DEFY GRAVITY: Sleep in the sky!
Written: Oct 12 '04
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Comfortable, lightweight, weather resistant, inexpensive and the best night of sleep ever
Cons: Setup takes some training, cold weather
The Bottom Line: Why sleep on the ground where rodents, rain, and bugs are a threat? Defy gravity and sleep in sky for the most comfortable night of sleep ever.
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| wvabackpacker's Full Review: Hennessy Hammock Explorer Ultralite A Sym |
Explorer Ultralight Asym by Hennessy Hammocks
~Introduction-
If you're looking for a lightweight 3-season solo shelter that's comfortable, cheap, easy to use and won't break the bank, then you're on the right track by reading this review. When I set out to find a replacement for my coffin size Sierra Designs Ultra Light Year CD Solo Tent I never knew I'd find a tent that defies gravity…really.
~Specifications-
-Price: Around $190, I got mine from Tom Hennessy himself at Trail Days in Damascus, VA for a discounted price of $130.
-Material:
--Hammock Fabric: 70D Nylon 160x90 high count
--Mosquito Netting: 1oz 20D polyester NoSeeUm Netting
-weight: 2lbs 4oz – WOW!
-Dimension:
--Hammock:108"x48"
--Fabric: 132"x60"
-Ridgeline length: 108"
-Packed Dimensions: 8"x5"
-User weight limit: 250lbs
~Setup-
Before the field test I'd better start with the setup since there are a lot of specifics. This shelter is not that easy to setup…or I should say it is not that easy to learn to setup. If you've never put up a hammock don't expect to walk outside and have it up in five minutes without directions like you would with a ground dwelling shelter. Such overconfidence will have you crashing into the ground butt first. It will take some practice as well as some knowledge of knots and lashings. After you set it up 5-6 times and sleep in it a couple times you'll be a pro at setup and you should be able to put this shelter up in five minutes or less.
The instructions are printed on the bag that holds the hammock; however, at first I thought they weren't very helpful. I found that the 2D print and diagram was hard to read and understand. Since I wasn't having any luck I logged onto the good ol internet and decided to check the Hennessy Hammock website (http://www.hennessyhammock.com). On the website Tom Hennessy has a very helpful video (about 30 seconds long) that shows you how to tie the correct knots. Practice practice practice. Get a rope and watch the video (set it to play continuously) and try tying the rope around a nearby lamp or chair leg. Do this three or four times until you are comfortable doing it without watching the video…remember, in the backcountry you shouldn't have access to the net. At this point the instructions on the bag should make a heck of a lot more sense and you should now be able to understand them and use them as a reminder in the backcountry. Now you're ready to hang your hammock.
Select two trees about 10-12 feet apart that are 8-10" in diameter and have no obstructions underneath them. Remove the hammock from the bag and grab one side of the ridgeline. I find that the name of the game is reach. Standing flat footed on the ground reach your arms as high as you can and tie the ropes around the tree at that height. By reaching this high you bring the entrance of the hammock to chair (sitting) height and this is where you want it. You can set it up lower, but it's much easier to get in and out of the hammock as well as use the space below the hammock if the entrance is at chair height. And if you don't know, the entrance is on the bottom of the hammock. Yep, that's right--you enter the hammock through the bottom. Repeat the lashing and knots on the opposite tree at the same height, not lower or higher. Be sure to pull this line as tight as you can get it—the ropes tied to opposite trees form an important line known as the ridgeline. A tight ridgeline means better sleep and better hammock performance. Looping the ropes twice around a tree keeps your ridgeline tighter than one revolution.
The hammock kit also includes two 2" wide straps that prevent tree scaring. I find that the straps are useful only if you can wrap them 2 or more times. They don't seem to help much if they can't go around the tree or if they fit around the tree once in a non-overlapping U shape. Pick a tree too small and the trees will bend when you climb in the hammock and lower the hammock to the ground. Pick a tree that's too big and you might run out of rope if it's too far away from the opposite tree.
