Expedition classic advice

[hewittdallas]

Hey everyone,

I'm new to hammocking and new to the site, but just picked up my first setup here in the marketplace—an HH Expedition Classic. Having said that, I would greatly appreciate any advice or wisdom you could provide. I understand this hammock has already been upgraded to whoopie strings, but that's the only modification that I'm aware of. I live in the SE and we're heading into spring now, so I don't anticipate much cold camping for some time. However, I love to backpack and this will be my primary shelter so I'll have to figure out a good cold setup at some point as well.

Since I converted over from backpacking with a tent, I already have a decent pad/sleeping bag combo. I have both CCF and inflatable pads. Have you found one of these to work better than the other? My sleeping bag has a pad sleeve built into it so I don't anticipate too much pad movement while I sleep. Plus, I'm a back sleeper and don't move much (that I know of).

Lastly, what do y'all do with your pack/gear when backpacking? I only have the standard asym tarp and I can't imagine it provides much ground protection in a standard rain, much less a driving rain. Is a tarp upgrade the only real option here or are there some creative solutions that I just haven't stumbled upon yet?

Thanks in advance for all the help! I'm sure I will continue making pretty frequent stops here.

[SilvrSurfr]

The HH postage-stamp tarp is skimpy. I found it was only good in straight-down rain. Some think you can pitch the tarp low and close against the hammock, but I still got wet. I always kept my pack in a garbage bag underneath me.

Given the choice between CCF and inflatables, I'd probably choose the ccf. However, you may find the convective air currents underneath the hammock cause condensation (cold bottom of pad plus warm top of pad = condensation). My last night in my Hennessy with a pad was 22* F and I woke up soaked in condensation - moved on to UQs right after. Some people do fine with pads and report no condensation - I wasn't that lucky.

[DamnYankee]

I understand this hammock has already been upgraded to whoopie strings
they are Whoopie Slings

My sleeping bag has a pad sleeve built into it
You can try this to see if it works for you. You can also get the second layer that goes under the hammock and put your CCF pad between the layers. As far as rain and cold weather goes, Hennessey has the 4 season shelter or Warbonnet has the Super Fly(I think that's what it's called) which a lot of people use. I have the same set up as you and going to eventually get a Super Fly.

There are a number of ways to stow gear. Use a pack cover and hang from suspension or tree. Lay down a tarp under your hammock and place your covered pack on it and under your hammock. There is also a gear hammock which looks like a small hammock and attaches under your hammock to hang your gear in.

[hewittdallas]

I understand this hammock has already been upgraded to whoopie strings
they are Whoopie Slings

Well, that was an unfortunate typo on my part. Thanks!

[jburke8305]

I have the Explorer Ultralite and love it. Although the fly is small, it will work in most rain situations. The real issue is with rain and wind (side ways rain) - but that takes a very large fly to really protect completely. I would be more concerned with your bag with sleeping pad sleeve. Your shoulders and hips will get cold. You can use a SPE (sleeping pad extender), which has insulated pads at those points, but then you wouldn't be using the bag's sleeve. I use the Supershelter for cold down to about 30 degrees with over cover and 20 degree bag. I think that set up could go down to 20 degrees with a warmer bag. If you want to go with an under quilt, jacks r better sells one made specifically for your model (not cheap, but gets great reviews). Hope that helps.

[hewittdallas]

I have the Explorer Ultralite and love it. Although the fly is small, it will work in most rain situations. The real issue is with rain and wind (side ways rain) - but that takes a very large fly to really protect completely. I would be more concerned with your bag with sleeping pad sleeve. Your shoulders and hips will get cold. You can use a SPE (sleeping pad extender), which has insulated pads at those points, but then you wouldn't be using the bag's sleeve. I use the Supershelter for cold down to about 30 degrees with over cover and 20 degree bag. I think that set up could go down to 20 degrees with a warmer bag. If you want to go with an under quilt, jacks r better sells one made specifically for your model (not cheap, but gets great reviews). Hope that helps.

I live in the South and we're heading into spring now, so I'm hoping to spend most of the warm season playing around with things and getting a feel for hammock camping in general before tackling the insulation.

It looks like my first major task is going to be figuring out how to setup my tarp since the hammock has the whoopie conversion. I've done some searching in the forums so far, but there doesn't appear to be any clear consensus. I'm leaning toward just setting it up on it's own CRL and using the snake skins for the tarp, with the hammock as close as I can get it underneath. Does anyone have experience with trying to attach the tarp to the whoopies like the standard setup instructions? Since this is my first hammock, everything is sort of theoretical in my mind at this point. It will probably require a good bit of trial and error.

[hewittdallas]

So the above mentioned hammock came in a few days ago and I finally had a free afternoon to throw it up and give it a try. The setup actually went pretty well, the whoopies were easy enough. I read on the HH website that the Expedition was good for up to 6' tall and I'm right around 6'1". I figured the difference would be negligible, but that doesn't appear to be the case. My only other experience laying in a hammock was in a friend's ENO Doublenest, but the comfort of the Expedition wasn't even in the same ballpark. I adjust the hang angles from really taught (per the HH hanging instructions) to the standard 30 degrees and a few other variations. It didn't seem to make much of a difference, no position was really much comfortable at all.

Has anyone else experienced the size guidelines from Hennessy to be that close? When they say 6 feet, they must really mean 6 feet. However, I'm starting to see how y'all end up with so many hammocks. My wife is going to kill me.

[supermario]

When they say 6 feet, they must really mean 6 feet.

I am 5'9" and while the Expedition fits me ok, if I was any taller, I likely would have sized up to the Explorer model. I can understand how at 6'1", things may feel cramped for you.

I did purchase a matching Monsoon tarp for the rainy season here and I am happy with how my kit is overall. I will likely use the stock tarp again in the summer (dry) months as it is super quick to setup/take down.

Happy hangin'

[zukiguy]

Yep...for near 6' or more you really need an explorer model for a much flatter lay. I converted my son's expedition to whoopies and moved the tarp over from the explorer UL to his rig using some modified prussic loops. I think I recycled the original hooks off the hennessy suspension. It works OK but has the same drawback as the original, no matter how tight you rig things the tarp sags when you climb into the hammock. A separate ridgeline or at least cords going from the trees to the tarp are a much better option.

Don't sweat the purchase....you can most likely flip it back here for what you paid and only be out a bit on the shipping.

[scollard70]

You should chech out the book The Ultimate Hang by Derek Hansen. Just about all the info you need.

Hey everyone,

I'm new to hammocking and new to the site, but just picked up my first setup here in the marketplace—an HH Expedition Classic. Having said that, I would greatly appreciate any advice or wisdom you could provide. I understand this hammock has already been upgraded to whoopie strings, but that's the only modification that I'm aware of. I live in the SE and we're heading into spring now, so I don't anticipate much cold camping for some time. However, I love to backpack and this will be my primary shelter so I'll have to figure out a good cold setup at some point as well.

Since I converted over from backpacking with a tent, I already have a decent pad/sleeping bag combo. I have both CCF and inflatable pads. Have you found one of these to work better than the other? My sleeping bag has a pad sleeve built into it so I don't anticipate too much pad movement while I sleep. Plus, I'm a back sleeper and don't move much (that I know of).

Lastly, what do y'all do with your pack/gear when backpacking? I only have the standard asym tarp and I can't imagine it provides much ground protection in a standard rain, much less a driving rain. Is a tarp upgrade the only real option here or are there some creative solutions that I just haven't stumbled upon yet?

Thanks in advance for all the help! I'm sure I will continue making pretty frequent stops here.