I purchased a Hennessey Deep jungle aysm (zipper entry). I'll admit I am a gadgethead, but this product is the answer to those who find sleeping on the ground, a pain in the butt.
After sleeping in the hammock a few nights in my back wooods, I must say that it is the BEST nights sleep I've ever had!! I use a Big Agnes O degree (whiskey park) with the -30 pad. Toasty warm, bug-free and DRY!!!
 Making this change eliminated the need for a tent, tarp and chair. Now all my gear fits in one 60l bear barrel. Looking forward to single portaging.
 A note on knots, The manufacturer suggests using a lashing knot.
I switched to a truckers knot with a quick release. Much faster and adjustable. Happy trails! Fishpig  
 

welcome to the world of tree sleeping.

fishpig -- did you do a lot of research before buying the hammock?  Are there other similar products/models out there that you looked at?

I recall you live in Cambridge.  My canoe buddy lives there, and I'm up there alot.  Want to meet for coffee some day?

prouboy

prouboy,

Before you make your purchase, check out the Clark Jungle Hammock.

Fishpig & bwcasolo are right on re: the virtues of tree-sleeping.

Check out your options.  I've found Clark Jungle Hammock products to be top-of-the-line.  No knock on the Hennesseys.  Clark sleeps different but, again, I agree w/fishpig... way superior to sleeping on the ground!

Jimbo   8-)

I've been in a Hennesey for 6 years. No regrets. This year I've bought an under quilt and top quilt. No pad, should be even more comfortable.

I think I am about to enter the hammock world.  And I appreciate all the advice I can get!  I'll definitely check out both the Clark and the Hennessey brands.    

No matter what brand I  buy, it's got to have a damn good rain fly!  Beyond that, what other things should I look at/for?  I don't know what I don't know.

A hammock seems to make so much sense, I don't know why I didn't go this route before, maybe because I've just recently started soloing...  

prouboy

Dumb questions to all you hammock guys --

1. Did you ever have a hassle finding trees needed to hang the hammock (and rainfly), and

2. Is it tough to get the lines high enough up in the tree?  I'm only 5'9"!  

prouboy

Mike, you and I are the same height.  No issues hanging the hammock high enough.  You really only need and want to be a few inches off the ground once you're in the hammock anyway.  Any higher and entering/exiting turns into too much of an adventure!  If the hammock is a couple feet off the ground when you string it up, you'll sink down about 2/3 of that distance when you climb in.  Another advantage to keeping it low is it allows you to keep the tarp down lower to eliminate rain blowing in.

I have not had any difficulty finding a set of trees properly spaced in the Q.

I use the Clark and love it, fwiw.  Have not tried the hennessey.

Mike,

I think your travel plans include WCPP.  Depending upon the lake, trees can be a bit more sparse there and, often, more scraggly/less stout.  You may have to look around a bit more than usual to find suitable trees.  I think MagicPaddler solved this problem by doubling up on trees (ie. tying rope ends to more than one tree).  I haven't had to go that route, yet, fortunately.  On the other hand, the Clark can be set up on the ground as well as in a tree.

Also, I've always ordered oversized tarps for the Clark Jungle Hammocks I've purchased.  They have several options.  It might be that Hennessey does the same.

Remind me at 'Copia & I'll show you the new "quick set-up" trick I recently learned.  It's slick!

Jimbo   8-)

Puckster wrote on Feb 7^th, 2011 at 5:02am:

Dumb questions to all you hammock guys -- 1. Did you ever have a hassle finding trees needed to hang the hammock (and rainfly), and 2. Is it tough to get the lines high enough up in the tree?  I'm only 5'9"!   prouboy

Buddy who hammocks:
1.  Never had a problem.  He mostly ignores the ground and only looks for sturdy trees the right distance apart.
2.  He hangs at eye level, is 6' & 200#.  Again, never a problem.

If you're shopping around, maybe check Speer.
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I agree with the Speer recommendation as well.
Even if you go with different brand, they have some interesting ideas and if nothing else, you will get some great ideas.

I toss and turn, so a hammock full time isn't for me, however I do bring a Byer Mosquito Hammock and have on occasion used it under my Dry-Fly when there wasn't a suitable campsite available. I stayed dry, but didn't sleep as well as I would of liked too.

I heartily recommend this item. It will simplify your hammock hanging, gives you a lot of adjustment options and doesn't tear up the tree bark like a rope does. If you just go with the rope, the trucker hitch is the way to go, easy to tie and adjust.

These guys make some nice looking tarps/hammock/bug screen items as well. My Byer had a bug net attached, but when it tears up, I'm going with this companies bug net that would retrofit most any hammock system?

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There is some information at the following link on hammocks.
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I still use a tarp setup like the one pictured at the link.  The large tarp provides a place to keep all my gear dry and that is my only tarp on solo trips.  When it is raining I will cook and eat under that tarp.  I now have a Black Bird hammock and I prefer it.  The Hennessy and the Black Bird lay about the same. The Clark is a different type of hammock and it lays differently than the other two.  
Is there some place at copis that we could have a hammock test area? Jimbo why don’t you give a talk at copis and ask manufactures to send you hammocks for people to test.  I think you would be good at that.
For hanging my hammock now I use “Dutch Clips”.  You can find them about ½ way down this page.
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Not sure if this has been mentioned.

Webbing loops for attaching to the tree.  Not rope.  I've seen people tie with crappy yellow poly-pro rope.  As soon as they get in the hammock the rope cuts the tree.

Here's something you hammock users will probably like




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I don't want to pooh-pooh that notion but dat's da silliest ting I ever turd!


Jimbo   8-)

Jimbo wrote on Mar 15^th, 2011 at 11:02pm:

I don't want to pooh-pooh that notion but dat's da silliest ting I ever turd! Jimbo   8-)

Dude you are so on another level than most of us mere mortals.