Hello from Stockholm, Sweden

[salgo60]

Started with Hammock last year and this year I have been out > 50 nights mostly when I do kayaking

see (in swedish) trip reports alltrails.com my hammocktrip list

My set up
* Hennessy Hammock Expedition Zip
* Cumulus Selwa 450 Large Underquilt

Challenges

1. When it rains a lot the underquilt gets wet...
   
   1. I guess I can learn "tuning" the underquilt better
   2. Think also if I should by some protecting "tarp" to have outside the underquilt as I like the "minimal" tarp delivered with the hammock - any advice?
      
      

• good hanging guide I have found - pitch perfect

​

[cougarmeat]

salgo60, welcome to the forum. There is a sub-forum that is specific to paddling. You need to be a donating member for access. But it doesn't look like it focuses on sea kayaking - my area of experience - that much.

The Expedition tarp is doable, but minimal, as you found out. When I was using the Hennessy, and afterward with other hammocks, I used the Hennessy Hex tarp. If any of your friends are interested in the Hennessy (a lot of people's "first" hammock), let them know that if they let Hennessy know when they order it, they can swap out the small standard tarp for the Hennessy Hex and just pay the retail difference. At least they could some years ago. I don't know about that policy now.

I also use an under-quilt protector (UQP). It's a light sheet of nylon that hangs under the UQ and protects it from rain splashes. It also allows for a less than precise UQ fit on the hammock.

Some may tell you to guy your tarp nearer your hammock but I know how small that standard Hennessy tarp for the Expedition is. You'll be much happier with a larger tarp. You can still use the small one on day hikes to keep the sun out of your eyes during afternoon naps.

In the trip report forum, I wrote about using my hammock while kayaking around Orcas Island (San Juan Islands, Washington State). Soon I'll post one about my recent trip to Sucia Island.

[Phantom Grappler]

Larger tarp with doors that close, and pitching tarp and hammock so that hammock is closer to tarp than to ground.
If you can walk by and see your hammock below your tarp, maybe lower tarp ridgeline and or raise hammock ridgeline, so that less of your hammock is visible when you walk by.

I don’t have an under quilt protector, but that might help keep under quilt more dry

Perfection might never be reached as steps are taken to improve certain situations.

Good luck!

[salgo60]

Thanks for good advices yes Underquilt Protector was the name i missed.... I have a big Hilleberg tarp that I maybe should test some day with the Hammock UL 20 its
size 4.4 m x 4.4 m / 14.4 ft x 14.4 ft

[Shug]

Here is a look at the UQP........nice to have when needed.
Also try spreading your tarp wider rather then pitched vey steep. It often helps keep the splash away but it is all subjective.
Shug

[FLTurtle]

Nice pics and welcome to the forums. Bummer about your underquilt getting wet...but with that minimal tarp the Hennessy's use, you really gotta have good site location, the right pitch and some luck. Pretty sure any wind driven rain that's not dead on from the sides is gonna get to your underquilt.

Like Phantom Grappler said, a tarp with doors would be the way to go especially with kayaking and camping on shorelines where you can be exposed to wind and wind driven rain. I've done some island camping here in Florida, and we get some pretty nasty thunderstorms that blow through quickly but that rain is coming in sideways. Having that tarp pitched low helps...tarps with doors even more so.

That big Hilleberg would work, but a 14 foot (4.4m) tarp with that 10 foot (3m) Hennessy...you're gonna have to hang that tarp pretty high to clear the hammock suspension which might still expose the underquilt. Probably not, since it's also 14 ft (4.4m) wide...that's a lot of side coverage however trying to find trees that you can fit that tarp between could be a problem.

The US based vendors do ship international, but I would guess after shipping and VAT the total cost would be pretty steep.

However, I was poking around on Dutchware's 'international vendors' link, and it pointed to Momo Jord in Sweden: https://www.momojord.se/ and they had some DW tarps (nothing with doors).

But, they also have the Superior Gear Superior Shelter, a 12 foot tarp (3.6m) with doors:

https://www.momojord.se/butik/superior-shelter-camo/
https://www.momojord.se/butik/superi...lter-charcoal/

I did see they also carried the Dutchware Chameleon and Superior Gear Superior Hammock (with the built in underquilt, but they are waitlisted).

Good luck, and hope you post some pics and trip reports! Always cool to see folks from around the globe out in the woods!

[cougarmeat]

Here's another thought/idea to try out ... When I started out it seemed most natural to set up my tarp broadside to the wind - a nice large wind block. But with "real" wind (15+ knots), the force would push the tarp side into the hammock. I could have guyed it more firmly, but didn't want to subject the tarp to that abuse. Instead, I arranged the tarp so it was parallel to the wind. That resulted in a few changes. 1) It presented a much smaller area for the wind to blow against (just the tarp ends). 2. The trees I was using for hammock/tarp suspension gave me additional blockage. 3) The wind dynamics were such that instead of pressing in on the tarp sides, it gave them lift. I had to re-stake the guylines to anticipate a bit more of a lifting force.

Another thing with respect to wind. Before I used snake skins to wrangle the tarp, my score with setting up in the wind (and I don't mean a light breeze) was Wind 2, Cougarmeat 0. After using skins with my tarps, I haven't had a problem. The skin allows me to expose a little of the tarp to the wind at a time; securing one set of guylines before moving to the next.

I started with Hennessy snake skins because that's all I knew about. But I learned that when you put a wet tarp inside the skins, the inside of the skins get wet too (of course) and both the tarp and skins need to dry out before they are packed away between trips. It's much easier for mesh snake skin to dry than to turn the "solid" nylon skin inside out.

[joe_guilbeau]

Here's another thought/idea to try out ... When I started out it seemed most natural to set up my tarp broadside to the wind - a nice large wind block. But with "real" wind (15+ knots), the force would push the tarp side into the hammock.

Might be able to rig up something like this, with trees taking the place of the tarp poles, it all collapses with no wind.

Screenshot 2022-04-26 133725.jpg

[TominMN]

Might be able to rig up something like this, with trees taking the place of the tarp poles, it all collapses with no wind.

Screenshot 2022-04-26 133725.jpg

Gulf coast east of Galveston?

(Mustang Island would be my second guess...)

[joe_guilbeau]

Gulf coast east of Galveston

Yeah, I'm guessing Galvatraz or thereabouts, past Pirates Cove.