I purchassed my first hammock and figured I would prefer the bottom entry but all I see here are side zip owners.
I know that the side zip is better for use with insulation but I did not know that when I purchassed it, I feel like I made a mistake.
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I purchassed my first hammock and figured I would prefer the bottom entry but all I see here are side zip owners.
I know that the side zip is better for use with insulation but I did not know that when I purchassed it, I feel like I made a mistake.
I didn't even know about the forum or the fact that there were other hammocks out there for backpacking, maybe I should have done more research first, I enhad no way of knowing there was so much to using a hammock for backpacking, I hope I like this thing and don't end up wishing I never bought it.
I really thougt I would have loved the bottom entry and could not wait to use it and know I'm all worried I'm gonna hate it due to the fact that I don't like hiking in the hot weather and the bottom entry is so hard to use with insulation.
my son won't let me put a zip mod on his. me loves it the way it is. i like the TQ 3/4 zip mod as i can roll the net completely back. i do Not like any of the side zip hammocks. to each his own. :)
Bottom entry is really nice when the mosquitos are thick. Far fewer get in. You can get the hammock modded with a side zipper then you'll have both.
Check this site out.
http://www.2qzqhammockhanger.com/zipmods.html
If you get a good quality UQ you really don't have to mess with it much after installing.
I love the bottom entry. I've got a bad back...and so just sitting in, rolling back, and letting my weight close up the entrance.
Adjusting my insulation hasn't proven to be much of an issue for me, for some reason. Normally sleep with a sleeping bag and a poncho liner.
I do plan on sending off to 2QZQ for a mod this winter...I like the idea of easily passing things in/out of the hammock.
But there's nothing wrong with the bottom entry in my opinion. I like it.
Well I do think I would prefer to have both options
I had both for a while and finally just had the lovely ZQ sew mine shut since I found myself never using it. I also got the MOD4 which you can see in this video. OF all the mods ... that one is really sweet. You can have it fully open, left or right side opening ... and if you keep the bottom entry open you have that too!
You can't go wrong with trusting 2QZQ to mod your HH hammock.
I still have my bottom entry HH and won't change it to side zipper. Its best in the summer with all the bugs and rain with no under quilt. I have an older HH that I ripped the bug net off for under quilt use.
2QZQ mod is very professional if you go that route. Its the best of both worlds then.
I'm very new to hammocking myself so I'm a bit short on advise but i did notice an underquilt available that's specifically meant for bottom entry hammocks.
http://www.jacksrbetter.com/Hennessy...r%20Quilts.htm
Allot of folks here seem to really like the products from this company so might be worth looking into.
Personally I think it's a really cool idea. :)
I have 2 bottom entry will be getting the mod 4 done to both but leaving the bottom entry intact the best of both worlds!!!!!!!
The first HH I got from MEC, found it too short, bottom entry a bit quirky. Got another HH ex, then had ZQ #2. I found the top access easier for under quilt and top synthetic sleeping bag adjustment after climbing in. Now mainly use WB, Te/wa 2/3 3X UQ, yet to upgrade to top quilt. All recent hammock items pack up very small and provide enough warmth for all coastal seasons.
The only valid question is: how do YOU like the bottom entry?
Here is what I don't like about the standard HH bottom entry: can't reach out of the hammock to adjust certain UQs, or check insulation that has been added to the HHSS to see if it is positioned where I want it , or just reach something onthe ground, etc.
On the other hand, some forms of insulation, like the HH SuperShelter or JRB MW4, once positioned correctly with first installation and with the HH side tie outs through the corresponding loops, will not require any further adjustment.
What else do I dislike about it? Well, really, nothing. Oh wait, can not ( without a zipper mod) use certain types of quilts with it. Without an SPE or double layer, a pad ( if you use one) is a lot trickier to use. That is about it. Some of its advantages ( there are nearly always pros and cons with all of this hammock stuff) have already been listed. It is all I used for my 1st 2 years even after I got a top entry model. I got to where, even with a SS on it, I could be in or out of that sucker just as fast as anything else, if not faster because there was no zipper to get closed. It just could not have been easier, though I did have to get used to it.
So if you don't have a problem with it, don't worry about it and, in fact, enjoy some of its benefits. Like the lightest approach with a net, some claim fewer bugs get in with you, etc. But any of the drawbacks are solved with a zipper mod and then you have both.
If you were to use a short torso pad, extended (SPE) to wrap your shoulders and hips, coupled with a top quilt or a sleeping bag used top quilt style, then you won't have any of those reported "problems" using insulation with a bottom entry hammock.
i personaly love the bottom entry but like they have said you cant reach out and adjust things. but thats what the 2qzq mod is for :) also its very easy in a pinch to handle natures call in the morning.
