returned my hennessy!

[Rob_man587]

Hey everyone this is actually my first post on this forum so hi and thanks for having me.

So I bought a Hennessy after watching countless videos on hammocks, and apparently the wrong videos about hammocks. LOL
i bought the explorer deluxe zip single bottom. set it up for the first time (also my first time setting up a hammock in general) was a great learning experience!
HOW EVER! as I laid in it I realized a few things I didn't like.

first off I don't like how the zipper didn't go all the way around to remove the bug mesh.

second I don't like how close the rain tarp/fly was while on the ridge line. (this could just be me) and doesnt allow me to set up the hammock if its raining under it.
third its heavy!!!!!

so I returned it, not because its a bad hammock, not at all. but because its not what I am looking for!
like i stated im new to the hammock completely, but after watching about 20 shug videos about hammocks i have new ideas.

so this is the question of all questions......
i need a hammock that can do a few things.

1ST: off be a hammock that can remove the bug mesh for winter camping.

2nd: is really really light (was looking at the chameleon and the dream hammock )

3rd: needs to have a "water proof" bottom

4th: needs to be able to be set into a bivy, (hence the water proof bottom)

Im building a SHTF bag and want something that can cover all grounds.
that being said, i am open to ideas, this being one.
either a hammock that can doo all said above, OR a hammock that is a reg hammock, with removable bug net, light, with a tarp like cuben fiber to go over top, then just buy a separate bivy one man shelter.

i have looked into dd hammocks as well but i will pass on them

let me know your thoughts.

[TrailSlug]

I'm not sure you are going to find a hammock with a water proof bottom and most would have a tarp with their hammock in case they had to go to ground.

[Rob_man587]

I'm not sure you are going to find a hammock with a water proof bottom and most would have a tarp with their hammock in case they had to go to ground.

fair enough, i didnt want to carry a tarp on top of having a rain fly, kinda makes it heavier more stuff to carry Imo.

[mo_hunter]

Why would you ever carry a rain fly with a hammock and tarp?

Sorry I read that wrong. How about something like a superfly tarp. Not sure about a hammock with a waterproof bottom. Could use a piece of tyvek under your hammock if you have to goto the ground. You might also look at a Warbonnet XLC hammock.

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[Watertooner]

Welcome to HF! Your list of features make sense and probably can be purchased in a number of combos from a number of vendors except for, in my opinion, the waterproofed bottom. That feature will be difficult to find and will cause your system to be heavier (and you want the system to be lighter). How often do you anticipate needing to go to wet ground? Is it something about your area or style of camping or are you just trying to cover ALL the bases and still be light on the weight? What compromises are you willing/able to make?

[SilvrSurfr]

As TrailSlug mentioned, you're probably not going to find a hammock with a waterproof bottom. You need breathable material on a hammock, not a vapor barrier.

Any time you try to go dual purpose (hammock and ground mode), it's probably going to weigh more (you're already talking about buying a bivy, which is weight one would not normally carry with a hammock). I have a friend who always carries a bivy (only 11 ounces!!). In fact, he sleeps with a sleeping bag, inside of a bivy, inside of a hammock. It is truly humorous watching him turn in for the night - takes him about 15 minutes to get situated. However, he takes that bivy every time we camp. Needless to say, he's a SHTF fan, so he's usually packing 50 or 60 lbs. for an overnighter. He can't hike more than 4 miles with that load.

If you're already leaning toward a dual-purpose shelter, then a cuben fiber tarp doesn't make much sense. Your desire for dual purpose already throws you out of the "ultralight" category, so a cuben fiber tarp probably isn't going to result in any dramatic weight savings.

While I have a Chameleon, I don't consider it "really, really light." My 1.6 Hexon Woodland Camo Chameleon with bugnet weighs 20.25 ounces. Add a Beetle Buckle suspension and it's 26.3 ounces. Yes, the bugnet is removeable, but that only saves 4.3 ounces. The main reason I like my Chameleon is because of the bugnet (which can also be replaced with a topcover). My beagle Joey tries to jump out of my hammock if it has no bugnet or topcover, so it keeps him in place. And Dutch is always coming out with accessories for the Chameleon (like the Sidecar), which, of course, add weight.

While you're never going to be lightweight if you want dual purpose, you might want to look into a netless hammock like the HammockGear PolyD 1.4, at 9.95 ounces. You can then get a Buttinasling NanoBuginator SUL Fronkey bugnet that comes in around 5 ounces. Add Dutchware Whoopie Hook suspension at around 3.6 ounces, and you'll be at around 18.5 ounces for summer, or 13.5 ounces for winter (leave the bugnet at home).

[sunsetkayaker]

Some people use an underquilt protector that can double as a ground cloth.

[SilvrSurfr]

Also, it sounds like you're going to have to figure out under-insulation. While most hammock campers prefer underquilts, they're not really dual purpose, if going to ground. So you might have to use a pad to be truly dual purpose. However, many people find pads cause excessive condensation (I certainly do) when used in a hammock. I used a pad for two years in my hammock and have nothing good to say about it. Once you try an underquilt, I doubt you'll ever go back!

[Five Tango]

Sounds like you need a piece of Tyvek for a ground sheet,pad,hammock with removable net,tarp.No reason not to use a cuben tarp for your setup unless I missed something.Depending on where you will be,the necessity of going to ground might be frequent or rare.Where I live you can hardly walk for the trees so it's pretty rare.

[hutzelbein]

Hammocks are made to be hung, not to be used on the ground like a tent. You can do it, but I would never put a hammock on the ground unprotected! If a stick or stone pierces your tent bottom you can ignore it, or put some tape on it. If the same happens to your hammock, you will have to buy a new one sooner or later. So at the very least I would put a ground cloth under it. And if the ground cloth is waterproof, your hammock won't need to be. You wouldn't want a waterproof hammock anyway, unless you enjoy sleeping in a puddle of sweat.

I also would not focus too much on finding a hammock that is designed to work well on the ground, because as far as I know, there isn't one that does everything equally well. Either you get a great hammock or you get a great tent. Anything inbetween will always just be a compromise.

I think about hammocks like I do about clothes: would you ever try to buy one set of clothes that you can wear around the year, in summer when it's 100° as well as in winter when it's 0°? On sunny, dry days the same as on rainy days? Most people wouldn't. I don't know why hammocks should be different. If you want to stay as light as possible, consider a dedicated no-net hammock for winter instead of half an integrated hammock with half a zipper. No-net hammocks are cheap, and who has just one hammock anyways?

As far as I know, the lightest bug-proof hammocks are those which only have a zipper at one side, like the Dutch Half-Zipped or the Dream Hammock Darien. They're cheaper than hammocks with a fully removable bug net, too. You can probably get a no-net hammock for the price difference.

Regarding the tarp / rainfly - I'm not a native speaker, but I always thought that both are different words for the same thing... But correct me if I'm wrong.