Owner Review - Hennessy Hammock Safari Asym

Reviewer Information

Name:                          Dylan Anderson
Age:                             23
Gender:                        Male
Height:                         5’10” / 178 cm
Weight:                        175 lbs / 79 kg
Email address:              HUM469@yahoo.com
City, State, Country:      Phoenix, AZ U.S.A.
Date:                            October 8th, 2004
Backpacking Background:  I started hiking at 5, and in 18 years I’ve traveled everywhere.  From Alaska’s glaciers to Hawaii’s Kalalau, Grand Canyon lows to the heights of Colorado and Washington I’ve challenged everything.  My home, Phoenix’s desert, is a perfect base from which to rock climb, raft and kayak, ski, bike and sail.  Every climate is within 8 hours drive.  The ocean, mountains, canyons, forest or field, it’s all near by.  Either as a Scout troop leader, or on my travels, I’m backpacking at least once a month, about 6 weeks a year.  I’m the gear info guy for those I know, as my collection is huge.  I plan to increase my travels further, and anticipate learning more doing as many reviews as I’m allowed!

Product Information

Manufacturer:                Hennessy Hammock
Year of Manufacture:      2004
URL:                             http://www.hennessyhammock.com
Listed weight:                4 lbs 8 oz / 2 kg
Weight as delivered:       4 lbs / 1.8 kg
Packed Dimensions:      7” X 12” / 17.8 cm X 30.5 cm
MSRP:                          $199.00

My Safari arrived on time, just as it was supposed to in the now famous Tyvek sack showing only slight scuffing from UPS’ conveyor belts.  Packed nice and neat inside was my Safari, along with an Explorer model I had ordered for a friend, and two sets of Snakeskins.  Needless to say I hurried right down to my neighborhood park to start checking it out right away and install the Snakeskins.

This was not my first Hennessy, but that is another story, and it set up in next to no time.  And I must say the Snakeskins make a world of difference.  My previous Hennessy was a Backpacker Ultralight I used one season.  Aside from wanting more size, the only problem I had with it was trying to fold such a slippery nylon with such a strange shape.  The Snakeskins make the setup and tear down time almost non-existent.  As for the rest of the hammock, the build quality was excellent with no loose threads or busted stitching.  At 112” x 52” (284 cm x 132 cm) I fell in love with the size right away too. I did not have a problem with the Backpacker, but I definitely love the extra size.  I have since found that I can bring virtually all of my gear inside with me, and that day at the park my wife even took a nap inside it with me.  I do not suggest this for everyone since the nature of the hammock forces us to stay in one another’s arms.  There certainly is no rolling away from one another, but with a cool breeze and the feeling I am sleeping in a cloud, who would want to roll?

After getting the Snakeskins on and checking the body, I moved on to the new Hex fly.  It is HUGE!  About the same size as my old Moss Heptawing, and definitely as stoutly built, I expect great things from it.  With 6 corners (all of which had pre-installed guy lines, and a nifty little combo reinforcement patch/line storage pocket), and a span of 10’ by 12’ (3 m by 3.7 m), it is very versatile.  Ann had told me when I ordered it, that one can substitute this hex fly for the standard fly when one orders most models, and I would do so in a heart beat.  She did say however that it would not fit in the Snakeskins with the Safari, but I found that not to be a problem.  For me it fit just fine.  Maybe the somewhat tighter fit will wear the silicone coating too quick, I am not sure.  I will be keeping my fly separate anyway in case of an emergency, but I would make it a point to ask about this if subbing it onto another smaller model.