I have an older HH expedition asym and had the 3/4 zip mod by 2qzq (nothing but great things to say about them.) I also kept the bottom entry open but am considering sewing it shut because I never use it. I don't think you'll be disappointed with your hammock but if the bottom entry isn't to your liking the zipper mods are affordable.
The only thing I REALLY dislike about the bottom entry is that the velcro is too strong. It attaches far too easily to clothing and even the bug net if it somehow gets involved in that area.
I've tried to "weaken" it some buy clogging the hooks a bit, but it still seems to reach out and grab my fleece and moisture wicking hiking shirts.
I too have a bottom entry and I love it. The mosquitoes get really thick around here and I purposely bought the bottom entry for just that. Hardly any enter with me. If I had a side zip I think I would be bombarded for a little while.
But I agree with you, I would prefer to have both options as well. I plan on getting a 2QZQ mod after this season. I dont think you made a mistake, I think you made the right choice considering you would like both options. You can't get the velcro bottom entry put in, but you can have a zipper mod put in :D
I really like the bottom entry. i'm short with back issues. Very easy to just sit in and lay back. Never be with out bug net here in GA, side zip mod could be handy in some situations,but have gotten along without it for so far. Love my HH.
I have an HH Backpacker Asym that's several years old, and I love the bottom entry. It's really mosquito proof, and you feel snug once you're in.
For the summer, the bottom entry is great. It's a fast way to get away from the bugs but it can be a little scratchy on the legs and other gear.
For cool weather I love my 2QZQ zipper mod. If the bugs aren't bad I can flip the netting back out of my way and look at the stars or reach out to adjust my quilt. I can sit sideways in the hammock like a big comfortable chair while I put on my boots in the morning. That is just so, SOOOOoooo much better than crawling out of my tiny tent and crouching in the doorway.
In the grand scheme of things I might have been as well off to just buy another hammock rather than mod my HH. Now it's an all-season all-weather model and I love it.
i have an HH Xped that i sent to 2QZQ for mod #4 but i also kept the bottom entry. highly recommend the zipper mod!!
I have a bottom entry HH Backpacker that I really like, but after getting used to the Warbonnet Blackbird I decided to have 2QZQ put in the zipper mod. I can't wait to try it out!
+ like and use bottom entry in addition to side zip.
I had a HH bottom entry but switched to a zipper model for one reason only - I have long (almost waist length) hair and no matter what I did, it always got stuck in the velcro on my way in or out. Other than that, it was perfect.
As others have said, the bottom entry is very good when dealing with a bug dense area. It's really surprising how many get in when entering from a side zip when compared to the bottom entry method.
I remember having those problems; sure do miss having hair. :crying:D
Mine is in with ZQ at the moment, looking forward to getting it back and enjoying the flexibility of the zip.
I have a HH Exped with bottom entry. This year I bought a WBBB, which is a side zip. Honestly, I still haven't decided which I like better. I like the zip because I can tie back the netting if I want to use it as a lounger. OTH, I find searching for the zipper pulls to get out a pain in the neck. Getting in and out of the HH is a no brainer for me. I have not attempted to use my UQ with my HH yet so I can't comment on that aspect.
I had an Explorer UL with a 2QZQ mod and did like it but I personally prefer the bottom entry. My current setup is still completely stock and I think I may leave it that way, if anything I will change out the suspension.
I am really liking the bottom entry these days, for me the ease of entry is fantastic and I have to agree with everyone else about keeping the bugs out as well. I do admit that adding a small zipper just to be able to reach out the side would be nice though. However, I have no intention of modding this one, I simply enjoy the simplicity of the bottom entry.
I picked up a used expedition bottom entry from a fellow forum member that he had added whoopies to. I got it to try out the whoopies and have found I really like the bottom entry for just lounging around the yard here while the evil skeeters are still about. I even rolled out a pad and a wool blanket in it the other night without much trouble and had a nice nap down to about 45 (that is when the wife said come in now and eat or else or I may have never made it in that night.)
I am having trouble understanding why I would not want the bottom entry. Especially when 2QZQ can add zips for those times it would get colder and additional bottom insulation is needed. I really like this hammock. I see problems or at least challenges for a bottom entry only but wow there are some huge pluses not the least of which is how simple entry is for those who are unsure of themselves going in over the edge.
On a side note, I purchased this hammock as a back up for my son and I and for the just in case my dad every wants to join us. Problem is my wife is not intimidated with getting in this one and has now claimed it as hers. I guess that is a problem and a possible solution. (solution for when I need to buy a new UQ I can just buy her one too and say "isn't it great we can use them together.")
Huauqui
You didn't. Us happy folks don't say much. It's the few folks who are not happy that do the most posting with all the things they change or want changed.