The next thing you need to do is stake out the tarp and sway lines. It's important when you hang your hammock to make sure that the tarp is loose over the ridgeline. First tie both elastic sway lines out from the hammock in exact opposite directions and at a 45 degree downward sloping angle. They should form more of an X shape with the ridgeline versus a + shape. These lines are very important as they allow you to gently sway in the hammock and they prevent the hammock from tipping over. There should be just a slight tension on these lines but don't tie them tight as they are made from elastic and you need them for sway. You'll have to tie four of your favorite knots for the sway and tarp lines so if you don't know any knots, ask a boyscout. Next tie out the tarp lines and be sure to pull them very tight, as tight as you can get them—also at 45-60 degree downward sloping angles. At this point the tarp should look like an A frame tent except a few feet above the ground. Next simply pull the sliding knots (already tied for you) holding the tarp on the ridgeline tight (closer to the trees). It is very important to do this step last and when you take your hammock down it is equally important to loosen these sliding knots first since they put pressure on the ridgeline. If you leave them tight when you take down the hammock and forget to loosen them before you hang it next time, your ridgeline will be loose and your hammock will sag.
I know this sounds like a lot and it is. It takes some practice to learn but once you do it a few times you can have you shelter ready to go in five minutes or less and be on your way to a more comfortable night of sleep. At first it may not seem easy, but after a few times it becomes easier than setting up a tent.
~Field Test-
Sag. When using the hammock for the first time it will sag quite a bit and this is normal. It sags because the knots and ropes are stretching. My first couple of nights in the hammock I had between 12" and 6" of sag. However, after a couple nights of stretching you shouldn't experience much sag unless it's raining. Normally I find that over the period of a night I get 3-4" of nearly unnoticeable sagging. I have verified this result with several friends who have the hammock. Typically heavier users such as myself experience more sag than other users. Lighter users I have spoken with experience no sag or 1-2" at most.
Bugs. Unlike a tent you are sleeping with your skin pressing against the fabric. Some larger mosquitoes and bugs can bite through the nylon material and get you. Typically I have noticed bites on my arms and this is because I sleep with my arms out of my sleeping bag and directly against the fabric. Bugs can't bite through the hammock, your pad, and a sleeping bag so areas separated from the fabric are not affected. The bug netting at the top of the hammock also does an excellent job of keeping bugs out. I have never found a bug inside my hammock.
Weather. When I first heard about hammock camping I thought, "Wow, that would lower my pack weight a ton since it weighs only 2lbs and you don't have to bring a sleeping pad." Wrong. In hot weather and I'm talking 80F nights you don't need a sleeping pad but in weather 70F and below you need some type of insulation. A sleeping bag is not enough as your weight and the hammock tension compress it. You will also get colder thanks to air circulating completely around your body, especially from the bottom. To combat this I take along my sleeping pad since it can be used as a chair. I have major problems sleeping this way. I find that the sleeping pad makes the hammock less comfortable than sleeping directly on the hammock—but in order to keep warm you have to have a pad. An inflated pad will slide all over the place and makes it a challenge to position yourself correctly in the hammock. A deflated pad slides around less and is more comfortable but it is also less warm. I find that a fleece blanket underneath my sleeping bag is the most comfortable and fairly warm. There are many topics on the internet about how to keep warm in a hammock as well as a new product by Hennessy. Basically do whatever works best for you. As for me, currently I switch back to a ground tent around 50F but some people continue using hammocks in temps below freezing.
So far I have encountered two rains while using the hammock. Both times I have stayed dry. During the first rain I decided to tie my pack and most of my belongings to the ridgeline to keep them off the ground--bad idea. This caused a considerable amount of sag. When setup properly the tarp deflects most wind and all rain and if you have your hammock up high in the air you can cook and lounge underneath it. I know some users have added a larger tarp for this purpose. Some users report drippage inside during rainstorms due to wicking. I haven't encountered this but I use snakeskins (see accessories) to cover my ropes and eliminate them wicking any water.
Sleeping. Most people think that sleeping in a hammock means having your body curved. Not true. The asymmetrical design of the Hennessy Hammock keeps your back flat and your feet slightly elevated. How does it do this? Simple, you sleep at an angle. Remember when I explained tying out the sway lines in an X shape rather than a + shape. Where the upper line connects to the hammock body is where you place your shoulder and then you angle your body towards the other connection point. This creates an odd effect where your head and back are flat. Genius isn't it? So not only is your back flat but the hammock gives you the sense of sleeping on a cloud. You can also sleep on your side so long as you keep your body in the correct orientation. This shelter has given me some of the best sleep I have ever had in the backcountry and that is saying a lot. It's comfort like you've never experienced.
