Hennessy Hammock Jungle Expedition Asym zip
|
Tester
Information
|
|
| Name:
|
David
Wilkes |
|
E-Mail:
|
amatbrewer@yahoo.com
|
|
Age:
|
50 |
|
Location:
|
Yakima
Washington USA |
|
Gender:
|
M |
|
Height:
|
5'11"
(1.80 m) |
|
Weight:
|
200 lb (90.7 kg) |
|
Biography:
I started
backpacking
in 1995 when I moved to Washington State. Since then, I have
backpacked in all seasons and conditions the Northwest has to
offer. I prefer trips on
rugged trails with plenty of elevation gain. While I continuously
strive to lighten my load, comfort and safety are most important to me.
I have finally managed to get my basic cold weather pack weight, not
including consumables, to under 30 lb (14 kg).
|
|
Product
Information
|
|
Manufacturer:
|
Hennessy Hammock |
|
Year
of Manufacture:
|
2016 |
|
Manufacturer’s
Website:
|
hennessyhammock.com/ |
|
MSRP:
|
219.95 US$
|
Height Limit
|
6 ft (183 cm) tall
|
Weight Limit
|
250 lbs (114 kg)
|
|
|
Product
Description:Hennessy
created a new version of a few of their existing hammocks. In these,
they have replaced the unique bottom entry that they are known for with
a side zip entry. This is the side zip version of their Jungle
Expedition hammock, and is a complete shelter system including an
asymmetrical hammock with attached bug netting, and detachable tarp
(rain fly). Like all Hennessy hammocks, this system includes the
hanging system (rope and webbing tree straps) as standard equipment.
This version includes a two-layer bottom feature to further protect the
user from bug bites as well as provide a space to insert a layer of
insulation. The version I received included 3 optional features:
“Snakeskins” (stuff sack for hammocks), “Radiant DoubleBubble”
insulation pad, and the “HH20 AutoMagic Water Collector & Rainfly
Tensioner System”. Note that at the time of this report, Hennessy is
including the fly tensioners and SnakeSkins free with every online
hammock order.
|
|
Initial
Report
|
|
May 9 2016
 Manufacturer’s specifications:
- Packed Weight: 3 lbs / 1360 g
- Packed Size: 5" x 6" x 10" / 13 x 15 x 25.5 cm
- Hammock Fabric: Double Layer of 40D Nylon
- Bottom Fabric Dimensions: 120" x 59" / 305 x 150 cm
- Mesh: 30D No-See-Um netting
- Suspending Ropes: 10' / 3 m long 1600 lb. test polyester rope
- Webbing Straps: 1.5" x 42" / 4 cm x 1 m black polyester
- Rainfly Weight: 11 oz / 310 g
- Rainfly Fabric: 70D polyurethane coated polyester ripstop
- Rainfly Dimensions: Parallelogram 63" X 99" / 160cm X 252cm Diagonal length above ridgeline 132" / 335cm
- Color: Forest Green
- Stuff Sack: Logo and set up instructions printed on ripstop polyester bag (1 oz/~28 g )
Measured weights:
- Entire system: 3lb 8 oz (1.586 kg)
- Insulating pad: 10.75 oz (305 g)
- Water Collector & Rainfly Tensioner System: 0.8 oz (11 g) each
- Tree Strap: 1.5 oz (43 g) each
- Rainfly: 21 oz (344 g)
- SnakeSkin: 3.5 oz (100 g) set
- Hammock: 2 lb 4.4 oz (1.03 kg)
 First
impressions: Upon opening the stuff sack the hammock comes in, I was
immediately impressed with the quality of the material and
construction. The main material of the hammock feels thin and light
while also strong and durable. The stitching and other construction
details appear to be high quality and without any flaws that I have
been able to find. The bug netting appears to be quite strong and also
of high quality. I also notice the almost complete lack of metal
hardware. With the exception of the zipper the system is designed to
avoid the use of metal hardware both for the durability aspect (no
corrosion) and to reduce weight. As I go over the hammock and
associated items, the more I look the more I seem to keep finding new
features. So many that it would be tedious to go into them here, so I
will highlight some and save others for the body of the review. One
consistency I am finding with this system is the effort that was made
to make it as versatile and customizable as possible, which is
something I really appreciate.