That said I like the looks of the 2QZQ mod1 for breakfast in the hammock. Problem is I am not sure I want food that close to my bed. ;-)
I got he Deep Jungle XL Zip, and I wish now I had the bottom entry so I could have the zip mod too.
I wish I could just easily hang my footwear from the suspension, sit back and be good. or even hang it from the ridgeline, right out the bottom opening.
I like using at as a seat, I like opening it right up, I like making tea or hot chocolate from bed, so I need the side opening, but I too wish I had learned more about my options.
I started out with a HH, and now have both a CJH and a WBBB as well.
It is nice to zip open the netting when it is not needed. But the bottom entry on the HH is so quick and fool-proof that it is the choice for buggy season IMO. One of these days I will invest in a zip mod for the HH and have the best of both worlds!
Jim
I have both and use the bottom entry more often than the zipper.
I'm almost certainly going to be sending off for a 2QZQ mod this winter, but plan on leaving the bottom entry in place as well. I can see advantages to either.
During the summer, I think the bottom entry will be easier to get in/out and limit the mosquitos getting in.
During storms when I will probably have my tarp pitched tighter to the hammock, I can see the bottom entry working better as well.
When the weather is nice...I can see the benefits of having a side entry and being able to get in and out as well as pass items in and out easily.
Best of both worlds is what I'm thinking.
I have the expedition and really like the bottom entry. It is, as many have said, quick and easy and here in NH any way to keep them pesky mosquitos out is a major plus! If you get the bottom entry Hennessey you can then add on zippers and get it all! (I do plan on doing this eventually just because I can).
it's more rugged; a zipper can fail, but the bottom entry has no 'moving parts'. even w/ a hh zipper mod i would keep my bottom entry intact.
Although I'm having the zipper mod being done, I did find that the bottom entry is easier to getting up and out. I can just shove my legs through and then sit there for a minute until I'm actually coherent and then stand up. I was always struggling to get out of the side entry only - especially if I got a leg cramp. But I miss the option of just opening the side zipper to adjust the UQ or grab something. In the warmer weather I'll use the bottom almost exclusively since I use a poncho liner as a quilt but in the cold I still use a sleeping bag (but boy do you warm up trying to get into a sleeping bag while inside the hammock!).
Zip mod = best of both worlds!
Hennessey has hammocks without bugnets on sale. (October Sale) I got a Safari for $49. That is the one that I will use with an UQ. Have one with a net for hot, bug infested summer nights in the south. :) May still eventually get the Zip mod.
Personally I love the bottom entry - I had purchased an Eno DN years ago and threw myself out of it trying to get in, then had problems trying to get out, I had a really bad bike accident and it took years to get my strength back in my left arm. The bottom entry is like a dream come true - no dirt in my hammock, easy to enter/exit, love hanging my footwear on a tether just outside my hammock and being able to sit comfortably and put them on. I wouldn't trade, and as far as the bug net goes you can use the "lounger" mode and be comfortable with no cover.
I agree with most of the folks here - I like the bottom entry, it's simple and keeps the bugs out. One thing that I haven't seen much about, but I have found that it's a little harder to keep clean, since you can't turn it over and just dump it out (fine dust, etc...). That being said, I have no problems adjusting the PLUQ and I really like the stability/reliability of the system.
My son also has a HH Scout, and since he's still short the bottom entry seems to me to be the only way that he would be able to get gracefully into his hammock, especially if we're hanging over scrub, brush, etc...
Hey all,
Just throwing my two cents in...
Here's the scenario: Early spring canoe trip, temperatures just below freezing, howling winds, bottom entry HH, shock-cords of full-length down underquilt synch'd tight to eliminate any air spaces. Now add several cups of tea, some time and waking to an extreme bladder evacuation emergency.:scared::scared: Imagine, if you will, the ensuing panic as the trapped hanger struggles desperately, frantically clawing, swearing and praying to get past that underquilt to sweet, sweet relief.:D
First thing I did when I got home after that trip was install a DIY Mod4 (full-length both sides/double zipper one side) on my HH Expedition, leaving the bottom entry intact.
I now use the zippers exclusively. I left the bottom entry as an option, but never use it. I really like the ability to unzip and reach out to access gear, water or whatever. I like the ability to lay out my sleeping gear before getting into the hammock. I also find packing more efficient, as I use my unzipped hammock as a gear sling. If the bugs are really bad, I can always opt for the bottom entry, but so far, I haven't had to.
But there's always the pee bottle option....well as long as your an outtie!
I've just added a short (~2ft) #3 zipper to my HH, just downstream from my left elbow, so I can reach out and adjust/grab/be given things. Took 45mins to do. My main issue is bugs (NZ sand-flies), so prefer the bottom entry. My home-designed tapered UQ hangs just to one side of the bottom entry, so doesn't pose any issues with egress from hammock
AA
No one has mentioned putting a bottom entry mod on there side zip!