Hennessy Explorer Asym Bottom Enter~~ any good tips and tricks?

[Lady Di]

I'm a woman in my 60s too. I camped for years with a HH Backpacker Asym, tried using sleeping pads for insulation (awkward...felt like a sack of kittens trying to get out of the sack, when trying to get it lined up under me) then got the JRB Nest underquilt, and loved that. I like the bottom-entry in the hammock. Maybe it's because it's what I started with and i like having no zippers to deal with. After i found this forum and started doing research, I've got the bug and am making DIY stuff... I hope to keep hammock camping well into retirement, but would have been less motivated to keep up camping if I'd had to tent...never too old..

[sidneyhornblower]

oldpappy's post is spot on.

1) stand up in the sleeping bag outside the entrance, then sit back into the opening.

2) super shelter works pretty well.

3) pads work but require gymnastics inside the hammock

4) best upgrade is a 2QZQ mod

Have fun.

[Flash Grundelore]

I am right with everybody on loving the "idea" of the JRB Nest... fits all the requirements exceptificating the price!
Would if we could, but we can't.

See, if First True Love doesn't feel the thrill after a couple of trips this HH-Ex will be in the FS Forum. I can't responsibly bury our budget at the cottage vendors...

[of course if one of them, or one of youse, wanted to step in with a loaner...]

[dkurfiss]

I am right with everybody on loving the "idea" of the JRB Nest... fits all the requirements exceptificating the price!
Would if we could, but we can't.

See, if First True Love doesn't feel the thrill after a couple of trips this HH-Ex will be in the FS Forum. I can't responsibly bury our budget at the cottage vendors...

[of course if one of them, or one of youse, wanted to step in with a loaner...]

I would certainly loan you one if I was closer and I wasn't using it myself

[nuknees]

oldpappy's post is spot on.

1) stand up in the sleeping bag outside the entrance, then sit back into the opening.

2) super shelter works pretty well.

3) pads work but require gymnastics inside the hammock

4) best upgrade is a 2QZQ mod

Have fun.

Thanks Pap for the ideas especially #1! I love the idea of hanging but always struggled with getting situated in bag once inside. Reading threads here with UQ here, TQ there or both, I was beginning to think that maybe you're not supposed to use a bag when hanging.
One Q though about #1, what if ground is wet cause it's been raining all day. I'd hate to get bag bottom wet!
As for pad, I'll have to try that trick out.
I saw a hanger on AT using a Nube and really liked the pack storage area under hammock. Anyone familiar with this? Any DIY suggestions to accomplish same results?

[oldpappy]

#1 - I always put something under the hammock - wet or dry out. For me, it is usually a piece of tyvek or a contractor trash bag that I always bring along.
#2 - I've been using the Super Shelter for almost a year now - I really like it other than it doesn't compress very well. They are on sale now for under $100 for their demo models.Correction - Sorry - sale ended 13 Oct so watch for the next sale (Christmas time maybe)
#3 - As for a pad, I used a 36" x 30" CCF pad (the Gossamer Gear wide pad cut in half) for years inside the small HH backpacker bottom entry. I covered the pad with fleece or flannel to control the condensation. I don't move much at night and the pad stayed in place pretty well - was never an issue for me.

[Chesapeake]

Well, I am almost her age with some mobility issues and I too am up/down a couple of times per night. I tried a pad...PITA to get in/out/situated correctly in the middle of the night. I don't recommend it.

I then tried a PLUQ which was better but still not great as no matter what I was told would not snap back into place. Even with Dutch quilt hooks installed it kept wanting to move around. I finally sewed a couple of loops on it that matched up with the HH loops and that along with the hooks would keep it in place on the sides but did nothing for it snapping into place after I got in/out. After a few trips with fighting through the bottom entry to get the PLUQ back into place, it stopped using it.

The only thing that has worked for me has been Jacks or Better - The Nest. Because the Velcro matches up with the Velcro on the HH there is no fighting to get it back into place in the middle of the night. Yeah, I know that is not what you want to hear but it is what worked for me

+1 on the JRB Nest. I have the HH Expedition and had been using the Snugpak UQ this past summer into the fall amd since the asym tie outs on the hammock match the loops on the sides of the UQ it really helped to open up the UQ. Now that the temps are dropping I picked up a JRB Winter Nest UQ that has a roughly 0° or lower temp rating. JRB overstuffs their quilts like other cottage vendors, so it will proly go lower than the listed 5° temp that's on their site. It was designed for Henessy Hammocks and can be used with the shorter as well as longer longer models since the side ladder loops that go with the side tie outs on the hammock have 2 different loops depending on which length hammock you have. It also has a corresponding bottom slit that can be married to the hammock slit via omni tape to make getting in and out easier. The 0° winter nest might be overkill for you temp wise so I'd go with the Nest. Its temp rating is in the 30's ( conservatively) and it also has the same features as the winter nest with a lower price tag. The Snugpak UQ is great and only costs $50, works well with the HH and has a temp rating of roughly 32°. Its a lot heavier than a down UQ since its synthetic, but I've used it a lot and never had any problems. Snugpak also has a coccon for around $50 wit roughly the same temp rating. I have it also and love it. Its super comfortable and still allows for a diagonal lay. Price wise tho, the Snugpak UQ is waaay less money and fits a HH almost perfectly, just like a nest w/o the bottom entry slit. For starters, look into it maybe? That way your not paying or an UQ that only gets used 1 or 2 times before she decides she doesn't like to hang. I have of pics of it on my HH in my insulation album. As well as the coccon and an UQ I made from Snugpaks jungle blanket.

[Flash Grundelore]

Thanks Chesapeake and all ya'll... She has liked it so far.
I may just wonk up a Costco throw UQ with a slit to match the HHx. It only has to do for one or two summer night at a time.

[Chesapeake]

NP, that's what were here for!

[Afterparty]

Air mattress are comfy and keep the lay well just got do a shug video for adjuments to the pad he shows like I'm using a neoair xlite chic length bareley half inflated and I get no calf leg ridge I do with no pad. Its a good hammock better with the mod4 you can go topless. Do some breakfast coffees from the hammock.