I have not used my Hennessy Hammock yet, but this is the hammock I got after doing some research on them.

BigToe,
Thanks for the link on the underquilt. Not sure I would need it, but if I ever do some colder camping I'll have the link.

I'm not an orthodox ultralight hiker, I've just been experimenting a little streamlining all my gear down to bare essentials.

The idea behind getting a hammock is that I could make a much simpler shelter in the warm months (no need to build a lean-to). I might be able to get away with a lighter sleeping bag and no pad. If I don't have to build a shelter I might even feel confident enough to leave the axe behind. So I could definitely save some weight and more importantly, reduce the time and effort needed to prepare the camp site.

I've been tempted to get a Hennessy for years and insulation has always been a concern as I tend to sleep on the cold side. Which model quilt do you use? Also, do you use a pad? I have a Big Agnus inflatable insulated pad (mummy) I would consider using that even if I didn't inflate it. I would definately use it inflated if I would have to set up on the ground using my trekking poles (turns the hammock int a bivvy of sorts).

I have heard good things about Hennessy. I think really (and this is just MHO) but Hennessy and Eagle Nest seem to be the industry leaders.

I think its sort of a Coke/Pepsi issue. Both have pretty strong packages for people to chose from.

HH makes an under pad for theirs. I have used it, but never in the colder months. The warmer months arent an issue. I plan on trying out just a normal CCF pad this spring, and see how comfy it is.
As for the HH itself; this is a great product. A lot of people get these, then move on to other hammocks, mostly made by small manufacturers. But, with an HH, you can NOT go wrong. I also have a DD hammock, which is used soley in my jeep; its not near as comfortable, and I cannot seem to sleep flat on it. But, in a pinch, it beat sleeping on the ground. The HH however I sleep flat in, no need for a pillow even. The tarp it came with originally has been replaced, and I had some modifications done to it (mainly, had a zipper installed on one side, to make it a side entry system), but, these are asthetics only. I never had an issue with rain with the original fly; I just liked having additional room to cook, and to keep gear dry.

Tom_L wrote:

>The idea behind getting a hammock is that I could make a much >simpler shelter in the warm months (no need to build a lean->to). I might be able to get away with a lighter sleeping bag >and no pad.

So a hammock is warmer than sleeping on the ground?

The Sock

Warmer....I am not sure, Sock. I think the combination of a pad, sleeping bag and tent would provide more warmth than a hammock like my Eagle Nest Outfitter (ENO) just strung between two trees. The colder air would flow under you. I have slept in my ENO in a 40* bag, no pad under in 40* temps and been okay, while everyone else slept in a tent.


There are some draw backs to hammocks, namely finding to 'poles' to connect it too. I have got many a laugh from my friends on road trips trying to find a place to string my ENO up.

I carry both a thin 3/4 pad and my ENO. If I can't string it up, I am not stuck sleeping on the ground without some padding.

While I really like my ENO hammock I am a side sleeper. So occasionally its really hard for me to be comfortable and fall asleep on my back.

Hammocks themselves certainly arent warmer, per se, than a tent, at first glance. It comes down to the insulation underneath you-without some form of insulation, wind steals your heat. There ARE solutions to this; underblankets, proprietary solutions (such as the HH pad), or you can use a regular pad inside it (I have heard mixed results on this, but have no first hand experience yet). Also, its easier to use a quilt, blanket, or open a sleeping bag fully, in a hammock, than it is to squirm into a sleeping bag.

I want one of these: HERE

I promise you this, If it gets cool at night, you will know about it faster in a hammock than in a tent.

360 deg. insulation is a must, or one will awaken to cold biscuits in the morning.