Is Hennessy the best choice for a Beginner?

[lazy river road]

I am a newb too....I was deciding many of the same questions your are thinking about a month or so ago....I havent yet bought one but when I do I will be ordering the BB 1.7 double with the Yeti and super fly. The reason I choose the BB was due to all the usefull youtube video's that shug put out as well as WBGuy. They were very usefull. The setup seems simple...I love the xtra shelf and foot box. I like the double layer bc I am a cold sleeper....the suspension system is very easy if you use the tree straps you dont have to tie and only pull through....I like the superfly option...still gives you an enclosed tent feel while hanging....due to all these reasons I went with the BB....It also gives me the option of not buying an UQ immideatly an using a cheap pad if I dont save enough money to buy an UQ for my BB in time for my trip.....and as soon as I get my security deposit back from the apt. I just moved out of I will be ordering my BB...

[kohburn]

personally think that the hennessy is a great starter hammock for most people - I've gotten 6 friends to buy them in the last 2 years so that we can all go hammock backpacking. once they got used to it everyone has loved their hammock.

eventually people start to develop preferences towards different hanging methods, tarps, tarp tensioners, etc. but the HH is a nice one stop shopping trip for a good price (when you find them on sale) for most people.

I don't think that the BB was available when I first got into hammocking - and now I am leaning towards the bridge hammock.

[BillyBob58]

I just lift the netting up ..... it has shock cord on it so it gives .... not to big of a deal.

Also add my small mesh bag on the ridge for longer trips .....

The zip-modded HH sounds darn good though .... tarp included.
Oh the choices and decisions .......

That is right, so many GOOD choices these days! Anybody remember 2 or 3 years ago when HH was the choice of ( it seemed to me) at least 6 out of 10, three out of ten were major fans of Speer over HH, then maybe 10% were strong fans of Claytor? With just a few more of even smaller % thrown in the mix, Eno and those types? Maybe not quite like that, but it seemed so. I remember there were some polls started in response to Speer fans touting their large preference for Speer specifically or top loaders in general, and I remember the HHs handily winning those polls( of course, we are talking about my memory which ain't what it used to be!). But their were a LOT of folks really happy with their HHs. Though it seemed still a lot of those longed for a way to deal with the net.

Then came 2Q zip mods! And JRB BMBH, a huge change, mostly for the positive IMO. Though it is quite different and has it's own "problems" that must be dealt with or gotten used to, I still think it has certain advantages ( flat lay and easy pad use, plus perfect fit/easy adjustment with MWUQ) unmatched by other approaches. But before every one could shift in that directio, WBBB appeared and there was a huge shift towards that approach over most others, it seems to me. It appears it now dominates at least on HF.

Dutch really did a good job of summarizing potential benefits of the HH design over BB, as well as possible cost benefits, at least if you are willing to by non-American and from other than HF members. (Of course, if that is not a problem for you, or if cost is the #1 factor for whatever reason, then Claytor and others have even larger advantages.) There are times when I find the bottom entry actually a positive, but it did take some getting used to. I find that the center ridge against my left calf on my BB is usually a bigger problem for me than on most gathered end hammocks. I think it is actually worse than with my HH UL Explorer. But, with a leg pad or something under my knees, it is a moot point any way, with either hammock. Comfort on my back with either is about the same. With both, I am likely to pass out and wake up 4 or 5 or more hours later in the same position I started. Also, not much dif if on my side in fetal, I can do fine in either. Maybe better on my side with legs straight in the BB. Both are, for me, over all very comfortable.

But the BB is a much roomier sensation MOSTLY because it is easier to assure the net is far from my face. The side tie outs seem to work much better. The suspension and shelf are great. I find myself mostly using either the BB lately or the JRB BMBH.

[Cannibal]

eventually people start to develop preferences towards different hanging methods, tarps, tarp tensioners, etc. but the HH is a nice one stop shopping trip for a good price (when you find them on sale) for most people.

