Moving from Expedition to Explorer sized hammock

**megatate** · 04-26-2016, 12:07

I've been thinking lately about whether to move up in size to a larger hammock. I'm just a touch over 6 feet tall and sometimes feel I'm "filling" the Expedition.

For anyone moved from the Expedition to a larger/longer Hennessy hammock (or another vendor, like a WBBB), can you provide your experience on how you found the change? Good and bad...

**Kallorne** · 04-26-2016, 12:49

My very first hammock was the HH expedition. I was fairly comfortable but felt a bit claustrophobic. With a few diy hammocks in between I switch to the ultra light explorer. In comparison it's quite roomy, I can comfortably sit up with it zipped up. I do prefer the fabric feel of the explorer though. As a brief aside: I recently acquired a Dutch half-wit in Hexon 1.0 that feels exquisite in that regard, $90 and a bargain imho. That aside I have spent more night in my UL explorer than all my other hammocks combined and it has always satisfied. My happy place was Hennessy with WB webbing suspension. I disliked the original blackbird I tried but I was kind of eyeing the XLC for the removable net and top cover option. The expedition (with 2QZQ zipper mod) is now my wife's hammock and she won't even look at another one.

PS I'm just about exactly 6ft

**HammockCanoe** · 04-26-2016, 13:45

Originally Posted by megatate

I've been thinking lately about whether to move up in size to a larger hammock. I'm just a touch over 6 feet tall and sometimes feel I'm "filling" the Expedition.

For anyone moved from the Expedition to a larger/longer Hennessy hammock (or another vendor, like a WBBB), can you provide your experience on how you found the change? Good and bad...

I moved from the Expedition to the Explorer UL. The Explorer is much more comfortable, but I don't like to setup my UQ to it (hate it actually). It is now my wife's.

I'm now in a LSoH Warrior, Hexon 1.6, love it. Never going back. You should contact James (Little Shop of Hammocks), top notch service and workmanship.

**megatate** · 04-30-2016, 06:44

Will definitely check out LSoH. Always happy to support a Canadian cottage vendor! Thanks.

**dkurfiss** · 04-30-2016, 07:23

I have both an Expedition and Explorer. I find the Explorer to be much more comfortable and I am only 62" tall. I also have a Dutch 11' and find it to be on the same comfort level as the Explorer. My brother who is 74" tall prefers the shorter Expedition...go figure. Each of us have a different sense of comfort.

**HammockCanoe** · 04-30-2016, 10:31

Originally Posted by megatate

Will definitely check out LSoH. Always happy to support a Canadian cottage vendor! Thanks.

I think that I was the first one trying the Warrior 'Edge', definitely highly recommended. Extremely comfortable, no flop and no bug netting all over me with an UQ attached.

**megatate** · 04-30-2016, 19:01

Originally Posted by dkurfiss

I have both an Expedition and Explorer. I find the Explorer to be much more comfortable and I am only 62" tall. I also have a Dutch 11' and find it to be on the same comfort level as the Explorer. My brother who is 74" tall prefers the shorter Expedition...go figure. Each of us have a different sense of comfort.

Incidentally I've been eyeing the Dutch 11', wallet in hand. Did you get any of the custom add-ons (ridgeline, knotty mod, etc.)? Any feedback?

**dkurfiss** · 04-30-2016, 21:44

Only add on I got to the Dutch 11' was the ridgeline.

**oldpappy** · 05-01-2016, 09:56

Had to smile - dkuriss' posts that show each of us has a preference we just have to figure out for ourselves (thus multiple hammock styles in our gear locker and a robust cottage business).
I'm 5'9" (69"), last year sleep over 200 nights/yr. in a hammock, and have a small HH (BackPacker UL), 11 ft Dutch Argon, and 12 ft DIY nylon. I'll use one for a year or so - swear it is the most comfortable, then start using another and on it goes. For me, variety is the spice of hammock life with making a choice being the hard part.
On my Dutch, I did not order custom add-ons; I use DIY Amsteel suspension (an adjustable ridgeline (woopie) and a locked brommel loop to 6 feet of amsteel line on each end that I use like the HH stock suspension.

**megatate** · 05-02-2016, 11:55

Agreed. Since I started looking at changing to an Explorer-sized HH, I'm now looking very closely at other vendors. I've always found my GT ultralight to be slightly more comfortable than the Expedition, which leads me to believe the Dutch 11' is even more so. But then I don't have an UQ (nor the spousal appetite to invest in one at present), so I'm curious about the success of a pad like the Hennessy bubble pad in the double layer. And I really like Dutch's concept of the summer sock (that can flip around for more bug net/more overcover as needed).

This is the subject of another thread I'm sure.

The rabbit hole runs deep...