Getting in. As mentioned earlier you enter the hammock through the bottom. All you do is walk up to the Velcro enclosure, back into it as you were sitting in a chair and sit down. Then lean back, bring in your feet and put them in the proper corner. The weight of your body automatically seals the entrance. Clever eh? It's easy enough to get out…just push down with your feet on the entrance and it opens. Sit up, put your feet on the ground and voila! You're up and out. For the most part the Velcro entrance stays shut. You can secure it more tightly with your hand if you wish but I find that the automatic tension is sufficient. I only had a problem with it opening once and that was when I was using a fully inflated sleeping pad. The pad slid around on the nylon fabric and poked it's way out of the hammock.
Organization options. Including with your hammock is a pocket inside that slides along the ridgeline. There are also two small hangers that are perfect for hanging a watch and a flashlight (making reading easy). In addition to that you are free to hang some of your personal belongings over the ridgeline. Be careful not to overload your ridgeline as it will cause sag. The added weight also can make it more difficult to readjust the hammock once it is in the air. Typically I hang my clothes, shoes, and raingear over the ridgeline and that's it. Everything else stays in my pack which I hang on a nearby tree.
~Accessories-
Snakeskins: Snakeskins are a clever cover for your hammock. If you use them you don't need to use the bag that the hammock came with for transport. Basically they look like snakeskins and they slide on and off of your hammock just as a snake sheds it's skin. The tubular design makes setup and takedown easy. After untying your tarp and sway lines you can pull the waterproof covers over the hammock in just 30 seconds which makes takedown easy as well as adding protection for your hammock. They also are handy at keep your ropes covered in foul weather which prevents wicking. My snakeskins came with my hammock for free courtesy of Tom Hennessy, however, at about $19 I highly recommend them.
Stakes: You will need four stakes to tie out your sway and tarp lines. My hammock did not come with any stakes and even if they did I would replace them with MSR Groundhog Stakes. I highly recommend this product, read my review for more information.
Under Cover: This a new product that helps insulate the hammock for colder weather.
~Warranty-
Hammocks are guaranteed for defects in materials and workmanship for one year. Damage due to wear and tear can be repaired for a reasonable charge.
~Customer Service-
Most likely if you call or email Hennessy Hammock you will speak with Tom Hennessy (owner and creator) himself. At least this has been the case every time I have contacted the company. How is that for customer service? It's not often you get to speak to the CEO.
~Conclusion-
Well, obviously I love it otherwise I wouldn't have wrote such a long review. I think this shelter is perfect for solo backpackers wanting to shave some pack weight but stay comfortable. Not only is this shelter great for backpackers, but kayakers can hang it above water, bikers can easily pack it on their bike, climbers can easily carry it up the side of a mountain, the uses are endless. And since it's a rather odd looking shelter people won't hesitate to come up and ask you about it. Camp high in the sky and enjoy a comfortable night of sleep.
© 2004 WVaBackpacker (Jeremy W. Hays)
Written for http://jeremy.qn.net/ 11 October 2004
~Outdoor Reviews by WVaBackpacker-
--Backpacks-
Gregory Shasta Backpack | Dana Design Glacier | Osprey Aether 60
--Tents-
REI Half Dome Plus 2 | Mountain Hardware Trinity | Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight CD | Sierra Designs Ultra Light Year CD Solo Tent - NEW
--Sleeping Gear-
The North Face Thunderhead 3D | The North Face Kilo Down 32F | Cascade Designs Therm-a-Rest Luxury LE Self-inflating Mattress | Down Sleeping Bag Buying Guide | Therm-a-Rest Prolite 4 - NEW
--Hydration-
MSR Dromedary Bag | Platypus Big Zip | SweetWater Walkabout Microfilter | SweetWater Walkabout Replacement Filter | SweetWater SiltStopper
--Misc Gear-
Black Diamond LED Hybrid Headlamp | Petzl Tikka Plus (+) - NEW | Camp Lite 20 Chair | MSR Groundhog Stakes - NEW
--Destinations-
Heart Lake, Yellowstone National Park | Keyhole State Park, Wyoming
--Books-
The Backpackers Handbook
Recommended:
Yes
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wvabackpacker
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Member: Jeremy Hays
Location: Columbus, OH, USA
Reviews written: 40
Trusted by: 46 members
About Me:
Maybe I'll write another review someday...lots of new gear...
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