How tight to hang a Hennessy

**bigcranky** · 06-12-2008, 15:20

Greetings to the Forum:

I have recently switched back to using my Hennessy Hammock, and with the help of reading these forums, I've added a nice webbing suspension system and a new Maccat Deluxe tarp. Nice. Easy to set up. Plenty of coverage. Etc. I particularly like being able to hang the tarp first, then the hammock underneath, using a fairly loose hang with the webbing straps.

My hiking partner tried my setup, and immediately ordered his own new HH Explorer UL. He is planning to use the stock tarp attached to the stock hammock suspension. So here's my issue: He's a big guy, and when we first set up his hammock, there seemed to be a LOT of tension on the ridge line cord.

How tightly should we be pulling his hammock suspension? It seems like it needs to be very tight, to keep the tarp nice and tight along the ridge line. But I could be wrong about that. Can we loosen up the main suspension system and still keep the tarp taut? (He won't be able to swap out for a webbing system before we go hiking next week.)

I never noticed this issue with my own HH using the stock suspension/tarp, but I haven't used my hammock in about five years, so maybe I'm just forgetful. (Happens at my age.)

Anyway, thanks for any suggestions. And many thanks for all the resources on this web site. I'll post some photos when we get back from our hike.

**Coffee** · 06-12-2008, 15:28

When I used my stock hh, I tightened it down as much as I could. Out of the box it will stretch a lot. Tie it up, sit down on it and bounce around, then tighten it up again.

I now use a DIY Speer with webbing and ring buckles. I tighten it up a lot. Usually it will loosen enough overnight to undo it without any problems.

**FanaticFringer** · 06-12-2008, 15:51

Yep hang it tight. When using it as a chair, hang it loose until desired comfort is reached.

**Youngblood** · 06-12-2008, 16:32

My advice is different.

First, hang the tarp separately. Second, hang the hammock not so taut, but with some slack. The key is to hang it at a height that is proportional to the span, or separation between trees. Try tying it off about shoulder high for 12 foot spans, head high for 15 foot spans, and as high as you can reach for 18 feet and beyond.

When you hang the hammock initially with some slack, you don't get as much stretch when you get in the hammock.

**headchange4u** · 06-12-2008, 16:57

There is a really great thread on this subject here..

Also check out these threads for more info:
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...tight+hennessy
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...tight+hennessy

**BillyBob58** · 06-12-2008, 17:40

These days, I don't hang it as tight as I used to, and I think it works better overall. This came from an acidental discovery: I had my shiny new hitchcraft device, and I inadvertantly tightened well beyond anything I had been able to do before even with cinch buckles. It was just so easy to do that I didn't realize I had torqued it that much. When I got in the comfort was ruined. OTOH, the Hitchcraft made adjustment so easy that I started experimenting with quick very small changes and discovered that a looser hang was definitely more comfortable for me.

But if there is going to be a problem it will be the net hanging too loose. But I don't have any more trouble with that since I cut the RL and added a screw thingy, as per Angrysparrows directions. I'm thinking that, despite my best efforts, I may have shortened the RL just a little bit ( or maybe the opposite, lengthened it?). With the effect that less tension still more than adequately adjusts the net to be out of my face.

So these days, I try to go more for hanging higher on the tree with all my hammocks, and then only pull on the Speer end knot with moderate tension, enough to straighten the line, but loose enough that if I pull hard on it I can still stretch it out a bit more. As per HH directions, I just apply "moderate" tension, with hopefully some sag between the hammock/suspension rope and tree. When I hang this way, I always get less additional sag after I get in, and the hammock just seems more comfy.

But as you start hanging more loosely, and higher on the tree, you may have trouble with a loose net. But if you can deal with this some how ( side tie outs maybe?), I think you will find the hammock otherwise more comfortable. But, maybe not!

PS:
I should add that, one way I know it's too loose even for me is that if, once I get in, there is any significant sag in the RL, which usually means that the net is also going to be hanging low. Then I just tighten it a bit more so that once I am in, the RL is just nice and straight, but still not way tight. I still end up capable of, if I desired, tightening it a good bit more past this point, but I don't. Again, remember, my possibly slightly altered RL length may be allowing me to do this and still not have net problems. You may just have to experiment to find what works for you in your individual hammock.

**bigcranky** · 06-12-2008, 20:49

Thanks, everyone.

**neo** · 06-13-2008, 12:14

Originally Posted by bigcranky

Greetings to the Forum:

I have recently switched back to using my Hennessy Hammock, and with the help of reading these forums, I've added a nice webbing suspension system and a new Maccat Deluxe tarp. Nice. Easy to set up. Plenty of coverage. Etc. I particularly like being able to hang the tarp first, then the hammock underneath, using a fairly loose hang with the webbing straps.

My hiking partner tried my setup, and immediately ordered his own new HH Explorer UL. He is planning to use the stock tarp attached to the stock hammock suspension. So here's my issue: He's a big guy, and when we first set up his hammock, there seemed to be a LOT of tension on the ridge line cord.

How tightly should we be pulling his hammock suspension? It seems like it needs to be very tight, to keep the tarp nice and tight along the ridge line. But I could be wrong about that. Can we loosen up the main suspension system and still keep the tarp taut? (He won't be able to swap out for a webbing system before we go hiking next week.)

I never noticed this issue with my own HH using the stock suspension/tarp, but I haven't used my hammock in about five years, so maybe I'm just forgetful. (Happens at my age.)

Anyway, thanks for any suggestions. And many thanks for all the resources on this web site. I'll post some photos when we get back from our hike.

i used the winch on my jeep to pull mine real tight

neo

**elcolombianito** · 06-13-2008, 13:04

Ive owned the hammock for 6 months and for the last 5 months Ive used the same "technique" under very different circumstances, and never had to undo a thing after setting up, unless i want to change the hanging spot.
With everything in the snakeskins, I normally put the treehuggers at a hight just above my forehead (the foot end a bit higher than the head end,. great tip BW) and pull the ropes tight enough to form a straight line connecting tree to tree. As i make the "figure eight knot" i try to let the knot as tigh as posible by pulling really hard everytime i form an eight.
Then, I try to feel the ridgeline through the snakeskins to make sure its stiff enough that it makes a snaping sound like a guitar's string. Then, just remove snakeskins, sit on the outside of the hammock to extra tighten the rope knots, and voila! EVerything is quite perfect: hammock sag(allows most comfortable flatness), net sag(never feel the net on my face o feet, its always far from them, no matter how tight the side guys are), hammock level doesnt change (never wake up closer to the ground), and the space... I just feel I'm inside a big one person hanging tent.