Hammock recommendation please

[UKAndyB]

Hi,
Anybody able to give suggestions as to any hammocks other than DD frontline? Just making sure there is nothing out there that people think betters the frontline before getting one (have slept in DD travel a few times). Probably not going to do more than 2 nights at a time, which would not involve too much hiking to get to. Will be looking at a 3.5 x 3.5 or 4 x 4 tarp and would be looking at underblanket in the future.

Thanks

Andy

 

[Broch]

Hi Andy and welcome to the forum.

There are plenty of hangers on here that will give you feedback. I know a lot of people that use the DD and are more than happy with it but I found it a little narrow to get a true flat sleep (it's 1.4m, 55 inches wide). As a rule of thumb, I like a hammock that is as wide as my outstretched arms - so for me that's 66 inches, a little under 1.7m

Do you know anyone with one you could try?

Edit - just checked, the DD XL is 1.8m so plenty wide enough!

 

[XRV John]

I started in a Frontline but found it too narrow and my shoulders ached. So then I got a Tenth Wonder Hornet XL in which I sleep like the proverbial log now with UK Hammocks top and bottom quilts. Got a Hennessy for Christmas but not used it in anger yet, just in the back garden. Had to buy a Snugpak under quilt to fit it.

Mate has got an Easy Hammock which he prefers to a Hennessy

John



Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

 

[UKAndyB]

I started in a Frontline but found it too narrow and my shoulders ached. So then I got a Tenth Wonder Hornet XL in which I sleep like the proverbial log now with UK Hammocks top and bottom quilts. Got a Hennessy for Christmas but not used it in anger yet, just in the back garden. Had to buy a Snugpak under quilt to fit it.

Mate has got an Easy Hammock which he prefers to a Hennessy

John



Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

Thanks John. I'll add that to the list.
Andy

 

[SaraR]

Hi,
Anybody able to give suggestions as to any hammocks other than DD frontline? Just making sure there is nothing out there that people think betters the frontline before getting one (have slept in DD travel a few times). Probably not going to do more than 2 nights at a time, which would not involve too much hiking to get to. Will be looking at a 3.5 x 3.5 or 4 x 4 tarp and would be looking at underblanket in the future.

Thanks

Andy

I've got a Hennessy that I'm very pleased with and DH has a DD hammock that he's very happy with.

Have you looked at YouTube videos about hammocks? There are a ton of them and if you compare the body shape/ age/ intended use of the person in the video to yourself you'll start to develop a feel for what might work for you.

 

[Diamond Dave]

Welcome, this question is like asking the length of a piece of string as there is many variables but I now use the Hiker XL Easyhammock and it really good. However, the Napsack hammock looks good .

 

[UKAndyB]

I've got a Hennessy that I'm very pleased with and DH has a DD hammock that he's very happy with.

Have you looked at YouTube videos about hammocks? There are a ton of them and if you compare the body shape/ age/ intended use of the person in the video to yourself you'll start to develop a feel for what might work for you.

Sara, thanks. I have been having a look on youtube, and for the price, DD seems good for what is available here in the UK, but .... there are others slightly more expensive that seem roomier or tick boxes I didnt even realise were there!!!

 

[UKAndyB]

Welcome, this question is like asking the length of a piece of string as there is many variables but I now use the Hiker XL Easyhammock and it really good. However, the Napsack hammock looks good .

The EasyHiker XL does look good (especially with the insulation). Saw Napsaack on the tv the other day, and their stuff does look good. Be nice to see when their tarps come back into production as well.

 

[Brizzlebush]

I started in a DD camping, but like others, found it too narrow. I'm 6'1 so i went for the ticket to the moon double and it's more comfortable than my bed at home!
DD underblanket fits fine and I'm cosy as toast.

 

[John Fenna]

Or, to continue riding my DIY hobbyhorse, you could make your own.....
The simplest and very comfortable option is to get a British Army "Shelter Sheet" tarp, fold it in half lengthwise and sew the edge with paracord with holes melted using a heated tentpeg.
Poles go through the stretcher handle loops and paracord tied from handle to pole stops "Creep" while suspension cords/webbing are tied to the poles with Clove or Rolling hitches.
A closed cell foam mat fits between the layers for insulation.

 

[Barney Rubble]

I'm not a fan of the DD Hammocks if I'm honest. I must hold my hands up and say that I've never owned one, but I feel that's with good reason. The dimensions seem too narrow to achieve a flat lay (The one exception to that rule will be the XL version). I know a lot of people that have owned them and have upgraded them relatively quickly so I think that speaks volumes. The other thing that consistently crops up in the reviews of DD hammocks is that 'they're good for the price'! I think it's important to read in between those lines! I appreciate it's very hard to disagree with the sentiment as they are relatively affordable hammocks, but I'm not so sure. They're not necessarily affordable if they get upgraded within a relatively short space of time.