 The
included tarp, or rain fly (I will use the terms interchangeably),
reflecting the desire to minimize weight and bulk is appears to be just
barley large enough to cover the hammock, which as I will delve into
later in this report has both advantages and possible disadvantages. I
would comment here that while I received the standard tarp for this
hammock, there is an option to receive a larger tarp in place of this
one, I believe at no additional charge, and there are other tarps that
Hennessy offers separately. I make it a habit of seam sealing any
tarp/rainfly I get unless I am sure the manufacturer has already done
that. I was unable to find any information on if the rain fly has been
seam sealed, so I used the Contact Us link on the manufacturer's page
and asked if the tarps were sealed. I received a response a few
hours later stating "Our rain flies all have been sealed and coated and
are ready to use."
The included tarp is asymmetrical to match
the hammock. Like just about everything else in this system the tarp
has options regarding how it can be used. The basic set up is to simply
connect the included plastic rings to clips that come already attached
to the hammock suspension rope by a “prusik” knot (a bidirectional
friction knot). I would mention that the knot used on my hammock is a
slight variation of the classic prusik, and not a version I have ever
seen before. I am unsure as to the reason this version was used other
than maybe to help prevent the knot from coming undone when not under
tension. I am intrigued as to any possible advantages or disadvantages
this version may have. The tarp also arrived with light (but seemingly
very strong) cords attached to all 4 corners. Obviously 2 are for
tethering the tarp ends down while in use and the other two allow the
tarp to be suspended in a different manner, including as a standalone
tarp (without the hammock) or when using the hammock as a ground
shelter (like a non-freestanding tent). I will go into the various
setup options more later in the test series. I would note that one
thing the system did not include is stakes for the tarp, so I will be
using a pair of lightweight aluminum stakes I already have.
 The
body of the hammock is made out of two layers of 40D nylon. The double
layer serves two purposes. Per the name “Jungle”, the system is
designed to be effective in areas with lots of bugs, mainly mosquitoes,
and the additional layer is intended to make it difficult if not
impossible for a mosquito to penetrate. The second reason is to provide
a pocket for an insulating layer and Hennessy offers a lightweight
insulating option for this, but other insulation including the classic
blue closed cell foam pad could be used. As noted above, as part of
this test I received the optional “Radiant Double Bubble Pad”. I would
describe this pad as a combination of bubble wrap and a space blanket.
There are two openings between the hammock layers to insert the pad.
Even knowing they were there, I found these openings difficult to find
the first time, and after struggling to insert the pad, I realized the
opening at the head end (yes I was trying to insert it at the foot end)
is larger making inserting/removing the pad easer. Between the two
layers of the hammock there are attachment points to hold the
insulating pad in place. The one at the head end is simply a clip,
while the one at the foot is a clip on an elastic cord. At the same
locations as the insulating pad openings there are also external tether
points that include elastic cord and clips. These are intended to be
attached to the corners of the tarp thereby spreading out the head and
foot end of the hammock providing more room and comfort and something
else I will discuss later in the series. The system includes a built in
bug net, which is permanently stitched to the hammock and has a double
zipper running the entire length of the hammock for entry/exit (as
opposed to the bottom entry of previous Hennessy hammocks). The net
seems to be strong and of high quality. Inside of the hammock at the
head end tie out point is another elastic cord with a plastic clip. It
took a bit of thinking and searching the internet, but it appears to be
used to hold the net back away from the users face when the user wants
to leave the netting open. The ends of the hammock are bunched together
and wrapped in some material making it difficult to see how the hammock
is attached to the suspension system. Based on some research and
looking at the item I received I can say the hammock ends are bunched
and stitched to flat straps. The suspension rope is attached to those
straps. I mention this as Hennessy has modified this over time and this
is the latest version, and the hammock community seems to have a
fondness for modifying equipment (I know I sure do) and there are many
preferences regarding suspension. I myself have 3 other hammocks all
using different suspension systems. As noted in the specifications, the
suspension rope is 10’ (3m) long 5mm (0.2") thick, and very strong
(1600lb / 725kg test). I found this rope to be rather stiff, but
suspect it will soften with use. I would also note that while it seems
possible to replace the suspension system, doing so would void the
warrantee. Another detail about this hammock is the included structural
ridgeline which includes a 2 section gear storage pouch mad of the same
material as the bug netting, and two small plastic clips (aka glove
clips). I don’t normally use a structural ridgeline in my other
hammocks and I believe Hennessy has a patent on this so is the only
vendor that can include it in their product. A structural ridgeline has
advantages and disadvantages, and I will discuss this feature more
later when I describe my use of the hammock.
