Interested in backpacking w/ a hammock - but I have concerns! (and so many questions)

**ChrisJHC** · 06-04-2018, 06:32

Also think about other ways you can sleep warmer - hot water bottles and hand warmers are just two that come to mind immediately.
That way your quilts can comply with the "10 degree rule" but you can sleep comfortably even if you are a cold weather wuss!

**sidneyhornblower** · 06-04-2018, 11:07

Originally Posted by unstuck

The HH Hyperlite was the first one I considered. I almost bought one as it's the only one I can physically buy locally. But the brand doesn't seem popular around here. From reading these forums, it seems Hennessey uses cheaper materials and aren't as comfortable?

Maybe reconsider the Hennessy. I'd disagree that the material is cheap. My Expedition lasted me four years of pretty hard use. I wasn't gentle with it at all. I've since passed it along to my daughter, so it's still going strong. Comfort is subjective. I've found other longer hammocks more comfortable than my Expedition, but it was never Uncomfortable. If you fit well in the HH and it's comfortable to you, it's a very well engineered system worth a look. Several cottage vendors make underquilts specifically for the Hennessy models.

**unstuck** · 06-04-2018, 12:00

One more concern: I gather that the farther apart your support trees are, the farther up the tree you have to attach the suspension. What... what if I'm not tall enough?? I'm 5'6" which is average for a woman, but every video I've seen of deploying a hammock is basically a 6' tall dude reaching up over his head.

**Five Tango** · 06-04-2018, 12:08

Originally Posted by unstuck

One more concern: I gather that the farther apart your support trees are, the farther up the tree you have to attach the suspension. What... what if I'm not tall enough?? I'm 5'6" which is average for a woman, but every video I've seen of deploying a hammock is basically a 6' tall dude reaching up over his head.

Welcome.I know a short bow legged old man that uses a modified camera mount attached to his hiking pole to push strap up as high as necessary.Note,a forked stick will do the same thing.For the tarp,get a ridge line from Dutch or Nite Eyze etc or use Dutch's stingers.Dutch bling will eliminate the knot tying issues you have.Also,watch lots of Shug videos as they are the best and full of useful information.

**cmoulder** · 06-04-2018, 12:26

Not a problem. Even 6" in height isn't going to make a significant difference, and at 130# you can also get away with a slightly shallower hang angle.

**Latherdome** · 06-04-2018, 12:30

Originally Posted by unstuck

One more concern: I gather that the farther apart your support trees are, the farther up the tree you have to attach the suspension. What... what if I'm not tall enough?? I'm 5'6" which is average for a woman, but every video I've seen of deploying a hammock is basically a 6' tall dude reaching up over his head.

You can get away with far less than ideal hang height with a structural ridgeline. It will be extra taut, but you’re light so feasible.

I often throw line over a limb higher than i can reach, then grab dangly end and pull around.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**cougarmeat** · 06-04-2018, 18:53

My goodness - five pages in two days! My WOW (Words of Wisdom), don't try to create the ideal setup for all seasons. One boat manufacturer tried to design a cruiser that would also race. As a result, he got a racer that wasn't very fast and a cruiser that wasn't very comfortable. You won't want to carry the gear you'd use for winter during the summer and the gear you use for summer won't serve you well enough in the winter. Sure, there is plenty of overlap. But don't go into this thinking one set up will work for everything. Or, putting it another way, how many pairs of shoes do you own.

Also, don't try to get it right the first time; just get started. Learning will happen, mistakes will happen. You recover. If you don't like zippers, and you need bug protection, give the Hennessy Expedition classic (bottom entry) a try. If you decide to move on, you can sell the Hennessy (For Sale forum here) or keep it for a friend. REI has several 20% off sales every year - not a large investment.

The thing is, you can read and read - and that's good. But you will learn so much, that works just for you, by going out and doing it. For example, you were worried about rolling over and exposing unstuck parts to cold. But when you do it, you might discover that the snap at the top of your Top Quilt keeps the top snug around your shoulders. And because there are fewer pressure points in a hammock, you may not have a tendency to squirm around. However, if you get a Hammock Gear top quilt, you can pay a little more for the wider option - just in case.

So, let's see if this post pushes us into page six!

**leiavoia** · 06-04-2018, 19:40

Originally Posted by unstuck

One more concern: I gather that the farther apart your support trees are, the farther up the tree you have to attach the suspension. What... what if I'm not tall enough?? I'm 5'6" which is average for a woman, but every video I've seen of deploying a hammock is basically a 6' tall dude reaching up over his head.

This doesn't matter if the hammock has a structural ridgeline (most do). That's what they're for.

That said, if it wasn't already mentioned in the last five pages, do yourself a favor and just get the book. It gots pictars!

**ChrisJHC** · 06-04-2018, 19:51

If you're worried about the UQ not fitting simply go for a warbonnet blackbird system. The Wookie UQ is absolutely "set and forget" and almost impossible to get wrong.
At 170 cm you only need the standard Blackbird not the XLC.

So let's do the maths:
Hammock - 570g
UQ (Four season) - 680g
TQ (Four season) - 740g
Total - around 2kg (or 4.4 lbs)

As long as you're careful with the rest of your kit you should be able to get below 7kg / 15lbs for your base weight.
That should be okay for moderate hiking...

(Obviously lots of assumptions and generalisations in the above! YMMV and HYOH.)

**kitsapcowboy** · 06-04-2018, 20:01

Originally Posted by unstuck

One more concern: I gather that the farther apart your support trees are, the farther up the tree you have to attach the suspension. What... what if I'm not tall enough?? I'm 5'6" which is average for a woman, but every video I've seen of deploying a hammock is basically a 6' tall dude reaching up over his head.

With sufficiently long straps and a carabiner that slides freely along it, you can always use a flipline-style technique the way arborists do to get your anchor point WAY up on trees with relatively smooth trunks... (See linked video starting at 2:55.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJJU...e_continue=175