Has anyone modded a Hennessy Hammock?

[WolfRock83]

I have the Hennessy Expedition bottom entry model with the four season supershelter kit. In my opinion, having tried a few others, it can’t be beaten for comfort however setup and entry is really quite a faff when compared to some others.

I looking at getting rid of the standard ropes and installing whoopee slings and perhaps some elephant trunk straps. Also want to install a zip for the big net. I have a sewing machine donated to me by my Nan but I’ve never used it.

Has anyone else got any experience of carrying out these mods or any info on how to go about it?

Thanks

Dave


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[Nice65]

There is a hammock forum with a ton of Hennessy lovers.

https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/content.php

A lot of people change to whoopies, but I wonder if a DD snakeskin might be a good bet for you. I don’t use an underquilt, because the hammock is a BigMonster and has the insulation built it. I tie out the ends, slide the sleeve off, peg out the tarp and I’m done.

 

[WolfRock83]

Cheers for the heads up on the hammock forum I’ll check it out. I do use snakeskins to pack the hammock away and love em. My reason for wanting to change to the whoopees is I find the setup with Hennessy a bit of a drag. You have to tie your rope round the tree hugger straps then wrap it around in several figure of eights. Once you’ve done that if you need to make any minor adjustments you have to have untie the whole thing again!


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[Nice65]

Cheers for the heads up on the hammock forum I’ll check it out. I do use snakeskins to pack the hammock away and love em. My reason for wanting to change to the whoopees is I find the setup with Hennessy a bit of a drag. You have to tie your rope round the tree hugger straps then wrap it around in several figure of eights. Once you’ve done that if you need to make any minor adjustments you have to have untie the whole thing again!


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I see the problem. Tape slings and carabiners sorted that for me. I’ve got 4 tape slings I used for tree work, only thin but strong. If the tree is wide, I loop two together, if narrow, I wrap around more turns.

 

[firedfromthecircus]

Have you seen this quick hang method?

I can confirm it makes life very easy for a little extra weight.

 

[WolfRock83]

That looks a pretty cool setup. I’m not too bothered about weight and if I was I could always bring one less beer (not happening). Only question is whether there might be some issue with damage caused by the rappel rings pinching the rope?


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[Nice65]

Have you seen this quick hang method?

I can confirm it makes life very easy for a little extra weight.

I used closed welded steel rings as a buckle for a while, but they’re still not as convenient as hooking a carabiner onto a fixed point and simply making adjustments with a slippery hitch to the webbing on the hammock ends. The rings wanted to pull out sideways sometimes and mashed the webbing straps, compromised the knot.

My mate tried triangular steel things, the ones with a screwgate. They worked better to keep webbing flat. He set them so the screw gates were on opposite sides.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/MagiDeal-Stainless-Triangle-Carabiner-Mountaineering/dp/B0745JDLQW

Still too over engineered for me.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/MagiDeal-Stainless-Triangle-Carabiner-Mountaineering/dp/B0745JDLQW

 

[C_Claycomb]

I swapped the original THICK rope on my Hennessey Exped Asym for 4mm Marlow Excel Control 4mm (not the best choice, but I knew less then than I do now...526kg never let me down). Used a welded ring with the cord wrapped around it about six times as a non-slip but moveable anchor. Passed cord through tree hugger loops then back to the ring anchor and finished with a slippery hitch.

There are some pictures on the net somewhere of getting into the gather and replacing the cord. Have to snip the zip tie, but otherwise it was straight forward.

The rings in the linked video are the solid type, and to me they weigh a ton. I have been using a couple pairs of the hollow rolled descender rings, and even those weigh more than I would like.

I have used Whoopie slings, but they have some disadvantages that I do not like. The main one is that they offer no mechanical advantage and require two hands to adjust. Find that your hammock is a bit low after you have dumped your quilts and clothes or other gear in it and you have a real struggle to get the Whoopie to release and then straight pull enough to lift hammock and get the sling to re-engage.

It is also a benefit if you swap the tree-huggers to something non-stretch, polyester is good, Dynema/polypropylene is even better. I may be being unjust to Hennessey, maybe it was just that stupid figure 8 knot that would gradually tighten and let the hammock sink over night, but I didn't solve my sag problem until I replaced all the original parts.