 Included
with the product is a pair of 42” (1m) long, 1.5" (4cm) wide “Tree
Hugger” straps. I will go into their use later in this test series. I
would note here that the forces resulting from hanging a hammock from a
tree with only rope can damage or even kill the tree. As such is it is
common to use at least a 1” (2.5cm) strap to distribute the pressure
over a larger area and thereby reduce the risk of damage to the tree.
There are some places that specify that tree straps must be used
(I believe some actually specify the straps must be 2” (5cm) or
wider), and some places are considering banning hammock’s entirely due
to the potential damage. An additional consideration is that often
whatever I wrap around the tree will get covered in sticky tree sap. So
having something I can store separately, helps me keep the sap from
getting all over my hammock and other gear. As such, I cannot
overstress the importance of using separate tree straps and appreciate
that Hennessy makes these a standard part of their hammocks. Upon
looking at these straps they seem simple and well-constructed. I would
note here that the tree straps I normally carry are much longer than
these and sometimes the trees in my area will be larger than the 42”
(1m) in diameter, however Hennessy offers alternative length (and
width) straps that can be ordered in addition to or in place of the
standard size.
There are numerous methods of suspending a hammock
and the Hennessey systems are no exception. Hennessey stresses avoiding
the use of unnecessary hardware as well as methods that can cause
damage to the suspension. As such they suggest a method of wrapping the
line rather than using knots and or hardware. The topic is far too
involved to go into detail here and I have used a number of methods
including the wrap that Hennessy recommends, so I will go into the
methods I use more later in the test series and invite the reader to
research the topic separately.
As mentioned above, I also
received the optional “SnakeSkins”. SnakeSkins are a kind of stuff sack
for hammocks. They consist of two tapered tubes of material, in this
case the same material as the tarp constructed from. When used the
SnakeSkins act as a kind of sheath over the hammock and/or tarp
resulting in a snake looking tube. I would note in standing with the
versatility of the system the SnakeSkins can be used for just the
hammock, just the tarp, or both together. The idea is that the
tarp/hammock can be suspended as desired while wrapped in the sheath
protecting it from getting wet and/or dirty, then the skins are simply
pulled back towards the ends suspension and exposing the tarp/hammock.
To pack it back up, simply slide the SnakeSkins down over the
tarp/hammock, then disconnect the suspension from the tree straps, and
pack it away. At least that is the idea. My first attempt at using them
were a bit clumsy, so I am looking forward to seeing if these are worth
the extra weight.
One final option I received is the water
collector and tarp tensioner system. This consists of two clear plastic
funnels designed to fit on the somewhat standard soda bottle type
threads used by many bottles and hydration systems. They include a
built-in wire mesh filter to help keep debris and bugs out of the
water. The intent is to hang these on the ends of the tarp so they will
catch the rain and add weight to help tension the tarp. It is an
ingenious solution that while I don’t know if I really need, I am
looking forward to trying out.