The Tenth Wonder hammocks are similarly priced and are larger in dimension. I bought a Custom made 'Woodsman' hammock from UKhammocks.co.uk for a little under £50. It's 3m x 1.5m, it came with tree huggers and whoopie sling suspension and I've been using it regularly for nigh on 5yrs now - it's still in excellent condition and has many more adventures left in it.

The hammock that a lot of people upgrade to is the Hennessey. It's asymmetric and designed to enable a flat/comfy lay, the fact that it comes with a tarp is a nice bonus too! When the time comes for me to replace my hammock - this is probably what I'll go for.

 

[mousey]

I've got a TW UL [IIRC 2.4 x 1.5] and a TW UL XXL [IIRC 2.8 x 1.7]. I've also made a couple of whipped end hammocks from some ripstop my wife gave me, it is fairly heavy duty ripstop [2.6 x 1.8]. I also made a very UL Hammock which is just big enough for me - I was test to see how far I could push it. [IIRC it was 2.0 x 1.7ish wide] out of 1.1 ripstop nylon and weighed something stupid like 90g.

I'd echo a wider hammock tends to give a more comfortable lay

 

[Woody girl]

I've got both a hennessy bottom entry and a dd. I like them both but I would advise if anyone goes for the hennessy to upgrade the tarp to a larger one. Either hennessys own.. (expensive ) or a dd tarp can be used. I still have the standard tarp on mine and have got slightly damp if during the night I have shifted from the diagonal lay in my sleep in heavy rain. But then I'm a fidgety sleeper ! It is very comfortable and it goes up perfectly every time with only two knots to tie as it's all in one. The dd you have to set the tarp on one ridge line and then sling the hammock under it so you are tying four knots. though I have upgraded the hanging for the dd with long straps and carbiners which is easier and quicker. May also use that system on the hennessy to make that even quicker to set up. The hennessy is defiantly more comfortable as regards my dodgy back. I do suffer minor backache in the dd but not enough to put me off using it. I've not tried any other brands but I've used the hennessy for over ten years and it's still going strong.

 

[Insel Affen]

Ticket to the moon are good, well they're reasonably priced, well made, (you can pay for your own colour customisation if you want) and can carry weight - bought it cheap while in Germany. It comes with hooks on each end so east to connect to your chosen type of suspension system, or you can buy some good tree huggers from them and they pack down to a reasonable size.

I've used mine load and very happy with it.

A quick Google search:
https://www.ticketothemoon.com/product/custom/hammock
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ticket-Parachute-Single-Hammock-Bottle/dp/B00CEXPJL6
https://www.funkyleisure.co.uk/ticket-to-the-moon-travel-hammocks-214-c.asp

 

[Erbswurst]

I use this from time to time and I like it.

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/basic-1-person-hammock-grn-id_8330394.html

The ropes are to short. You should replace them before you use it the first time.

 

[Duggie Bravo]

I have a bottom entry Hennessy and when I bought it you could swap out the tarp for the Hexagonal one at no cost so I did.
I bought the bubble mat insulation pad too, which does work, if you are using a sleeping bag.
A few summers back I bought the DD underblanket, which is similar to the Snugpak and DD top quilt.
I sleep well in it.


Sent using Tapatalk

 

[Woody girl]

I've just watched the Isle of Wight bushcraft you tube video on some simple mods to make a dd a bit roomier. Sorry this technophobe can't post a link but it's worth a watch and will be using a couple of his tips on my next hang.

 

[SaraR]

A word of advice: whatever you end up getting, take some time fiddle with it, learn how to set it up so that it works for you (eg foot end higher than head end, using a *small* pillow, how to avoiding calf ridges and cold butt syndrome). Hammocks are easy and comfortable, but it is a new skill and different to say a tent, so don't expect it to be "amazing" straight away (but great if it is!). Sometimes people forget this and get disappointed and pack it in before giving hammocking a chance.

 

[Sundowner]

Here's another one for the DD Frontline XL. 4x4m tarp, also DD and a DD underblanket. I particularly like the poles for the bugger. I have daisy chains and set up couldn't be easier

 

[UKAndyB]

Thanks for all giving your time to offer advice. Really appreciate it. Going to do some research now, and see what comes from it. Probably going to be between DD frontline XL and a EasyHammock hiker insulated, but the more you look, the more you realise how many are out there!!!.