Any Advice On Hammocks?

[LordRose]

Hello all!

After reading elsewhere and taking a look at some online Im tempted to buy a hammock for use once it gets a little warmer, but I have a few questions which Id love to get some info about if someone would be kind enough to pass some advice.

Firstly, what are they like on waterproofness? Some are simply a zip up bag and Id be a little concerned that contact through the nylon would pass moisture through.

Another thing is warmth. Ive slept under bashers before so Im no pussy cat, but surely the wind passing underneath you would be much cooler even in the summer than using a rollmat?

And finally, which would you buy? I see some with an intergrated tarp roof priced at £100, and some which are as low as £20.

Any advice would be recieved gratefully

 

[stickbow]

Hi There
I have the Hennesy explorer deluxe assym and I have used it in for at least 4 years in all weathers down to about -7 I use a fleece blanket in the bottom of it and put the sleeping bag on that, as for waterproofness, the worst weather was really heavy rain from Friday morning till Sunday afternoon 24/7 I saw tents with puddles inside and others that were even worse but not a singe drop in my HH and I slept well each night toasty warm.
These are the best hammocks I have ever used without a doubt.

 

[Chance]

I've been down to near 0°, and there are plenty of folk that have been colder.
You will need insulation at these temperatures: the advantage of an underblanket (use the Search) is that it doesn't compress.

 

[SimonM]

Another vote for HH.

I've used mine with an underblanket & quilt down to about -5.

The only problem with HH is the tarp, which IMHO is too small for this country or indeed anywhere that horizontal rain.

I use mine with either a DD 3x3m or Tatonka 4.5 x 4.5 m tarp and have had no problems.

Simon

 

[Chance]

The only problem with HH is the tarp, which IMHO is too small for this country or indeed anywhere that horizontal rain.

I have the hex fly (which has decent coverage). With hindsight, I'd have gone for a catenary tarp of about the same size.

It's probably worth pointing out that many people are very happy, and heavier of pocket, with alternatives to HH.

 

[redandshane]

Hello all!

After reading elsewhere and taking a look at some online Im tempted to buy a hammock for use once it gets a little warmer, but I have a few questions which Id love to get some info about if someone would be kind enough to pass some advice.

Firstly, what are they like on waterproofness? Some are simply a zip up bag and Id be a little concerned that contact through the nylon would pass moisture through.

Another thing is warmth. Ive slept under bashers before so Im no pussy cat, but surely the wind passing underneath you would be much cooler even in the summer than using a rollmat?

And finally, which would you buy? I see some with an intergrated tarp roof priced at £100, and some which are as low as £20.

Any advice would be recieved gratefully

Hi
Not sure about your concerns about waterproof Just guessing that you need to consider how you would sling it-I have mine right up under the tarp as the only water contact would be from a side wind blowing rain in
Yes you need insulation my personal choice is a closed sell mat despite what others may say as long as that layer is under you it will work I ve been down to -6c and been warm
Remember you can wear insulation as well in fact a hat is essential
Also none of this arms out of bag malarky get right in the thing if its cold
Which to buy? Thats up to you but a versatile option such as DD or Nomadsland XXL-which I have is a good choice and reasonable weight and price
You will need a tarp but thats another story
The main advantage for me is comfort in a hammock it just beats everything else hands down if you have it set up right That takes practise but that is all part of the fun
Oh while I am here get a cheap net hammock and rig it under your sleeping hammock to stow your gear safely off the ground and out of the wet

also try

http://www.hammockforums.net/

Hope that helps

 

[javi]

Hi and welcome! As regards waterproofing I assume you wish to have a roof over your head as you sleep?! Standard setup is a tarp/ basha and the config for really bad weather is on the diagonal rather than the more usual A frame method - this works best for a hammock and gives you some additional coverage at either end. To guard against moisture seeping into the hammock itself it's advisable to have drip lines - just tie some lengths of cord onto your suspension cords and these will divert rain away from your nest and help to keep you dry.

As for selection, there's loads of them out there - Hennessy's are popular but are bottom loaders rather than top (take a look at their website for more detail). DDs are popular for being cheap and pretty well made; I use a Travel model and find it more comfortable than an ENO one I bought from the US. www.hammockforums.net has an enormous amount of information, but tends to cater for the more obsessive 'hanger'! I'd suggest getting a cheaper type as listed above and giving it a whirl - some people find after getting one they can't stand sleeping in 'em so better to find out early before splashing out loads of £ on a flashy one. Lots of folk love 'em however, and I personally wouldn't go back to ground unless forced to (i.e. no trees) - there's something very soothing about gently swaying in a comfortable cradle in the woods!

 

[drewdunnrespect]

now then in regards drip lines that javi mentions they work yes but the best and safest option in my opinion is to us a crab in between yout hammock and suspension lines

drew

 

[javi]

yup - good point by Drew. Lots of people like using knots - I don't. Simplest/ quickest setup is crabs with suspension cord, but I prefer nylon webbing. I use tri-glide buckles to do the adjusting of the length/ tension of the webbing which makes the setup dead easy and quick.