Likes: Lightweight, versatile, lots of features
Concerns:
Bulkier than some other shelter systems I use, the tarp does not appear
to be large enough to protect me from some of the weather I might
encounter.
|
Field
Report
|
| August 24 2016 Usage
1 night in my backyard (Temp about 50F/10C)
3 nights Central Cascades (elevation around 3400’/1040m, Overnight Temps 40F/4C, rain)
3 nights Central Cascades (elevation 3500’/1060m, Overnight Temps 40F/4C)
4 nights campground Salt Lake City Utah (Hot days and quite warm nights)
As
with much of my gear my first use of this hammock was setting it up in
my backyard to familiarize myself with how it sets up and it’s various
options and configurations. The two outings were trail maintenance
trips, the first involved a base camp at the trail head and daily hikes
up the access trail to clear fallen logs, the second involved a 5 mile
(8km) hike to a base camp and more daily hikes to clear the trail.
Since most of the trail is in designated wilderness we are required to
use hand tools, no power tools, so by the end of the day what I wanted
most was a hot meal and a dry comfortable place to collapse for the
night.
Hanging the Hennessey is rather intuitive and the built
in structural ridgeline makes getting the hang right quite easy. FYI
getting my other hammocks set to the right angle for a comfortable hang
is something I constantly struggle with. The Hennessey system makes
this almost idiot proof. From my experience and research, the ideal
hang for a hammock tends to be around 30 deg. Attempting to hang a
hammock at 30deg when tree spacing is quite far can result in needing a
rather long length of line and attaching quite high up the tree in
order to keep the hammock off the ground. For the Hennessey I simply
need to hang the hammock such that the ridgeline is tight regardless of
how far apart the trees are and I am good to go. I would like to
digress for a moment to discuss how a hammock hangs and a bit of
trigonometry. In order to minimize the strain on the system as well as
what the hammock is hanging from (e.g. trees) it is ideal to have the
suspension hanging at a 45deg angle. The more the suspension deviates
from this the more strain the system has to endure to the point where
both sides of the suspension system can easily be under stress that
exceeds the weight of the person in the hammock. I won’t get into the
math, but this can easily result in the suspension being far from
the ideal 45deg and therefore significantly more stress to the
suspension. The ridge line allows me to simply stretch the lines out
taut while the hammock itself is always at the ideal hang angle. This
can mean the suspension is under considerable strain, but the lines and
straps are so over engineered, that I have no problem doing this.
On
a related note Hennessy recommends a method of wrapping the rope
around/through the straps that distributes the load across a
significant length of the line and thereby avoids the two major issues
with knots. One being that most knots pinch the rope and/or have at
least one tight bend that results in reducing the strength of the rope.
This can easily weaken the rope by half or more. The second is that
most knots can, after being under strain for extended periods of time
become difficult if not impossible to untie. Moisture can make this
even worse. After experimenting with many different methods of
attaching my hammocks I can say with confidence that the Hennessey wrap
does work, should increase the working life of the rope, and is quite
easy to untie even after being used for multiple nights (even wet).
However, there are other methods that have their own advantages. And at
least in my opinion, with the way the Hennessey system is over
engineered, the strength advantage of the Hennessy wrap is not really
necessary. After experimenting with the various hanging methods that I
have used over the years including the recommended wrap, I have elected
to use my favorite system involving a light weight carabineer on each
line and version of the larks head knot that I believe is called a cow
hitch. While this may not be the strongest or lightest method, I find
it easy to tie, very versatile (works if I am using the straps or even
if I am simply clipping to eye bolts), and easy to adjust. FYI I have
found if I ask 3 hammock users what the best method for hanging a
hammock is I will probably get 4 answers, and all will probably be
touted as the ONLY one I should use. Therefore, I use what my
experience has shown to work for me. And this method has yet to fail me.
On
my first use of the hammock, a night in my backyard, I discovered a
modification I needed to make. After getting out of my hammock during
the night I managed to trip over one of the tarp guy lines and just
about ended up in my koi pond. So I replaced the side guy lines with
some reflective ones I use for my other tarps. I also removed the other
two guy lines as I found they were getting in my way when setting up
and taking the hammock down. I do like how strong and light these lines
are so I store those in the hammock storage pocket in case I need them.
E.g. hang the tarp separately from my hammock.
For my
first night in the hammock, I was using the included insulating pad.
