

Wenie

12-08-2005, 15:27

I know the old ebay thing about if it looks too good to be true it probably is, but has anyone had any experiance of these? (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5225964117&fromMakeTrack=true)

As a complete newbie to the world of hammocks I can definitely recommend this hammock for a first timer who wants to check out what the fuss is all about. Got mine this morning and had it up in the trees with no problems (apart from my cat trying to get in it... :rolleyes: ). Seems to do its job perfectly well. Nice and cheap too!

Jamie

12-08-2005, 15:50

BUT in my experiance they have the worst customer service of any company I have had to deal with. I will not bore you with the details but if you do a search on Hennessy Hammocks on this site you will find details. I am sure there service is not always as I experianced it, if it was they would have no customers so perhaps I was unlucky.

Hi John

I am sorry that you have experienced the above with Hennessy direct.

What I would like to remind you, and everybody that either currently owns a Hennessy or is thinking of buying one, that being the UK distributor of the Expedition and Explorer Deluxe models (the other models will be coming in force to the UK in the next 6 months or so) we take on the responsibility for all customer service for UK bought Hennessy’s – and this is a responsibility we take very seriously indeed.

We have had no complaints with our level of service that we are aware of and have also, in certain circumstances, taken on the responsibility of non UK bought Hennessy’s, something we are not obliged to do but feel that it is our duty to give the overall package.

We are a phone call or email away for anyone that has any problems and we don’t mess around – if someone is unhappy or dissatisfied we want to make sure that the issue is dealt with professionally, courteously and with minimum fuss.

I hope that this clears up any customer service issues so please do not hesitate in contacting me, or Jack, if you have any queries whatsoever.

All the best

Jamie

MagiKelly

13-08-2005, 20:50

Thanks Jamie. I was aware of your involvement with Hennessy but not of the extent. I have dealt with Woodland Organics on a number of occasions and am confident that dealing with you would be without problem. This can only be for the good of Hennessy's reputation in the UK

KenC

14-08-2005, 20:36

I may be a bit late to this discussion, but here's my 10p.

I've got the Rays Mears Eco system and have just bought the Hennessy Exped A-sym for my son. The Eco hammock is fantasitc. Very wide, easy to set up. comfy, flexible. The Hennessy is lighter and easier to set up, because you don't have to fix up the tarp independently, but this has disadvantages too. (Esp. for setting while raining + general flexibility of overall package). It's also smaller and more claustraphobic - less of a feeling of sleeping under the stars.

So, overall, value for money the Hennessy wins - but I still prefer the Eco.

Doc

16-08-2005, 08:53

Brilliant thread - loads of useful info.

Although I've slept out under a basha or in a tent quite a bit, I've yet to do so in a hammock. I am tempted as I sat in Sandbender's eco-system and Magikelly's Hennessy and they are undeniably comfortable.

I just wondered:

1) I would expect it is colder than a tent or low basha in winter. Anyone tried it?
2) Do you need a specially long tarp? My basha is the standard 2.5m long - is this too short for use with a hammock?
3) Do you get rain running down the support ropes into the hammock?
4) Does it damage the tree bark?
5) How about weights? Maybe I'm unfit but I do like to keep the pack weight down. The hammock idea is tempting as my one man tent is 2kg but my basha is just 250g.

Must admit to being tempted to get an ebay or paradise hammock.

HuBBa

16-08-2005, 09:21

1) I would expect it is colder than a tent or low basha in winter. Anyone tried it?
A few have done extensive testing and i plan to do this myself now during the fall & winter. You can insulate using either a hammockquilt (basically a big sleepingbag for hammocks that is put out on the outside, or some sort of insulation (usually foampads) inside it. What you mostly want to avoid is getting wind to blow through the bottom of the hammock chilling it.

2) Do you need a specially long tarp? My basha is the standard 2.5m long - is this too short for use with a hammock?
It depends on how long your hammock is. The hammock is usually upwards 3 m but it is in a U pattern and not straight. Best thing is to have the hammock close to the tarp roof and a tarp that is about as long as the hammock.

3) Do you get rain running down the support ropes into the hammock?
Yes. This is the reason you need to use drip-lines and a connection that doesn't transfer water easilly from the support ropes to the actual hammock.

4) Does it damage the tree bark?
Most tree barks seems to take even rope without any problems. Some people use webbing slings (or just straight webbing) to spare the trees a bit more.

