Hammock noob needs advice

Hey folks. I'm new here and completely new to hammocks. I've been debating picking one up for this years camping season. Not sure at all where to begin. I've been looking at the Hennessy Explorer Ultralite A-Sym. Seems to come with everything I'd need. Plus a free extra tarp and snake skins promotion. What do you all think of this particular hammock? Any issues with it? Should I start with something less expensive? What other gear would I need to use it? Thanks for the help! I hope to learn a lot here.

hey, welcome aboard!

Hennessy is a good choice - but I don't think you could go wrong with any hammock, really. It's more about what suits you, but of course, no one knows that when they get started. If you've never been in a hammock before, you might check out a cheaper/returnable model or a borrowed hammock and read up on a bunch of the threads in the subforums for the different hammock types before springing for a whole setup.

Two links any newbie should have - the primer on camping in a hammock and the cheap test hammock instructions.
http://www.tothewoods.net/HammockCamping.html
http://www.imrisk.com/testhammock/testhammock.htm

I'd get 4 yards for the test hammock - a little longer and it would be easier to try a diagonal and see how flat you can get.

lori thanks for the links. They are very informative. Basically I'm looking for something the right size. I'm 6' tall and ~180 lbs. I wouldn't mind a little extra space to move around but I don't want anything too heavy or bulky. Durability is a big plus for me. I'd also like something in a more 'subdued' color. It may seem trivial but, to me, bright colors just seem out of place in the woods. I think your right about being ok with pretty much whatever I choose. I'm new to it so I probably wouldn't notice the differences from one hammock to the other. I'd like to get something well built enough to last for a while. If I try it once and don't like it I figure I can probably sell it somewhere. I doubt, however, that I won't like it. The idea of suspended sleeping seems perfect for me. I can't believe I'm only now getting into this!

I agree with Lori. those two sites are great primers on the subject. The Hennessy has been described as the gateway drug of hammocks. That's certainly the way it went for me. I've gone away from them and down the top loader route, very much influenced by JustJeff and Risk. If you can sew at all, my advice would be to make a very basic hammock first, and see if you like it. It's very cheap to try this way, and adding a bugnet and tarp doesn't need to cost much either. I'm perfectly happy with a plain top loader. My point is if it ain't broke, don't blow the rent money to fix it.

Pedro, what do you mean by top loader? I'm assuming you mean something that you just lay down on rather than coming up through the bottom like on the Hennessy's? I'd be fine with that but I like the idea of an attached bug net. I'm probably not too good at sewing so I'd like avoid doing any modifications my self if it's possible. At least for the time being.

there's lots of top loaders with attached bug net commercially available, just look in the forums under manufactuer's forums to see all the hammock manufactuers. some offer plain no net hammocks and some offer mosquito net integrated versions, but there's at least 5-6 different brands of top loading mosquito hammocks out there

one of them being warbonnetguy's blackbird!!! check it out

Thanks warbonnetguy! Any specific one you'd recommend looking at?

I have a HH Explorer Ultralight and like it very much. However and everyone says... it is a personal issue and it would make sense to try some of them first. If you could get to one of the close regional events you could kind of shop the field so to speak.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by smcclown

Thanks warbonnetguy! Any specific one you'd recommend looking at?

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well, i'm kinda biased towards the ones i make/sell, the warbonnet blackbird of course

Quote:

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Originally Posted by warbonnetguy

well, i'm kinda biased towards the ones i make/sell, the warbonnet blackbird of course

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There seems to be a lot of that as of late:D
I'm kinda biased towards the ones you make/sell to.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by smcclown

lori thanks for the links. They are very informative. Basically I'm looking for something the right size. I'm 6' tall and ~180 lbs. I wouldn't mind a little extra space to move around but I don't want anything too heavy or bulky. Durability is a big plus for me. I'd also like something in a more 'subdued' color. It may seem trivial but, to me, bright colors just seem out of place in the woods. I think your right about being ok with pretty much whatever I choose. I'm new to it so I probably wouldn't notice the differences from one hammock to the other. I'd like to get something well built enough to last for a while. If I try it once and don't like it I figure I can probably sell it somewhere. I doubt, however, that I won't like it. The idea of suspended sleeping seems perfect for me. I can't believe I'm only now getting into this!

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Durable, roomy, with an attached bugnet... not heavy or bulky. The Warbonnet is roomier than a Hennessy Ultralight Backpacker, I know from personal experience, and you can choose between 1.1 or 1.7 ripstop; I'd bet you Brandon would also make it out of some other fabric you sent him (the benefits of ordering from a one person operation). You might also look at the Clark Hammocks. Stomach sleepers (and a passel of other folks who want the flattest lay possible) like bridge hammocks.

Hennessy bottom slit is not always to people's liking; I was mostly okay with it, but anything I had floating around in the hammock with me tended to follow me out the slit. Some folks who sleep in shorts didn't like the velcro and while this is just a matter of taking care, if you're like the walking dead at midnight like me it would result in scraped calves. I always wore long johns and didn't have an issue.

the Warbonnet is roomier, to my claustrophobe's eyes, and has the storage space of the shelf, as well as a conveniently placed full length zipper. Hanging the hammock involves no wrapping rope or serious knot tying. Mine is 1.1 double layer and weighs 24 oz. You'd end up with a Hennessy UL Explorer if you are very tall (over 6 ft) that weighs 41 oz, I suspect the Warbonnet even if made longer for you would still be less than 30 oz.

And that is the extent of my accumulated experience that i have to offer. I have seen ENO hammocks and Byers hammocks - very simple and less expensive. Haven't slept in one - of course, now I have a Blackbird there is simply no going back. It's the one thing I got this year that actually lives up to all the hype. :cool:

Lori thats great info. Thanks for help. Maybe the Warbonnet is the way to go? :)

I'm a newbie to hammocks too and was lucky enough to have someone from the forums here let me try out their hammocks.

I agree with everything Lori says. I personally really did not like trying to get into a hennessey. Maybe that's the problem with trying the blackbird first, everything else is a let down.

The only negative I've heard about the blackbird is the price but it is just a little bit higher but you definitely get a nicer hammock that's made in the USA.

I ended up getting the Blackbird. Whenever I have lots of choices it's always hard for me but the Blackbird was easy when I looked at everything else.

Hurry up and get in line, spring is on its way!

Thanks Chris! Looks like thats the way I'm headed.