The temperatures dropped down to around 50F (10c) and I found I could
feel a few cold spots, so for me that is about the lower “comfort”
limit of the system. During some of my other trips temperatures have
gone down to about 40F (4C) and I combined my inflatable sleeping pad
with the Hennessey one and was quite comfortable. I suspect I could
probably be comfortable down to a little under freezing with that
configuration. During my trip to Salt Lake City Utah, I experienced
conditions more in line with what hammocks are best for; Warm (hot?)
nights. My first night I slept in my tent, or at least attempted to. I
was sweating and miserable all night. I suspect the temperatures did
not get much below 80F (26C). The following night I put up my hammock
with the ends of the tarp suspended so that I could get some airflow
above/under me and had a wonderfully comfortable night. The following
two nights the temperature dropped a bit and at first I used my
sleeping bag under me as insulation and then used the Hennessey pad and
both worked quite well.
So far I have not used the straps
supplied with the hammock much. When applying for this test I knew from
experience the standard length straps that come with the Hennessey are
too small for most of the trees and tree placements that I encounter.
In hindsight I probably should have requested a longer set. But as I
already have longer straps having the shorter ones could prove useful.
In my yard I have hung my hammock from eye bolts so didn't use straps.
The first of my two trail maintenance trips I was able to use one of
the supplied straps on one small tree but had to use a longer one of my
own for the other end. On my other trip, the size of the trees and the
spacing made it necessary for me to use my longer straps. While in Salt
Lake, my only option for hanging the hammock was between two trees
slightly too far apart for the supplied straps to work so I use my own.
However, I shared my camp with someone who just happened to also have a
Hennessey hammock (bottom entry type) and his straps were also too
short but combined with mine were long enough for him to hang. As such
I don’t have much to say about the straps aside for that to the limited
extent I have used them they have worked, are easy to use, and seem
quite well constructed. I would comment the first time I did use the
one strap, it ended up getting tree sap on it and so I have been
storing it in a separate bag from my other gear.
I have
kind of a love/like view of the snakeskins. I love how simple
setup/take down is with them. And knowing I can set up my shelter in
the pouring rain without risk of it getting wet (wish I could say that
about my tent) is really great. There are two things about them that
are in my opinion less than ideal. First is that when using them I find
the hammock system does not pack down as much as it could otherwise,
and so it is a bit bulky. Second (and the one I found a solution for)
is that it makes it difficult to tell which end is the head/foot when I
am hanging it. To address this second thing I picked up two half-size,
climbing rated, carabineers of different colors. I attached the red to
the head end (my wife is a read head so this is easy to remember) and
the green to the foot. Now when I pull the hammock out I know exactly
which end is which.
There are two features I would like to
comment on. First is the mesh storage pocket that hangs from the ridge
line (see photo in Initial Report section). This is made of the same
mesh as the insect netting and is divided into two separate pockets.
This has really been handy for the little items I may want to have with
me in the hammock such as my light, car keys, etc. I like that I can
slide it up towards my head to access the contents and then pushed back
down towards my feet so it is out of the way. The second feature is the
piece of elastic line attached inside the hammock near the head end.
This can be extended out to the guy line and it holds the bug netting
out of the way when not needed. I find this to be a nice feature that I
don’t think I would ever have thought of. I would note that there are
two extra clips attached to the ridge line for hanging items, but to be
frank I keep forgetting they are there and so have yet to use them.
I
have become very fond of the prussic knots that are used to
attach/tension the tarp. It makes setting up the hammock so simple. I
simply loosen the tarp when I am taking my hammock down and then
tighten it again once I have finished attaching and tensioning the
hammock suspension lines. I would mention that upon seeing the size of
the standard tarp I received I had some concerns about its ability to
keep me dry. I fully expected to order the larger version or use my
own. However, the first night in the field with the Hennessey it
rained, really hard. In the morning everything was wet, except for me!
I was amazed at how well it worked. Despite heavy rain, the hammock and
I, remained perfectly dry. I have yet to experience rain with strong
wind, which could be a challenge for this system, but since it is
something that I rarely encounter, I am not concerned as I could simply
stake the tarp ends down close to the hammock.
