Reviews > Rain Gear > Jackets and Pants > Hennessy Hammock Cat Cape > Test Report by Kathryn Doiron

Hennessy Hammock Cat Cape

Product Information:

The Hennessy Hammock Cat Cape is a multifunctional piece of gear that works as a rain cape, a hammock fly and a pack cover. The Cat Cape is designed to work with the assymmetrical design of a Hennessy Hammock. In order to avoid compromising the fly with a big hole in the middle, the "opening" is along the side. A zipper runs up along one edge leaving space for the neck. Due to the asymmetrical nature of the hammock fly, one end is much longer then the other necessitating that the end must be tucked up and out of the way. The zipper has a pull tab on both sides of the Cape allowing for easy inside and outside access. The silnylon itself has a matt finish on the interior and a gloss finish on the exterior. Each corner has a plastic o-ring and a small plastic clip. Two of the corners have small reinforced pockets that contain thin guylines to stack out as a fly. All corners are reinforced and the edges are finished with a darker silnylon edging. As the Cape is so generously cut, it is easy to accommodate a pack underneath. The plastic o-rings allow easy attachment over the hammock.


Detail of the pocket in the reinforced corner with o-ring and clip

I wasn't initially sure how to wear the Cat Cape. The Cat Cape is not yet on the Hennessy Hammocks website at the time of my writing this report. As there was no opening and I didn't immediately notice the zipper, I was wondering how to wear the cape. Once I read the enclosed letter, I had more of an idea of how to wear the cape. The cape was easy to drape around my shoulders and the zipper was fairly easy to work. I was especially glad to see that the zipper had a pull tab on both sides as zipping up from the outside would have be awkward.

Once I had the cape zipped up, I was more then a little disappointed that the cape had no hood. I guess the definition of cape doesn't include hood. So while I can keep myself, my pack and later my hammock dry, I can't keep my head dry. I will be carrying a hat when using this out in the rain as well as playing around with various configurations of wearing the cape. I also wonder at how well the cape will be at keeping water from dripping down through the neck opening. The opening isn't extremely generous but since there isn't even a collar, there may be a possibility of rain entering from the neck opening.


Detail of the neck with the zipper

Wearing the cape a little, I noticed that the left side trails on the ground. This is due to the asymmetrical cut of the cape to work as a fly. I tucked it up under my belt but it leaves me wondering how well this slippery material will stay under my hip belt when hiking. I will be keeping an eye on this and try various ways to keep the end from trailing on the ground. When I folded the cape up to store it, I noticed that when I folded it roughly in half, it is almost rectangular. Makes for easy folding.

Attempt to show the whole Cat Cape, doesn't really do it justice

I currently own two hammocks by Hennessy so I should have no issues convincing the Cat Cape to attach to the hammock attachment points. The hammocks are different sizes and I will be curious to see how well the fly works with each hammock. I will also be curious to see how well the cape will work as both cape and shelter cover when it is raining out.

My test plan over the next couple of months will be to use the Cat Cape on all my outdoor activities including hiking and backpacking trips. My trips will be mostly in the George Washington National Forest and the Shenandoah National Park.

This concludes my initial report on the Hennessy Hammock Cat Cape. The field report will be appended onto this report in two months time (around December) and will include field testing. Please check back then for further information on the Cat Cape.


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Reviews > Rain Gear > Jackets and Pants > Hennessy Hammock Cat Cape > Test Report by Kathryn Doiron