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  1. #1
    Senior Member Rob3E's Avatar
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    Deet and the Hennessey Hammock

    When I'm going to expose my skin to biting insects, I usually deet it up. I keep reading on the forums that you should treat your hammock with permethrin, and keep the DEET away from the hammock, but when I read the deet warnings, they say nylon is okay for deet, and Hennessey, I think, uses nylon.

    So has anyone seen deet-related Hennessey failures, or is this just a general rule, "Don't get deet on synthetic fabrics," that gets misapplied to Hennessey?

    Keep in mind, I'm not planning on spraying my hammock with it. I'm planning on spraying myself, and then, eventually, getting into the hammock.

    I'm aware that I can treat hammock and clothes with permethrin, but that won't really help me because in this weather I'm not going to be able keep every inch of my skin covered, and I'm going to spend more time out of the hammock than in. It's my hope that the deet will keep the bugs off of my skin, and that way I'll be protected in and out of the hammock. I probably do have some synthetic fabrics that are susceptible to Deet, but most of those items are easily replaceable if there's a mishap. The hammock, on the other hand, is something I'd like to keep intact. Given that it's nylon (right?) and that I'm not applying deet directly to it, I figure it should be fine. But given the number of anti-deet things I've seen on the forum, I thought I'd see if anyone has any real experience with this.

  2. #2
    Senior Member bodhran4me's Avatar
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    I have used DEET on myself and my young lad and we have both used the HH BPUL and DD Frontline and never had any problems...so far! I do tend to only spray exposed areas of skin and sparingly at that.
    Hangin' High and Dry

  3. #3
    Senior Member Theosus's Avatar
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    I havent had an issue yet. I usually just deet up my legs and arms. no visible damage to the hammock. usually i use the deet in the morning, and since Im not in the hammock until nightfall most of the deet is probably gone.
    For more info, read:

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  4. #4
    Senior Member oldgringo's Avatar
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    The only time I've had a problem with DEET and synthetics, my hands were still wet from rubbing it on my face and arms. My sense is, you should be okay once the surface of the skin has dried. I'm avoiding the use of the word, absorbed, because I don't want to confront that.
    Dave

    "Loneliness is the poverty of self; solitude is the richness of self."~~~May Sarton

  5. #5
    SilvrSurfr's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rob3E View Post
    When I'm going to expose my skin to biting insects, I usually deet it up. I keep reading on the forums that you should treat your hammock with permethrin, and keep the DEET away from the hammock, but when I read the deet warnings, they say nylon is okay for deet, and Hennessey, I think, uses nylon.

    So has anyone seen deet-related Hennessey failures, or is this just a general rule, "Don't get deet on synthetic fabrics," that gets misapplied to Hennessey?

    Keep in mind, I'm not planning on spraying my hammock with it. I'm planning on spraying myself, and then, eventually, getting into the hammock.

    I'm aware that I can treat hammock and clothes with permethrin, but that won't really help me because in this weather I'm not going to be able keep every inch of my skin covered, and I'm going to spend more time out of the hammock than in. It's my hope that the deet will keep the bugs off of my skin, and that way I'll be protected in and out of the hammock. I probably do have some synthetic fabrics that are susceptible to Deet, but most of those items are easily replaceable if there's a mishap. The hammock, on the other hand, is something I'd like to keep intact. Given that it's nylon (right?) and that I'm not applying deet directly to it, I figure it should be fine. But given the number of anti-deet things I've seen on the forum, I thought I'd see if anyone has any real experience with this.
    From your post, it sounds like you really intend to spray your Hennessy with deet. "Dad, I'm not gonna do it, but what would happen if I flushed an M80 down the toilet?" And then you come home and the toilet is in pieces.

    As mentioned by others, spraying permethrin on your hammock is really going to help when you are in the hammock. You fall asleep and your arm rests against the bugnet? They're gonna get you, deet or no deet. Permethrin will protect you in the hammock. Spray it on your clothes and it's really going to help. Permethrin creates a no-fly zone that deet just doesn't address.

    I certainly wouldn't worry about topical applications of deet on your skin affecting your hammock, unless you're just slathering it on excessively and sleeping naked in your hammock. I can't stand the feel of deet on my skin, so when I know it's beddy-bye time, I usually wipe the stuff off with a wet one before retiring to the hammock.

    Deet for outside the hammock, permethrin when you're inside. You should be fine.

  6. #6
    Senior Member Brady's Avatar
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    I don't have pictures for you so I can't prove it but I had a bottle of a high DEET bug repellent leak in the back door of my Tacoma. The door pockets have a drain hole and it went out the bottom of the door and down the entire passenger side of my truck while cruising down the highway. I noticed it about two hours later when I went to grab the bottle. In that time, it ATE the paint off every surface it touched. Cost me $1900 to have them fix all the paint. DEET works, but I wouldn't get it on your hammock. Your call.

  7. #7
    Senior Member Rob3E's Avatar
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    Deet and the Hennessey Hammock

    Thanks for the input, everyone. So far it sounds like what it says on my bottle of deet mirrors other people's experiences: it can be really bad for some synthetic materials, but no one has seen it damage nylon. That's good news. I still don't plan on spraying my hammock with it, but it seems unlikely that a deet-covered me is going to damage the hammock.

  8. #8
    Senior Member oldgringo's Avatar
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    Tell you what...I'll take a little scrap of nylon and hose it down with deet. More later.
    Dave

    "Loneliness is the poverty of self; solitude is the richness of self."~~~May Sarton

  9. #9
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    I had DEET leak in a pack in my old Explorer. Ate through everything it pooled up on.

    I don't think a sprayable amount that may be on your body would eat through it, no.

    For clarification, DEET IS NOT ment to be sprayed directly on the skin. That's why most bug sprays are only 33% max. Absorbs in your epidermis 100% deet you spray your cuffs and clothing around openings to your skin.

    Permethrin, on the other hand is used in creams to treat stuff like scabies and chiggers, that can do directly on the skin.

  10. #10
    Senior Member oldgringo's Avatar
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    Test complete.

    I immersed a scrap of ripstop nylon, and a piece of polyester thread in 38% DEET for 2 hours. No apparent damage...could not tear the nylon, or break the thread.
    Dave

    "Loneliness is the poverty of self; solitude is the richness of self."~~~May Sarton

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