Hennessy Hammocks + Underquilts and some other questions.

Hi All,

Searched the threads (Briefly) and couldn't find much about the below subjects.

a) UnderQuilts - I've been using a foam sleeping mat inside my Expedition until recently, however I traded them both in for a Hyperlight & Te-Wa UQ. (The UQ hasn't arrived yet). While I'm waiting for the UQ I wondered if anyone out there had any specific issues/hints/tips when using an UQ with a Hennessy? (PS. Got some Triangle-Thingies on order as well.)

b) WhoopieSlings - I really do like the simplicity/comfort of Hennessy's (& the lightweight of my Hyperlight), but I'm considering swapping out the stock suspension line for Whoopie-Slings (x2 6' Whoopies, Straps & Toggles already in my possession). I'm in no real rush to replace the stock tarp with a Hex or the like, but I'm concerned the stock anchor point Prusik knot for the asym tarp will slip back on the Whoopie slings causing the tarp to sag? Anyone got any experience/solutions with that?

c) Angle of the Dangle - I've been present during the hanging of a couple of WBBB's and much has been mentioned regarding the angle that the suspension should drop away from the tree. I've always found with my Expedition that mounting the tree straps at head height and drawing the suspension almost level (Reasonably tight enough for the hammock to be almost completely horizontal while inside the snakeskins) resulted in my hammock ending up with a good ground clearance and comfortable lay. Anyone have any do's/don'ts with that?

Apologies for being a bit greedy with the questions.....:confused:

Hi, I'll try to answer your questions as best I can. :)

1. If it's a partial length UQ you may need triangle thingies, if it's a full length you shouldn't need them. You probably won't need them for a partial length quilt either but it's good to have them around just in case.

2. You must be hanging the tarp per the HH directions? 99.99% of HH users use a system like the picture below. In my opinion, you should start doing the same with all your tarps. It's a much tighter pitch and when you get in the hammock the tarp won't sag. You can use a Continous Ridgeline or you can have two piece ridgeline. The illustration below should explain a lot. If not, don't be afraid to ask. You can also use the search function to search for Continous Ridgeline or CRL. Either one should get many, many results.

3. There's nothing wrong with the method you are using to hang your hammock. Many people do it that way and as long as you get a comfortable lie and your ridgeline is twangin like a guitar it's perfect!:D

Hope that helps!
Chris

Thanks Chris, very helpful and certainly food for thought!

1) It's a partial length UQ, so I'll experiment with/without Thingies. To be honest I was more concerned over the A-Sym shape of the hammock and how snug an UQ would be underneath a Hennessy (Especially considering Hennessy themselves use a different solution in the form of the SuperShelter).

2) You're right, I have been hanging the tarp as per HH instructions, I hadn't really considered anything else until now. I'd assumed the manufacturers directions would have made the most sense, especially considering the ease of set-up when both the tarp & hammock are gathered into the Snakeskins. But, I can see your point about a separately hung tarp and avoiding any tarp sag. I'll give it a go on my next outing (I've got a pair of Nite-Ize Figure 9's to make use of...).

3) Very reassuring, I'm looking fwd to giving the Hyperlight a try out this weekend! :D

Thanks again.

Is your Hyperlight a zip model? If not, you may have some issues with adjusting the UQ for correct position and keeping it there. If not a zip model, there are some ways of dealing with it.

Like Chris said, tying the tarp to the trees gives a MUCH tighter pitch. But with that tiny tarp, that has it's own issues. The key to adequate coverage with that tarp is keeping it real close to the ridge line. When the hammock sags after you get in, if the trap is tied to the trees your ridgeline moves away from the tarp, sometimes a good bit. Sometimes leaving you quite exposed on the sides. To help this problem, you will need to attach your hammock higher on the tree than the tarp, to at least make sure you start off with the tarp as close to the hammock as possible. But, there can also be issues with the tarp ends interfering with the hammock suspension when you do this, if the tarp is too close to the hammock. All of this is one reason why most folks who tie to trees ( which is most folks) get bigger tarps.

Plus, you are going to need extra cordage for the tarp ends. If you decide to stick with the stock HH method, there are several tricks to helping with loose, floppy tarp syndrome, though you will never quite match tying to trees.

Again with Chris on your hanging method- sounds fine. No need to have a ridgeline super tight after you get in.

Hi BillyBob, appreciate your advice.

Yes, it's the Zip model. I have Te-Wa summer UQ on order.

I'm 5' 9" & 175 lbs so I'm well within the Hyperlights load capacity. I've experienced rain while using my Expedition set up in the stock Hennessy manner and all was well (No wet head or feet). I do quite like the stock standard set up (Speed & Simplicity) & I was more interested in whether swapping out the stock suspension lines for whoopie-slings would be a problem if I continued to use the standard tarp attachment method. Whoopie slings feel quite smooth to the touch and I'm assuming they wouldn't provide the same friction against a Prusik knot as the standard suspension line, my concern would be that the Prusik knots would slip on the Whoopies back towards the hammock causing that 'floppy tarp syndrome'. Also, wouldn't attaching the tarp in the standard configuration (Assuming the knots don't slip) be a more desirable method, as the tarp would stay close to the hammock ridgeline?

