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  1. #1
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    Hammock noob needs advice

    Hey folks. I'm new here and completely new to hammocks. I've been debating picking one up for this years camping season. Not sure at all where to begin. I've been looking at the Hennessy Explorer Ultralite A-Sym. Seems to come with everything I'd need. Plus a free extra tarp and snake skins promotion. What do you all think of this particular hammock? Any issues with it? Should I start with something less expensive? What other gear would I need to use it? Thanks for the help! I hope to learn a lot here.

  2. #2
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    hey, welcome aboard!

    Hennessy is a good choice - but I don't think you could go wrong with any hammock, really. It's more about what suits you, but of course, no one knows that when they get started. If you've never been in a hammock before, you might check out a cheaper/returnable model or a borrowed hammock and read up on a bunch of the threads in the subforums for the different hammock types before springing for a whole setup.

    Two links any newbie should have - the primer on camping in a hammock and the cheap test hammock instructions.
    http://www.tothewoods.net/HammockCamping.html
    http://www.imrisk.com/testhammock/testhammock.htm

    I'd get 4 yards for the test hammock - a little longer and it would be easier to try a diagonal and see how flat you can get.

  3. #3
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    lori thanks for the links. They are very informative. Basically I'm looking for something the right size. I'm 6' tall and ~180 lbs. I wouldn't mind a little extra space to move around but I don't want anything too heavy or bulky. Durability is a big plus for me. I'd also like something in a more 'subdued' color. It may seem trivial but, to me, bright colors just seem out of place in the woods. I think your right about being ok with pretty much whatever I choose. I'm new to it so I probably wouldn't notice the differences from one hammock to the other. I'd like to get something well built enough to last for a while. If I try it once and don't like it I figure I can probably sell it somewhere. I doubt, however, that I won't like it. The idea of suspended sleeping seems perfect for me. I can't believe I'm only now getting into this!

  4. #4
    Senior Member pedro's Avatar
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    I agree with Lori. those two sites are great primers on the subject. The Hennessy has been described as the gateway drug of hammocks. That's certainly the way it went for me. I've gone away from them and down the top loader route, very much influenced by JustJeff and Risk. If you can sew at all, my advice would be to make a very basic hammock first, and see if you like it. It's very cheap to try this way, and adding a bugnet and tarp doesn't need to cost much either. I'm perfectly happy with a plain top loader. My point is if it ain't broke, don't blow the rent money to fix it.

  5. #5
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    Pedro, what do you mean by top loader? I'm assuming you mean something that you just lay down on rather than coming up through the bottom like on the Hennessy's? I'd be fine with that but I like the idea of an attached bug net. I'm probably not too good at sewing so I'd like avoid doing any modifications my self if it's possible. At least for the time being.

  6. #6
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    there's lots of top loaders with attached bug net commercially available, just look in the forums under manufactuer's forums to see all the hammock manufactuers. some offer plain no net hammocks and some offer mosquito net integrated versions, but there's at least 5-6 different brands of top loading mosquito hammocks out there

  7. #7
    Senior Member chiefams's Avatar
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    one of them being warbonnetguy's blackbird!!! check it out

  8. #8
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    Thanks warbonnetguy! Any specific one you'd recommend looking at?

  9. #9
    Senior Member Ramblinrev's Avatar
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    I have a HH Explorer Ultralight and like it very much. However and everyone says... it is a personal issue and it would make sense to try some of them first. If you could get to one of the close regional events you could kind of shop the field so to speak.
    I may be slow... But I sure am gimpy.

    "Bless you child, when you set out to thread a needle don't hold the thread still and fetch the needle up to it; hold the needle still and poke the thread at it; that's the way a woman most always does, but a man always does t'other way."
    Mrs. Loftus to Huck Finn

    We Don't Sew... We Make Gear! video series

    Important thread injector guidelines especially for Newbies

    Bobbin Tension - A Personal Viewpoint

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by smcclown View Post
    Thanks warbonnetguy! Any specific one you'd recommend looking at?
    well, i'm kinda biased towards the ones i make/sell, the warbonnet blackbird of course

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