First post, new to this hanging stuff.

[Ospreydog]

I have been backpacking since the mid seventies, I have slept in tents, shelters and about everywhere else except a hammock. My wife got me a Hennessy Hyperlite for Christmas, so I hung it in the screened porch just to try it out. I have been trying out different pads to see what worked best. I tried the large Neoair it was very comfortable but with a bottom entry I can't even imagine trying to get in a sleeping bag. Next I tried an older torso length thermarest that is the wide version with a Gossamer Gear thinlight 1/8" pad under my feet. Then I tried the Thermarest Prolite 4 with the thinlight pad sideways under my shoulders. I also have a Wally World 25" waffle pattern ccf pad it worked pretty good but like the large Neoair 25" at the bottom when you try to get in is tough. I thought I might try the Eno Hot Spot with the regular Prolite because it seemed pretty comfortable. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[lazy river road]

First off welcome to the forum and life above ground. Although I have not a lot of experience with HH one thing that could make life easier when getting in and out of the hammock is getting 2Q (aka Tim) and ZQ (Donna) from 2QZQ Hammock Specialties

http://www.2qzqhammockhanger.com/

To do one of their zipper mods to your HH. This will make getting in and out of the Hammock a bit easier. They do excellent work and are great people (and BTW I do not work for them I just own some of their gear and can attest to the top notch quality work they do).

It probably would be easier getting into a hammock with a pad and using a sleeping bag if their was a side entry to the hammock.

But before any of that, play around, roll around and get to know your hammock, do lots of reading on the forum, I would suggest watching all the Shug videos (they can be found on the stickies under general hammock talk or by clicking https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...ad.php?t=15516)

Anyways have fun and welcome to the world above ground

[grannypat]

Welcome to the forums. I have a bottom entry HH Expedition. When I first started out I used a gossamer gear pad and a bulky Wal-mart sleeping bag. I also tried a torso-sized piece of reflectix with reflectix wings duct taped on to it to keep my shoulders warm. It does get interesting when trying to arrange all of that. It's easier if you use the sleeping bag as a top quilt rather than trying to get inside it. Jacks-R-Better makes a down underquilt for the bottom entry Hennesseys called the Nest. I bought one used here on the forums and it made life so much easier! 2QZQ does modifications to Hennessey Hammocks: http://www.2qzqhammockhanger.com/zipmods.html I had a modification #1 done, which allows me to zip open the top half of the hammock to reach out for things or to adjust my underquilt. I like the bottom entry, especially in the summer, because bugs can't follow me in as easily as in a zippered hammock.

[oldpappy]

Welcome. You'll like the HH after you get a little experience with it.
You asked for suggestions:
I have the bottom entry Ultra-lite Backpacker (and a bottom entry Scout) going on 5 years now and it is my main bug season hammock.
I use a Gossamer gear 3/8" wide pad - I cut it in half so I have 2 each 30"W X 36" long pads (I have stacked them in cold temps of 35F to 20F). This size fits from the entry seam up to your head area and blocks the breeze well. I wrap the pad in an old flannel sheet to absorb condensation (which forms when your warm body heat hits the pad).
I use a sleeping bag - lay the pad with sleeping bag open on top of that, foot end off to the side. Turn around and sit in hammock/sleeping bag as far back as you can. Lay back, withdraw legs/feet and put them in the sleeping bag. Zip up as weather requires.
It takes some practice and your porch is the place to do it. I like to put the foot end of the hammock several inches higher than the head end - so when you lay down your rear/back/head are flat and feet slightly higher. To insulate your feet, place a piece of pad in the foot end of your sleeping bag and/or use your zipped up jacket/vest as additional cover for the foot end of the SB. Lastly, a hot water bottle will increase your temp range for those unexpected cold spells.
Well - you asked for it:>)
Learn the Hennessey methods prior to jumping into any mods. The HHs are well designed.

[creativeKayt]

I have nothing to add except "welcome!!"

[SLCpod]

Welcome! The first thing that I did when I got my Hennessy was put my pad into storage. I don't sleep in extreme temperatures and I didn't want to deal with the weight. What did I do? I took a very light weight fleece and used it in my bag. The extra couple degrees made my sleep very cozy.

I also have a buddy who purchased a bivy used in the military sleeping system. He puts his bag in it and never gets butt freeze.

I also have a selk bag that I haven't had the chance to use enough to give a full review. It makes getting into the hammock MUCH easier.

[dkurfiss]

Welcome. I have two HH (Explore Deluxe & Expedition) with bottom entry. They are currently at 2QZQ with Donna doing Mod 4 on both of them.

I have some physical limitation which make using the bottom entry a must for me. I also wanted to be able to roll back the bug net when no bugs are present and I wanted to be able to reach out of the hammock. Mod 4 does that for me. I am not having the bottom entry closed I am just adding to the functionality of the hammocks.

I tried a couple of different pads for colder weather camping and they were limiting to say the least. Getting settled with only the bottom entry was a PITA. Last year I got The Nest from Jacks R Better and could not be happier. The Nest is rated 25 to 30F which is good for most of my camping. When I am sleeping in temps colder than that I have a CCF pad from Walmart with a homemade cover (like ENO hot spot) that I can use.

This year Santa delivered an Old Rag Mtn Quilt for my top quilt and as an alternative bottom quilt. Old Rag is rated 5 to 10F so I am hoping not to use the CCF pad in colder temps. Personally I find it easy to keep my top side warm as long as the bottom stays warm. I have used a 40F top quilt with a wool blanket under it to stay nice and cozy. (Obviously, I was base camping so weight was a non issue).

Testing on your porch is perfect. I always test new gear first in my basement to get adjustments corrent, then in my garage (cold weather) to test temp ratings without wind, then in my back yard before any new gear gets to go into the field with me.

[Ospreydog]

A friend of mine let me try the Eno Hot Spot, I put the thermarest in it with the gossamer gear 1/8" pad under those to try to eliminate pad slippage. Without the GG pad they slipped a lot more, and I'm sure it adds a little more r-value also. So far the Neoair was the most comfortable but getting it in the hammock is a pain. I'm probably going to do the zipper mod to unzip one whole side so putting any pad in it would be easier. I'm going to try the thermarest and hot spot tonight because it's suppose to get a little colder here in north Ga tonight and I usually don't get very cold so we will see it might be enough down to 30. I'm not a gram counter but I don't like to carry a heavy load so I'm trying to use what I have and see what the temperature limit is with the hammock without adding very much weight. I try to stay 30lbs or less on my backpacking trips. I think I'm going to like this hammock thing it seems pretty cool so far.

[Country Roads]

Welcome to the forums! Best site on the Web by far. You will enjoy your hammock. As a tent camper, I always hated to camp in the rain, but with a hammock and a tarp, I actually enjoy rainy weather now.

If you get the chance, go to a group hang. I went to my first one this year and I learned so much and got to see what other folks are driving. Hammock hangers are the most generous people I have ever met. They will share knowledge, gear, coffee, food, etc.

[mgreg.scout]

Welcome. You'll like the HH after you get a little experience with it.

Learn the Hennessey methods prior to jumping into any mods. The HHs are well designed.

+1 oldpappy and welcome to the group.