Setting up problems

**Graywolf** · 05-25-2010, 20:48

Just bought a hennessey from REI today and couldnt wait to try it out..But now Im disappointed. I sat it up as shown in the videos. When I went to sit down in it, as in the chair, it was fine. Actually pretty comfortable, I said, "This could actually work". But then when I went to laydown in side the hammock came crashing down staight to the ground, but every thing was still hooked up right,.. Any idea on set ups, or some other way?? My arse hurts right now...

I am 230 and it is rated at 250, (Expeditio A-SYM).. Any help or ideas would be helpfull..I am at the verge of taking it back, but would like to give another try..

Graywolf

**Mustardman** · 05-25-2010, 20:51

You say it came crashing down but everything was still hooked up right - did the tree huggers slide down the tree? How exactly did you fall?

Crashing to the ground is definitely NOT a standard occurrence, so it's just a matter of figuring out what went wrong and fixing it.

**Dutch** · 05-25-2010, 20:52

What part came undone? Was it a knot issue or did the hugger slip. I don't think you are really a man until you drop about a foot to the ground. I think you have to get up on that horse again as the HH suspension is very solid.

**Graywolf** · 05-25-2010, 20:59

Originally Posted by Dutch

What part came undone? Was it a knot issue or did the hugger slip. I don't think you are really a man until you drop about a foot to the ground. I think you have to get up on that horse again as the HH suspension is very solid.

Actually just before it fell, I heard a "slip" where the line connects to the hammock its self.. Kinda like a knot slip..Then CRASH!!..The knot at the trees held firm, so it had to be the hammock connection..Maybe a defect??

Graywolf

**Dutch** · 05-25-2010, 21:03

That is strange. The suspension came undone from the hammock. HH hs great customer service, so if that is the case they will help you.

**Mustardman** · 05-25-2010, 21:09

I'm still not following - did the suspension rope disconnect from the hammock completely?

**Graywolf** · 05-25-2010, 21:10

Originally Posted by Dutch

That is strange. The suspension came undone from the hammock. HH hs great customer service, so if that is the case they will help you.

Waiting from CS.. I may take it back and just exchange for another. REI is pretty good at that.. If it is a defect, then Im sure the other could be OK.. I hear great things about the HH so I dont want to write it off just yet..

**Cannibal** · 05-25-2010, 22:43

Well that's a new one as far as I know. Good plan with the REI return. Gotta love that place for that reason alone.

**Mustardman** · 05-25-2010, 22:52

I'm still trying to understand what exactly happened - if "everything was still hooked up", are you saying the hammock was still connected to the ropes, and the ropes still connected to the tree huggers, which were still on the trees, but you hit the ground?

If this is what happened, I am thinking that one possibility is that some of the rope was wrapped / tangled at the end of the hammock, and when you got into the hammock, that tangle pulled out, releasing more rope and sounding like a knot slip, letting you hit the ground.

With the rather vague description you've given on how the hammock failed, that's my best guess at what happened - I'm not exactly a huge Hennessey fan, but would be shocked to see such a gross defect in the product out of the box.

**Ramblinrev** · 05-25-2010, 23:10

As an HH user myself I may or may not have some insight here. How high were the tree straps from the ground and how far apart were the trees? If you strung the hammock too tightly there is a fairly sizable drop when you load the hammock. I have ended up on the ground more than once until I got the method of hanging down.

The HH lashing needs to be done correctly or the ropes can slip. You may want to make sure you followed the pattern precisely. It can be rather confusing. That's one reason a lot of folks change the suspension system on their HH models to some other type. I personally use the webbing/ring buckle style myself but there are others that some folks like better.

As far as hanging the hammock... chose a tree spacing 13-16 feet or so. Put the tree huggers up fairly high on the tree. Mine a usually close to head height. Do NOT pull the hammock too tightly. I don't care what the Hennessy instructions say. You want the ridgeline just barely taut. If there is a sag in the suspension so much the better. You are ideally looking for an angle of 30* or so from the horizontal. Make sure the tree huggers are well tensioned to the trees and the lashing is properly done. My entrance is often high enough tht I have to pull down fairly hard to get my butt in. Keep trying because there is a learning curve involved. It took me a while to get the method down. I am reasonable consistent now.