5) How about weights? Maybe I'm unfit but I do like to keep the pack weight down. The hammock idea is tempting as my one man tent is 2kg but my basha is just 250g.
You will look at abour 400g -> 1200g. It all depends on how tough of a hammock you want/need. The 400g variants in lighter & weaker forms of nylon works fine if you are around 50-80kg weight. If you are upwards 110-120kg you need stronger materials such as rip-stop nylon or even Cordura nylon. These materials weigh from 190-210g / m so they usually end up around 1200-1300g.

This however means that your entire setup will still not be above 1500g.

Must admit to being tempted to get an ebay or paradise hammock.
Best part of those are that they are cheap. So IF the hammock doesn't fit you or is too weak, it's not a big loss :) And as mentioned before, if you are in the "normal" weight category it's usually not an issue. If you, like me, are in the "Big bloke" category most ebay hammocks are just not up to the challenge. And of course, it probably doesn't mean that it will break the second i sit on it, but it will wear out faster due to increased load.

Enjoy hammocking :)

MagiKelly

16-08-2005, 09:51

Doc

At the meet up I will show you the solutions I have found. I have slept out in my hammock during nights that have dropped to -10 and still been toasty warm. You want a good sleeping bag and a mat under you but that should do it.

Using climbing tape instead of rope or webbing straps should protect the tree.

Weight wise the hammock sst up should not really be any heavier than a bivi bag and basha set up. you probably want a tarp about 3m long but in saying that RM sells the Ecosystem with a 2.7m hootchi.

Like I say I will show you more at the meet up. I have arranged a group buy of hammocks but the guaranteed numbers have already been taken. If you put your name down you might get one if some people drop out.

lardbloke

16-08-2005, 09:59

I have one of the ebay hammocks and are generally great for the rag and tag of the British weather when camping in the woods. I dont think I would trust a hammock for winter use mind, but am willing to give it a go. I bought a couple of climbing karabiners and some extra webbing from the ebay guy and will adapt them when I get a look at the eco system DVD (basically the same ideas, others have adapted on here). I will also purchase some extra bits and bobs from pointnorth.co.uk, as they sell lots of great accessories that can be fixed to your adapted camping gear. I also have a Moskito hammock (one with the integral mossie net), this is great for lightweight camping, but the max load is 90Kg, again could probably be adapted for the larger camper that will use the eco system karribiners and webbing set up.

Doc

16-08-2005, 10:05

Thanks all. Look forward to 'show and tell' at the Scottish meet.

I did wonder about weight as Ray' full eco-system weighs MORE than my tent. It's over 2kg. :eek: Not a problem if you're freighting it in a canoe, but if you're travelling by Shanks' pony.....

There are a lot of hammocks on the market and it is a bit confusing. I am very impressed with Kathmandu kit and although everyone seems to be using their tarps and bivvy bags I've yet to hear from anyone who's tried their hammocks.

wentworth

16-08-2005, 10:12

Yes, hammocks are colder than sleeping on the ground. The colder it gets, the more insulation (or pads you will need) for example (Stolen from www.hammockcamping.com )
>75F*** Thin cotton sheet & no sleeping pad
70-75F* 48-rated sleeping bag &*** no pad
60-70F* 48-rated sleeping bag & 1/4" pad
50-60F* 38-rated sleeping bag & 1/4" pad
40-50F* 25-rated sleeping bag & 1/2" pad
30-40F* 25-rated sleeping bag &*** 1" pad
20-30F* 15-rated sleeping bag &*** 2" pad
10-20F*** 0-rated sleeping bag &*** 2" pad

There are also cheaper ways to stay warm in a hammock than buying an underquilt or a peapod.
http://www.hammockcamping.com/Garlington%20Insulator/GIversion2.htm
or
http://www.imrisk.com/hammock/warmhammock.htm
or even
http://www.imrisk.com/hammock/travelpod.htm

I'd like to have a go at making one of those warmhammocks of Risk's some time. It does help if you or someone who is very fond of you can sew...

MagiKelly

16-08-2005, 10:26

The Kathmandu hammock would be smaller than I would like. I prefer it to be the 2m wide to get a good diagonal on it.

I was really concerned aboiut being cold before I got one but have really not found it a problem. All these underquilts etc seem like overkill to me.

As to weight the thing with the ecosystem is that you can leave bits out. In summer you need the midgie netting but a lighter sleeping bag and mat. In winter no midgie net but a better bag and mat. Best be it at the meet up I will have a spare hammock with me (maybe more than one). Spend the night in it or if you do not want to leave the boys in the tent alone take it away with you and give it a try. You can get it back to me when you have tried it out.

For the best weight solution the Hennessy is probably the way to go.