I think that sums up my thoughts on the HH line perfectly. They are a good way to learn with less than optimal rain coverage and a challenging ride when using a bag or pads. They force you to learn or suffer and I actually think that's a good thing. I learned A LOT with my original HH, but mostly I learned what I liked and what I didn't. I got mine for a great price (thanks Coffee!), played with it for a while and decided what my next step would be. The next one would be the Warbonnet ElDorado, after that, they all just kind of blur together. But, I'll always remember that first HH and the fascination it brought.

[JumpingJack]

My first hammock was a HH. Without a pad, it was comfy. With a pad, it was a nightmare.

I've hung with my Hyperlight for a year and frankly, I just don't get this issue. I lay the pad in the hammock, I climb in and lay on the pad. It just hasn't been a problem for me.

Some other things: If you purchase direct from Hennessy, you get your snakeskins for free. They also have some generous promotions. I got a free scout with my hyperlight. My daughter took to it in a big way.

If at some point the fog lifts and I see a compelling need for a double layer, I think I'll attach a couple of spots of velcro to the hammock and stick my silnylon poncho to it. That way I'll have the layer without adding to my packed weight (except a couple of grams for the velcro).

[Cannibal]

If at some point the fog lifts and I see a compelling need for a double layer, I think I'll attach a couple of spots of velcro to the hammock and stick my silnylon poncho to it. That way I'll have the layer without adding to my packed weight (except a couple of grams for the velcro).

Tom has already made that hammcok; sort of, since the second layer isn't removable like your poncho idea would be. The HH Deep Winter is a double layer (with zippered bug net) that uses sil for the outer layer. I've got the Deep Jungle (Explorer model) version which uses two layers of the HyperLite fabric.

[Dutch]

I think that sums up my thoughts on the HH line perfectly. They are a good way to learn with less than optimal rain coverage and a challenging ride when using a bag or pads. They force you to learn or suffer and I actually think that's a good thing. I learned A LOT with my original HH, but mostly I learned what I liked and what I didn't. I got mine for a great price (thanks Coffee!), played with it for a while and decided what my next step would be. The next one would be the Warbonnet ElDorado, after that, they all just kind of blur together. But, I'll always remember that first HH and the fascination it brought.

AHHH you always remember the first time...don't you?

[Cannibal]

AHHH you always remember the first time...don't you?

For now anyway. I am getting older.

[warbonnetguy]

fwiw, a single layer blackbird will be within a couple oz of the weight of a stock hh (hammock only) made with similar wt material. it's not really a fair comparison to compare the weight of a double layer bb to the weight of a single layer hh. i believe the weight of the hyperlight hh (hammock only) for instance is only about 2 oz lighter than the single 1.1 bb with line strap susp, and the bb has zipper, shelf/footbox and longer tree straps.

there are tradeoffs with the way the net is done, but i wouldn't say the way the 2q zipper mod is done is better, maybe better in some regards/worse in others. on the bb, you can open/unzip the netting while in the hammock and the net stays suspended where it is. this alows you to reach out to retrieve items, cook, or just leave the net unzipped for ventilation without the net coming down on you.

the tieouts are just above and below the shoulder, this is not where you should be trying to enter/sit. when i enter the bb, i sit more toward the center, often even with the little patch that is between the footbox and shelf, or maybe even more toward the footbox. the closest tieout is out to my left by at least 16", so i never have to duck under those cords, you just have to realize that you are supposed to approach and enter more toward the footend where there are no tieouts. i do usually duck under the edge of the hanging net, but it would be just as easy to lift the net up.

[animalcontrol]

For me, there are much greater differences between the two. (no new cons to the HH, just very important to me)
Every HH user in my circle of friends has moved to another hammock choice.
I'm not going to restate all the "pros Vs cons" but I will say...
Simply put, if an unmodified HH hammock was my only choice, I would still be in a tent.