The question is based around my current suspension method (Straps, Carabiners & Aluminium rings). I want to save the weight by changing to Whoopie Slings, Toggles & Straps. If that isn't an option, because I want to keep the stock Tarp/Hammock hanging configuration, I may well leave it all as standard.

Thanks again,

If you have enough room between the hammock end and the start of the whoopie sling bury for attaching the tarp, you should be able to make it work. The trick with Amsteel is to put extra wraps in your prussik to prevent sliding. The prussik and hook that comes with a hennessy may not have a long enough loop to do this, so you might have to make your own.

Keeping the stock tarp should not be a problem. When I was using the stock tarp with my Asym, I never really had an issue with the tarp sagging when I got in the hammock. If you connect the tarp ridge ends to a piece of shock cord and then to the prussic knots, it will stay tight and also give you the coverage you need by staying close to the ridgeline. The shockcord must be fairly stout, long enough to absorb the sag of the loaded hammock, and (at least in my experience) must be on both sides of the tarp ridge. On just one side, it still allowed my tarp to loosen and get flappy in the wind. Shock cords on the stake lines are a must too. They may be stock now but I had to add mine. They will keep every thing snug as the hammock settles under your weight.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Smarteee

.... I've experienced rain while using my Expedition set up in the stock Hennessy manner and all was well (No wet head or feet). I do quite like the stock standard set up (Speed & Simplicity) ............... Also, wouldn't attaching the tarp in the standard configuration (Assuming the knots don't slip) be a more desirable method, as the tarp would stay close to the hammock ridgeline?

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Yes, no doubt, attaching in the standard configuration is the best way to stay close to the ridgeline maximizing coverage with that small tarp. That was actually the point I was trying to make. However, most folks have a lot of trouble with a loose, floppy tarp after they get in the hammock. Since naturally, as the hammock sags towards the ground in response to your body weight, the tarp which is attached to the hammock sags right along with it. This is by far the main cause of floppy tarp syndrome in an HH. But if you're happy with all that so far, there is absolutely no reason to change. If it works for you, if you can keep everything dry while setting up in the rain, it is actually a pretty darn cool way of doing things, very fast and slick. Years ago some of the people at Hennessy told me the snake skins/keep tarp attached a hammock in snake skins worked really good for them in Pacific Northwest rain.

And the traditional Hennessy method of dealing with the floppy tarp works pretty good, it helps a good bit. Which is to attach something heavy (like a small stuff sack filled with sand) to the hooks on the side tarp guy out point. That is in fact exactly what those hooks are for. (I guess those hooks are still there on the newer tarps?) Other methods are using self tensioning lines, attaching the side of the tarp to a hiking pole rather than straight down to the ground. All of these methods help to one degree or another. Tying to the trees is a much tighter tarp, but significantly increases the difficulty of staying close to the ridgeline.

Smatree:

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& I was more interested in whether swapping out the stock suspension lines for whoopie-slings would be a problem if I continued to use the standard tarp attachment method. Whoopie slings feel quite smooth to the touch and I'm assuming they wouldn't provide the same friction against a Prusik knot as the standard suspension line, my concern would be that the Prusik knots would slip on the Whoopies back towards the hammock causing that 'floppy tarp syndrome'.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by shumway

If you have enough room between the hammock end and the start of the whoopie sling bury for attaching the tarp, you should be able to make it work. The trick with Amsteel is to put extra wraps in your prussik to prevent sliding. The prussik and hook that comes with a hennessy may not have a long enough loop to do this, so you might have to make your own.

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I think that your answer, right there. But, there is some space between the whoopee hammock attachment and the whoopee adjustment point. At the adjustment point, the excess line that hangs down towards the ground helps to act as a drip line. It's really preferable to have this point under the tarp. Or at least it seems to me it is. I'm not sure you can do this and still have room for your Prusiks, but I can't say for sure. If you have a piece of Amsteel or whatever off of your hammock to a metal ring (descending ring etc.), and the Whoopies larks headed to this ring, then it won't matter if the adjusting point is outside the tarp. But still, there will need to be room for the metal ring to be under the tarp, so I don't know if that really gains you anything.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ChrisH

Hi, I'll try to answer your questions as best I can. :)

1. If it's a partial length UQ you may need triangle thingies, if it's a full length you shouldn't need them. You probably won't need them for a partial length quilt either but it's good to have them around just in case.

2. You must be hanging the tarp per the HH directions? 99.99% of HH users use a system like the picture below. In my opinion, you should start doing the same with all your tarps. It's a much tighter pitch and when you get in the hammock the tarp won't sag. You can use a Continous Ridgeline or you can have two piece ridgeline. The illustration below should explain a lot. If not, don't be afraid to ask. You can also use the search function to search for Continous Ridgeline or CRL. Either one should get many, many results.

3. There's nothing wrong with the method you are using to hang your hammock. Many people do it that way and as long as you get a comfortable lie and your ridgeline is twangin like a guitar it's perfect!:D

Hope that helps!
Chris

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