Tough enough for stupid people - HH Deep Jungle XL

**ggreaves** · 07-28-2013, 16:54

Last night, I got up around 4am to mark off the territory around the campsite to keep the lions and other campers away. When I got back in my hammock, I found that the pad had scooched lower in the hammock and my head was hanging off the top. I tried doing the "worm" to work it higher but it was no use. I decided I needed to get out and reset and try again. Then I came up with the bright idea of getting on my hands and knees and pulling the pad up between my legs. Before I knew it, the hammock had rolled 120 degrees counter clockwise and the pad, my pillow and my cpap machine were all on top of me. I was hanging on the bug net in the dark, unable to figure out what happened. Luckily, my wife and I were sharing a tree and she was hanging right next to me. She got out of her hammock and rescued me by unzipping the hammock and watching me and everything in the hammock come tumbling out. Here's a rough approximation of what it looked like...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_zt2n3xk-o

Lessons learned....

1. you get what you pay for. the noseeum and stitching held 215 lbs of thrashing-about moron. No tears or stretching were evident. Thanks Hennessy for a well put-together product.

2. keep a swiss army knife in a pocket someplace handy. You never know when you may need to evacuate in a hurry. Also, be extra careful if you're hanging over water.

3. while gathered-end hammocks are very stable, they're not idiot-proof.

4. get an underquilt... just... get an underquilt. I'm putting my order together right now.

**Craigthor** · 07-28-2013, 16:59

Thanks, though unfortunate this made my day.

**DC125** · 07-28-2013, 17:28

I've never had the "opportunity" to do that in either of my Hennessey's! Did you have the side tie outs stretched out and secured to nearby trees, or were they just staked to the ground? Or, did they stay out and wrap around you? That doesn't sound fun at all.

(I type this lounging in my HH in the back yard. NICE!)

**ggreaves** · 07-28-2013, 17:33

Originally Posted by DC125

I've never had the "opportunity" to do that in either of my Hennessey's! Did you have the side tie outs stretched out and secured to nearby trees, or were they just staked to the ground? Or, did they stay out and wrap around you? That doesn't sound fun at all.

(I type this lounging in my HH in the back yard. NICE!)

They were both staked to the ground. Never thought about it but the lines and stakes held. I guess that having the stakes slingshot back at me like missiles would have added... injury to insult.

**AC8MJ** · 07-28-2013, 18:09

I feel for you. 4am is a bad time for heavy thinking or making hammock adjustments. That is how I woke up with my boots at eye level. The hammock was a bit taut when I laid down and fell asleep. Loosened the suspension a bit after the 4am tree watering... Trying to get out of the too low hammock is not fun. Thankfully my witnesses were ground dwellers and didn't know the difference.

WV · 07-28-2013, 20:08

Definitely get an underquilt. That way you can have the experience of trying to sit in your hammock, missing the mark and sitting in the UQ, and toppling backwards underneath the hammock but wrapped up in the quilt. I did that at a group hang once while trying to unobtrusively change my pants - ended up with feet in the air and pants down (up) around my ankles.

**HURTHEART** · 07-29-2013, 01:00

Thank You, thank you, THANK YOU, I needed the giggle, my eyes are watering I so hard, my poor cat is sure I am insane. I worry every time I get in my hammock about flipping it. I have a Hennessy, mainly because it is supposed to be the most stable. I have another hammock that fits me very well, but it is less stable than the Hennessy, I really worry when I first get into it.

Thank you for being brave and sharing with the group. LOL

**SimonMc** · 07-29-2013, 04:18

Thanks for sharing. It's always good to have a good laugh but we need to be careful it can happen to any of us at anytime

.

**dant8ro** · 07-29-2013, 05:30

Lol, WV, we've all been there (though my experience was fully clothed).

Love my HH Deep Jungle XL, definitely a bomb proof hammock and very comfortable due to its size. I know I might get boo'd out of the forum for saying so, but I sold my WBBB to keep the HH DJXL. I've tried many a gathered end, and this one is my favorite.

It's good to know the bug net is very well attached. Thank you for your very aggressive (but intentional) testing.

Dan.