"Husky" hangers?

**guitargeek76** · 07-21-2013, 20:01

So I set up my brand new HH Safari in a friend's backyard to try it out before I hang in the wilderness. I'm 6', 285#. Seemed like I had to hang the hammock higher and tighter than I saw in any of the videos, and I was still quite close to the ground when I got in. I'm afraid with an UQ on there, it'll be dragging. The ridgeline was also quite taut.

I'm using the stock suspension setup. I used the tree huggers with a carabiner and rappel rings. Had them about 6.5 feet up the trees. Trees were about 15 ft apart.

Are they any larger guys out there who can give any tips or tricks? I don't want to damage my hammock, or my UQ. Thanks!

Frank

**Zigerot** · 07-21-2013, 20:30

I started with a HH safarie, once upon a time. I personally never got really comfortable in it but that can easily be just me. I have the unfortunate trinity of being tall, heavy, and broad shouldered.

As to you questions, in my experience you don't want there to be a lot of sag in a HH. I usually lightly attached it to the trees, at or a little above eye level ( just enough so that it can be unfurled from the snake skins). when it is unfurled stand next to it and find the hight where the bottom of the entrance ( seat level) is a little below where your butt is when your standing up.
Now use truckers hitches, or figure nines, or another slippery hitch method to tighter up the suspension so the entrance is at the correct level.

IMPORTANT: don't do the multiple half hitch thing that hennessey has in the set up instructions, it takes a long time and usually tools to get those untied after you load them with any real weight.

Don't be afraid to put a lot of tension in the lines, without any weight in the system the ridgeline should be completely horizontal at the same hight as the suspension.
Now just sit in the hammock like you would a chair. When you lay back your body should be at about upper thigh hight of you're standing self.

As to the ridge line in a HH ( at least for us big guys) the ridge line is going to be very tight, like guitar string tight.
That is ok.
I out weigh you by a few small children and hung in a hennessey like this for a few dozen trips.

Also try to hang the bottom end a little higher then the top, this will help you not slid to far down when You are sleeping.
If you are halving some calf pain try putting somthing soft and bulky (clothes, stuff sack full of leaves, ect.) under your knees. This will help elevate that?

Hope that helps. Have fun out there!

**guitargeek76** · 07-21-2013, 21:28

Thanks! The ridge line was definitely guitar string tight when I was laying in it. I had it about eye height before getting in, and when I laid in it I was probably about knee height. I think I need to hang it a little higher, and really tighten her up a bit more. And then lose weight.

Other than that, I was comfortable. It was pretty warm out there, but as I was laying in it a breeze came by and I could understand why people say they need UQ's even in summer. Looking forward to doing a real hang in 2 weeks. And I definitely want to make the big hang up in MA in Sept.

**default** · 07-21-2013, 21:51

being the same size as you, i really enjoy my HH Deep Jungle Xl. much mo betta

**guitargeek76** · 07-21-2013, 22:35

Rev - do you notice if you have to hang it higher or tighter than it appears people do in the videos?

**Zigerot** · 07-22-2013, 03:48

I should mention that the under quilt from hennessey ( I forgot what they call it) does not fit on the safari. I got one and figured I could retro fit it, but it is liki trying to put a sock on a basketball. You would be better off with getting a 30 or 40 deg synthetic sleeping bag and making it a hot dog bun around your hammock. If you have a ridge line under your tarp you can attach shock cord from the sleeping bag to it and it all holds up nicely.