Delurking and saying Hi!

**Kattelyn** · 01-24-2010, 11:01

My hubby and I have been reading the forum over a year now, and got our hammocks with the tax return last year. We've taken them on a few excursions to state parks and canoeing the Brazos River. I couldn't be more in love!

I'm an avid camper, canoer (or is that canoeist), hiking, fishing, etc. Just about anything outdoors. And I've hated tents. You track in anything and everything... mud, leaves, sand, you name it. If anyone has gone camping in BAD skeeter country (deep south east Texas comes to mind, or Goose Island) you know there's no way to keep the darn skeeters out when you're coming in and out of the tent.

There's the problem of setting it up on a level place, there's roots and rocks, and you're down on the level of every snake, raccoon, skunk, and god knows what other wildlife. Not to mention how HEAVY it all is. And everybody wakes up aching from sleeping on the ground.

Well, sometime last winter we heard about the Hennessey Hammock and after a great deal of research (thank you Sgt Rock!!!), decided to get two. One for my hubby, and one for me.

I cannot begin to tell you how much I love these hammocks, or how much they are worth every single penny.

Last year, we took them on various camping trips, including a trip down the Brazos River. In Sept. they were a little cool in overnight temperatures, because we only had very thin sleeping bags and weren't expecting to get cold. That problem was resolved with the super shelter. 40 degrees with a stiff wind and rain, and I slept like a baby in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. Just sat up the hammock with the super shelter and one of those mylar space blankets between the underpad and the bottom of the hammock, and then used the 20 degree sleeping bag as a quilt over me.

Camping with no mud getting in the tent. NO bugs. No creepy crawlies. No sand! Not waking up aching and sore! Thank you guys so much. We couldn't love our hammocks any more.

**Sevens** · 01-24-2010, 11:06

Welcome Kattelyn! I completely agree. I grew up camping and always hated bedtime because I hated the tent and sleeping on the ground.

I am waiting to get my next paycheck so I can buy my first hammock.

**Frawg** · 01-24-2010, 11:07

Awesome, Kattelyn -- welcome aboard!

**Scottybdiving** · 01-24-2010, 11:20

Nice 1st post. Sounds like y'all get out a lot. I bet you add more stuff to your hammock, if you hang around here. Photos are always welcomed.

Check out the Big Bend topic. There is at least a 1 day canoe trip planned.

**Kattelyn** · 01-24-2010, 12:19

Originally Posted by Scottybdiving

Nice 1st post. Sounds like y'all get out a lot. I bet you add more stuff to your hammock, if you hang around here. Photos are always welcomed.

Check out the Big Bend topic. There is at least a 1 day canoe trip planned.

While we've been in the Big Bend area once, its a long way from Dallas.... especially when you have to be back to work sometime in the near future! We've been thinking about making it to the upcoming one out in East Texas in March. It'll be fun being around other folks who don't think you're crazy for being in a hammock vs a tent!

**babelfish5** · 01-24-2010, 12:42

Originally Posted by Kattelyn

While we've been in the Big Bend area once, its a long way from Dallas.... especially when you have to be back to work sometime in the near future! We've been thinking about making it to the upcoming one out in East Texas in March. It'll be fun being around other folks who don't think you're crazy for being in a hammock vs a tent!

Welcome to the forum! It's good to have another couple of Texans onboard.

It's beginning to look like we will have a good turnout for our East Texas Hang in March. It will be good meet everyone.

I know what you mean about the looks. I have even had someone come up with a very worried look and ask, "But where is your tent? Are you actually going to sleep in that?".

If sleeping in a hammock is crazy, I don't want to be sane.

**Throkda** · 01-24-2010, 13:53

Kattelyn's hubby here -- figured I might as well introduce myself too.

I grew up in San Antonio, finding whatever local wilderness I could, being in the city and all. I used to camp all the time in the woods by Ladybird Johnson Park, mostly with nothing more than a blanket and a cheap mess kit and firelighter. I'd sleep on the limestone floor in one of the caves (really just big dents in the limestone). Once in a while, I used one of the old $5 net hammocks from Kmart (Walmarts weren't yet everywhere) to lounge around during the day, when I wasn't hiking, climbing, swimming, or whatever.

Years later, I tried the sleeping pads to go camping -- wasn't impressed, and upgraded to an air mattress. These worked fine, except when you'd discover that at some point, a sticker or thorn or something put a hole in one -- naturally, you didn't find out until about 20 minutes after you went to bed, and woke up to feel the ground against your back again. Even aside from that, I wasn't a teenager anymore, and I always woke up sore.

Then, sometime later, we were camping out at Meridian, and I saw someone else with one of those bright backyard Brazilian hammocks hanging at their camp (of course, for the night, they were still in a tent). I remembered my old green net hammock that was the size of a softball, and thought that would be nice to have again.

Google "hammock," and you get all those giant, bulky backyard hammocks, so I tried typing "camp hammock," figuring I'd see some smaller ones. Third or so link down was Sgt. Rock's page -- Hammock Camping 101, and I spent the next several hours learning all about the Hennessy Hammock.

As Kattelyn said earlier, we then bought a couple with the tax money, and so far, the only tweak we've added is the supershelter.

Someone asked for pictures -- as it happens, I'm an amateur photographer....I'm planning to put together enough nice photos to print my own calendar for 2011. So far, here are a couple of favorites.

**Kattelyn** · 01-24-2010, 11:16

Sevens, I'll warn you right now. The hammocks are guilty for a few involuntary naps. After a long day, then setting up camp, then you get in it to just test to make sure its hung right... and fall asleep!

I'm not getting into the argument of Hennessey vs WBBB vs others, but I like the velcro opening on the bottom. Zippers fail at the worst possible times. Skeeters love soft plump juicy flesh and will find any possible opening to get to it. I love listening to the swarm outside the mesh and going "Neener neener!"