If you have a search for tri-glides you'll find my photos and 50c worth somewhere

 

[Arri]

I've always been a ground dweller but after seeing this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9Cyo5bEDWU) video about the Hennessy I think I'm open again to the idea of a hammock.

What I find brilliant is the idea of the snakeskin, very easy to deploy and the whole thing is about the size of a sleeping mat (which btw you don't require anymore!)

My question is, where do you put you rucksack? Hang it from a tree?

What about your boots?

 

[Teepee]

Hi all! my first post on here!
I have been well happy with my DD travel hammock and Tarp.
Its 100% waterproof non breathable pu polyester (woke up on the beach, using it as a bathtub groundsheet, lying in 2 inches of water and was completely dry in my down bag!)
Condensation has not been a problem.
I slept at -10 in the peaks a few weeks ago and was toasty with a layer of ccf underneath. Ive done plenty of -3's with no hassle- Even without a sleeping bag.
Its just like sleeping under a basha,but much more space, ultimate comfort, NO CONDENSATION and some where to lay your kit whilst packing away.
DD really are great value imho.
My advice is buy one, sleep like a baby and never go back to ground dwelling!

ps. check out hammock forums.

 

[javi]

I've always been a ground dweller but after seeing this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9Cyo5bEDWU) video about the Hennessy I think I'm open again to the idea of a hammock.

What I find brilliant is the idea of the snakeskin, very easy to deploy and the whole thing is about the size of a sleeping mat (which btw you don't require anymore!)

My question is, where do you put you rucksack? Hang it from a tree?

What about your boots?

Hi Arri. There's a few options for your rucksack - some people like a quick and dirty (or nice and posh) tripod made from 3 branches; lash together, stick under tarp and hang rucksack from apex. Personally, I prefer a small cheap netted hammock which I rig under my sleeping one - it's more than strong enough to hold a reasonably-weighted sack.

For your boots it's easy - sharpen 2 sticks to a point and drive into ground under your tarp. Then slide your boots down upside down That way the insides shouldn't get wet if it rains, and you're less likely to get slugs and other visitors getting into them. Hope this helps...

 

[gregorach]

My boots live under my hammock, where I can put my feet straight into them when I get up. They're not getting wet there. (Although I have a larger tarp than that silly little thing that comes with the Henessys by default.)

 

[SimonM]

...

My question is, where do you put you rucksack? Hang it from a tree?

What about your boots?

As mentioned above, there are several options for your kit...

• If camping with the Scouts I like to be organised, so take a net hammock. This is rigged above my HH and is used to store my gear off ground.
  
• I sometimes rig a tripod and suspend my rucksac from the apex.
  
• Boots wise, I tie the laces together and hang it from the ridge line of the HH, leaving them hanging off ground, below the velcro closure.
  
• Final option is a large dry bag which I put all my gear in and leave it on the floor under the tarp.

Simon

 

[LordRose]

Thank you everyone for being kind enough to give your advice, im sorry for taking a while to reply.

So just to make sure, Im going away in the pennines for a week or in the next year. Should one of these cheap nasty hammocks, a decent sleeping bag and a basher over the top be sufficient? I was also considering using some of the thick vet bedding as an underlay to stop the warmth from being sucked out from the bottom...

 

[squantrill]

Thank you everyone for being kind enough to give your advice, im sorry for taking a while to reply.

So just to make sure, Im going away in the pennines for a week or in the next year. Should one of these cheap nasty hammocks, a decent sleeping bag and a basher over the top be sufficient? I was also considering using some of the thick vet bedding as an underlay to stop the warmth from being sucked out from the bottom...

DD Hammocks are cheap and quite good the tarp is good I have one I use the henessy find it more comfortable than the DD but thats personal preference. If you want to try hammocking with out investing to much then DD is your best bet as they are not rubbish but the not expensive to get rid of if you don't like it.

If you go for henessy then for the experience get a bigger tarp the smaller tarp is really no good for most situations its a very light weight quick shelter. The extra time putting up a 3x3 dd is worth its weight in gold.
Under you MUST have insulation either a normal camping mat or an underblanks I can recommend the snugpack one I got it on a group buy on here and its also very good in summer you can get away without one but I use mine all year through losing the top cover when it gets to hot.

Good luck..

 

[TeeGeeBee]

I've two but the one for adverse weather, would be the Hennessy Asym. Go for a larger or hex tarp. Having said that, I've slept out in mine with the standard off-set tarp in a severe gale. Found a slight dip and slung hammock in the lea of the dip. Together with an underblanket, I had a good night's sleep, (if a little noisy at times) and was warm as could be. - If I were to buy another hammock, I'd like to try the DD Frontline or Scout. Much cheaper than the Hennessy and great build quality. You may be asking why I got the Hennssey; well I bought s/h, almost new and nearly half price.

I really like mine but the getting in with an underblanket can be a bit tricky. Getting out is a doddle. A side entry like the DD would be easier.

TGB