As for the net...sorry, I bought a different hammock rather than change the Hennessey. I found side entry made a HUGE difference to my enjoyment. Well work sorting out. There should be plenty of info out there about performing the mod.

Chris

 

[TLM]

Sorry about the slight nit picking but the materials engineer in me still wants to come out every now and then. When speaking of not stretching Dyneema is by far the best of usual rope materials polyester comes next and PP is last. Polyamides offer so wide a range that one has to name a specific one. There are some exotic polyesters that best Dyneema but usually one does not meet them...

 

[firedfromthecircus]

The rings in the linked video are the solid type, and to me they weigh a ton. I have been using a couple pairs of the hollow rolled descender rings, and even those weigh more than I would like.

Are you confusing the rings in the video with something else? These are aluminium rappel rings. Needle sports are listing them as 0.045kg (Noticed that is packed weight. 30g on their own.). Not sure if that is your version of a 'ton' but I thought they were pretty light, though I realise that is a relative concept.

https://www.needlesports.com/Catalo...k-Trad-Climbing/Abseil/Omega-Pacific-Rap-Ring

 

[WolfRock83]

I swapped the original THICK rope on my Hennessey Exped Asym for 4mm Marlow Excel Control 4mm (not the best choice, but I knew less then than I do now...526kg never let me down). Used a welded ring with the cord wrapped around it about six times as a non-slip but moveable anchor. Passed cord through tree hugger loops then back to the ring anchor and finished with a slippery hitch.

There are some pictures on the net somewhere of getting into the gather and replacing the cord. Have to snip the zip tie, but otherwise it was straight forward.

The rings in the linked video are the solid type, and to me they weigh a ton. I have been using a couple pairs of the hollow rolled descender rings, and even those weigh more than I would like.

I have used Whoopie slings, but they have some disadvantages that I do not like. The main one is that they offer no mechanical advantage and require two hands to adjust. Find that your hammock is a bit low after you have dumped your quilts and clothes or other gear in it and you have a real struggle to get the Whoopie to release and then straight pull enough to lift hammock and get the sling to re-engage.

It is also a benefit if you swap the tree-huggers to something non-stretch, polyester is good, Dynema/polypropylene is even better. I may be being unjust to Hennessey, maybe it was just that stupid figure 8 knot that would gradually tighten and let the hammock sink over night, but I didn't solve my sag problem until I replaced all the original parts.

As for the net...sorry, I bought a different hammock rather than change the Hennessey. I found side entry made a HUGE difference to my enjoyment. Well work sorting out. There should be plenty of info out there about performing the mod.

Chris

Cheers Chris,

I will try out the rappel ring method next time I go out and have a look into a more permanent fix later on. I do really wish I’d gone for side entry now as the majority of my camping is in autumn/winter when I don’t want the big net anyway. I’m sure it’s doable - just a case of learning how the sowing machine works and diving in!


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[C_Claycomb]

Sorry about the slight nit picking but the materials engineer in me still wants to come out every now and then. When speaking of not stretching Dyneema is by far the best of usual rope materials polyester comes next and PP is last. Polyamides offer so wide a range that one has to name a specific one. There are some exotic polyesters that best Dyneema but usually one does not meet them...

Dutchware Gear sells a Dynema/PP blend webbing specifically for hammock hanging. Low stretch of Dynema, polypro doesn't hold water, cheaper than all-Dynema, and more friction and thicker body too, works in cinch buckles, which pure Dynema doesn't.

The rope I used wasn't great, but overall I got less stretch than I did on the original set up.

 

[TLM]

With Dyneema/PP mix all stiffnes and practically all strength comes from D. PP gives some thicknes but that is it. They are both low friction materials. PET (polyester) does not absorb waster. Only plastic material that does and is commonly used in ropes is nylon (PA).

The idea with PP might be to bulk up the rope as cheaply as possible. On the other hand if it works the cheap part is not a problem, this time.