If I were
to nitpick about anything, it would be the included insulation. It is a
bit bulky to carry, far bulkier than what I normally use, and as
mentioned above maybe not as effective. At least once I have woken up
during the night to find that I had shifted to where I was no longer
laying on the Hennessey pad. I would note that this was during a warm
night so was not an issue, and had it been cold, I could have easily
have shifted back onto the pad so this is a very minor thing. I would
mention that I ran into Tom Hennessy at the 2016 Summer Outdoor
Retailer Show and while asking him about some of his other products he
did give me a tip about dealing with the bulk of the insulation. His
suggestion is to roll it up into a tube and use it to line the inside
of my pack, which would not only help to deal with the bulk but also
help to protect items in my pack. I’ll have to try that.
There
is one other nitpick that I have yet to resolve. The zipper extends to
the far ends of the hammock which allows the netting to open completely
and makes getting in/out easer. But I find once I am in the hammock, it
is a bit difficult to get my old fat body to bend far enough where I
can reach it. The best solution I have come up with so far is to partly
close the foot end before getting in, and grab it with my toes. But
since I normally sleep with socks on, that can be difficult. I am going
to see if I can come up with a better method.
Overall I am
not really finding anything about this hammock that I don’t like. There
are some things I really love and a few things that are OK, and/or may
take some getting used to, but nothing I don’t like. There has also
been one or two things that were a pleasant surprise, such as how such
a small tarp could keep me dry.
|
Long
Term Report |
| October 23 2016 | Usage
3 days Central Washington Cascades (about 5200'/ 1585 m)
 Despite
some of the best weather I have seen in the Pacific North West in 20
years, I only managed one completely ‘recreational’ backpacking trip
this season. 3 days at a lake just off of the Pacific Crest Trail. I
left work a little early, grabbed my gear and drove to the trailhead.
Almost immediately it started raining. It was a light rain but it
did not stop until sometime that night. So after the short hike to the
lake, I set up my camp in the rain, did a bit of exploring, made
dinner, and retired to my Hennessy early with my phone loaded with a
couple of books and a bunch of pod casts. The system is really great
for relaxing in.
While setting up camp in the rain is
never what I would call “fun”, the Hennessy Hammock with snake skins
made this quite easy and quick. I was able to set up my hammock and
deploy the tarp without the hammock getting wet. Then place my pack and
other gear under the tarp to finish setting up camp. Knowing the
weather forecast was for temperatures getting down to around 35F (2C) I
brought along a homemade under-quilt system I am working on (includes 2
thin quilts for versatility). I found the tarp did not quite cover the
quilt, so the edge of the quilt got a little wet. If there was any wind
this would have been worse, and being down it could have been a
problem. However since the system was designed with its own insulation
system in mind, I can’t fault it for not covering my ad hock system.
The first night the my thin single layer quilt along with the Hennessy
insulation was enough to keep me from being cold, but I did detect a
few cold spots in the wee hours of the morning. So the second night I
added my second quilt layer and was very comfortable.
As
may be evident in the picture, I could probably have been able to use
the supplied straps with at least one of the trees I ended up hanging
from, but as I did not know that in advance I only had my own larger
straps with me.
In summary, I really like the system. The
system as supplied serves a large range of temperatures and works great
in the rain. The snake skins make setup and packing quick and easy even
in bad weather so are well worth their weight and the resulting added
bulk when packed. I see very limited use for the supplied short straps
at least in the areas I have visited, so in hindsight I would go with
one of the larger sets. The same is true for the tarp. I appreciate how
well, despite its small size it covers the hammock but I would prefer
to use one of the larger versions available or my own. So after the
conclusion of this test I will probably start using my own larger tarp
in place of the supplied one, but that is only because I already have
it. If I did not already have a suitable larger tarp I would probably
have already ordered the larger Hennessy tarps (which is what I really
want, but I can’t justify purchasing another tarp…my wife would kill
me).
|
This
concludes
my Report. I would like to thank the folks at Hennessy Hammock and BackpackGearTest.org
for the opportunity to test this product.
|
|