Most of the group I normally backpack with is still tent bound, and as a result, I have not always gotten to use the hammock to its fullest potential.  Therefore I have not gotten to hike till dark like others mention, nor always been able to use the most scenic locations. Also, a large number of the tent campsites in Arizona here are not necessarily the best hammock sites, and I have been forced to compromise a couple times.  But even in these situations, the hammock has shown itself to be very versatile.  When trees are not present, the simple two rope suspension has allowed me to set up on boulders by tying to rock protrusions, used a cliff face by way of some climbing gear, as well as trees in a couple areas that would be far too tight or uneven for a tent on the fringe of “traditional” tent campsites.  I have even used it on the ground set up as a bivy/tarp shelter one time.  While not as comfortable as being suspended, it is none the less a viable alternative, and does have a little extra warmth in the event that the weather turns very cold and I am caught without insulation.  The size of the Hex fly actually makes for a quite large shelter for three people when set up on the ground, and is one of several reasons I chose the much larger fly.

So far, I have only gotten to use the hammock twice out in the field where tents cannot go.  Both times were out in an area of the Wet Beaver Wilderness area here in central AZ called Beaver Creek or the Bell Trail with a friend and his Expedition Asym.  The area is a relatively narrow canyon with some riparian vegetation down in the creek bottom, and high desert flora and fauna on the canyon slopes.  Also there is a large degree of Sedona Red Rock type cliff faces and sandstone slab platforms.  The creek forms two large pools excellent for swimming and cliff diving in the narrower section of the canyon, and as a result, camping areas are very few and often full due to the popularity of the area.  This has made the hammocks perfect for camping back there as we have set up on the few trees there are over cactus and rock ledges one time, and off of cams set in a crack in a cliff face over uneven rock slabs the other.  Both clearly places a mortal (tent or tarp) camp setup could never consider!

Typical temperatures in the canyon in July/August when I went are in the upper 90’s (degrees F or mid 30’s C) during the day and lower 70’s (F, or mid 20’s C) during the night.  In both cases the hammocks were great.  For the heat of the day I managed to prop up the fly high and use it as a shade, and by lowering the upwind side, could direct and accelerate the breeze, cooling myself in the shade.  In the evening, with the fly down low on both sides, enough heat was retained that my sleeping bag was completely unnecessary; I was just too warm without it.  On the second trip I also got to experience a much colder night when a sudden thunderstorm came in early evening.  Winds started to gust up to 40 miles per hour (64 km/h) I later learned from the weather service, and the over night temperature was 60° F (15.6°C) according to my thermometer.  That night I was still warm in shorts and shirt, and my sleeping bag more piled beside me than over me.  I was simply amazed that there was next to no swinging once I got in and weighted the hammock.  The wind mostly seemed to cause a soft, comforting vibration, and of course the occasional howl or flap of a fly edge.  I though I might get some rain trials too, but unfortunately it never fell.

Back in Phoenix, with an approaching rainstorm, I rushed to the park to try out the rain performance.  After setting up, and getting good and comfortable, only three drops fell.  Therefore I think that the new Hex fly has the unique capability to drive off the rain in even the most promising storms.  In all seriousness though, I have not been able to try it in the rain, but testing with a garden hose from multiple angles suggests some serious rain protection.  While nature can always throw out a surprise or two, my tests have made me excited for my first rainstorm, rather than apprehensive.

Summary

I look forward to a lot more use out of my Safari.  The massive size, the excellent build quality, and very helpful support from Tom and the rest of the Hennessy staff make it a great product.  I find myself looking for excuses to use it, like when my A/C went out and I napped in it, in the cool breeze of the park while awaiting the repair tech!  Anytime I plan trips, and look for excuses to use a piece of gear, there must be something special about it.

Pros:

·          Lighter than the average tent/ground pad combo

·          Very well constructed, and inspires confidence in its durability

·          Versatility to function as the most comfortable tent I have ever owned, to a cook shelter, and a chair, as well as room for a lot of people in an emergency (fly alone as emergency tarp, or two in hammock and 3-4 more under hammock in emergency)

·          Tread lightly compatible

·          So many more camping area choices, and in such comfort too!

Cons:

·          I don’t wake up nearly as early as I used to on camping trips!