hennessy Hammock

extremeds

Member
Aug 8, 2010
37
0
essex
Ive got a hennesy hammock, the thing is its cold to use in winter months! i know i can buy a kinda insulated sling to hang below the hammock, but i want a cheaper version!! ive tried a standard roll mat which is awful! and a thermarest wasnt much better, it really needs something to completely cover the existing floor of the hammock that will stay in place.....
I did think about chucking in one of those silver lined picnic blankets but then i know it will just end up in a ball under me!

anyone had any better solutions? ps my type is the bottom entry type

thanks in advance!!
 

spandit

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 6, 2011
5,594
308
East Sussex, UK
Make an underquilt from an old sleeping bag. For a couple of pounds for the bungee cord plus the sleeping bag (rectangular is best) you can be snug & warm.
 

PDA1

Settler
Feb 3, 2011
646
5
Framingham, MA USA
You could gtt the Hennessy under shelter system which is designed to work specifically with a bottm entry HH. I assume that the UK HH distributor stocks them. I think this is a bit pricey and use a CCF pad system, adapted to a bottom entry Hennessy. Take one blue pad, 72"x20". It is too narrow to protect hips and shoulders, and the length is difficut to manage in a BE HH. I made a wide torso pad by cutting the pad in half (36x20) lay the pieces side-by-side, overlapped to give a width of about 32-35 inches. Punch a couple of holes in the overapped parts and lace a couple of lengths of mason line through to prevent them separating when you wriggle. This gives you a shortpad above the entry, turn and sit, place feet/lower legs in footbox of SB, lay back and lift in feet. I find that for spring/summer I don't need a pad under my feet to stay warm (and I sleep cold). I have used this down to ca. 35 deg f with a 20 deg f bag used as a quilt and been warm enough to be a bit sweaty under my back come morning. No glue is used. In the morning, separate the pads by taking out the acing, place together and roll to give a 20"xca.6" cylinder, lashed with the lacing lengths, for easy backpacking.. For car camping I use a 48"x36" pad made from a 72"x48" piece of small cell CCF pad bought by mail-order from a foam manufacturer (in the US, so not much use to you UK campers). Either way, I find the method easy, very effective from an insulation POV, comfortable and easily managed. As I said befoe, a bit of sweaty back in the morning, but not too bad. Protects from the wind, and is waterproof. Most of all, one blue pad from Walmart costs $8 over here so this is by far the most cost effective system you can find. The pads can also be used around camp, and at rest halts a sit/kneel pads. A final, much underestimated benefit is that the rolled up mat(s) can be a PFD if you are caught in a raging torrent of flood water, which you can't say for a down underquilt:)
 

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