 

[C_Claycomb]

Are you confusing the rings in the video with something else? These are aluminium rappel rings. Needle sports are listing them as 0.045kg (Noticed that is packed weight. 30g on their own.). Not sure if that is your version of a 'ton' but I thought they were pretty light, though I realise that is a relative concept.

https://www.needlesports.com/Catalo...k-Trad-Climbing/Abseil/Omega-Pacific-Rap-Ring

No, I am not confusing the rings with something else, but my idea of heavy vs light is maybe different to yours. The SMC rings I use are around 11g, and as you need four on a hammock set up, it still adds up. Compared to a 75mm length of aluminium arrow shaft for a marlin spike hitch and whoopie slings, all the metal work weights a noticeable amount. I am still looking for something that gives the easy mechanical advantage of the rings/webbing with the weight of Whoopie/marlin spike.

Chris

 

[C_Claycomb]

Cheers Chris,

I will try out the rappel ring method next time I go out and have a look into a more permanent fix later on. I do really wish I’d gone for side entry now as the majority of my camping is in autumn/winter when I don’t want the big net anyway. I’m sure it’s doable - just a case of learning how the sowing machine works and diving in!


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Bug net will help keep you warmer in winter. Strange but true!

I would recommend getting some practice materials and see now you get on sewing zippers to things...especially to bug netting. I bought a zipper foot for my machine and it made it a lot easier to get good results.

Good luck!!

Chris

 

[C_Claycomb]

With Dyneema/PP mix all stiffnes and practically all strength comes from D. PP gives some thicknes but that is it. They are both low friction materials. PET (polyester) does not absorb waster. Only plastic material that does and is commonly used in ropes is nylon (PA).

The idea with PP might be to bulk up the rope as cheaply as possible. On the other hand if it works the cheap part is not a problem, this time.

As a fisherman I can tell you that Polypro and polyester do not behave the same with water. Dry fly wings and wet wading leggings.

Maybe you can research why there are so many sources stating that polypropylene is more hydrophobic than polyester, and absorbs/holds less water? Got to remember that we are not talking about blocks of engineering material here, but woven fibres.

 

[Nice65]

Bug net will help keep you warmer in winter. Strange but true!

‘Tis true. I reckon the mesh slows air movement. I certainly notice the inside of the hammock being quite still even if it’s blowing a bit.

 

[TLM]

It gets slightly technical. Yes, PP and PET behave differently. Both do not practically absorb water but their surface energies are different so the surfaces wet differently. PP is a low energy surface so it does not wet with water unless oxidized or degraded by sun's UV. PET is not bad as surface wetting goes but it still has so much higher surface energy that capillary forces suck the water in fiber bundles like fabric yarn or rope. One of the reasons why DWR treatments are used in outdoor clothing.

PET is very good in resisting sunlight, PP is not and one summer in the sun starts fraying the surface fibers in a rope. UV stabilizers help but still no competition with PET.

 

[Grebby]

No, I am not confusing the rings with something else, but my idea of heavy vs light is maybe different to yours. The SMC rings I use are around 11g, and as you need four on a hammock set up, it still adds up. Compared to a 75mm length of aluminium arrow shaft for a marlin spike hitch and whoopie slings, all the metal work weights a noticeable amount. I am still looking for something that gives the easy mechanical advantage of the rings/webbing with the weight of Whoopie/marlin spike.

Chris

Chris, have you tried Dutch's Beetles? I just have a dyneema endless loop on each end of my hammock and the Beetles hook onto those.

My setup isn't for lightweight but just for simplicity. The Beetles just live on long tree straps. Just wing the strap end round the tree and pass it through its own endloop (Beetles fit through fine) then hook Beetle onto hammock end loop. Adjustment is easy at any time.

Cheers
Grebby

 

[C_Claycomb]

I haven't tried Beetles...did think about it the last time I ordered stuff.

I have two lengths of tree strap, 8 foot and 12 foot, both with removable Dutch Clips, and on the shorter pair I have Dutch Spiders which can go direct to the dog bones on the end of the hammock, or to Whoopies. I fitted the rings to the dog bones to go with the 12' straps for use in the jungle and haven't swapped them out.

Thing is, I have a new hammock, and not enough rings to kit old and new at the same time. Maybe I will try the Beetles, cheers.

Chris