Sleeping 2 people in 1 hammock (which hammock?)

[Pitch]

You may also have to sleep in opposite directions to get it to work comfortably for you.

This configuration works. Even more so if one or both parties are shorter than average (my wife is 5 foot even and I am only 5'8... small targets we are :-) )

Other configurations work as well - gotta play with it. Don't bother if it is really hot or very humid out.


We generally hang off a common tree and have the openings face eachother (wbb 1.7s both left zipper) so head to feet. While it isn't sleeping in the same hammock it is close enough to kick the other person if they start snoring ;-)

[Cannibal]

During the bug season, I just leave my separate bug net in place on the hammock. Packs pretty much the same as any other hammock. I like it separate for a few reasons sometimes, but I always like the option of removing it if the bugs are on sabbatical; I just open-up one end and slide the whole thing down to the other end...done.

The HH Deep Jungle is a nice hammock. It is at least as comfortable as his 'standard' rigs, but comes with the double layer and side zip. I really like the fabric used. It's the same stuff the Hyperlite is made of and it is very comfortable. The initial model had very small sleeve openings for the pad and the little catch that the netting hooked to when not in use was poorly placed/designed. Neither of those things would take the hammock out of contention, but they were annoying little details. I have a more recently produced one, but have not yet taken it out to re-fit and examine. I'm hopeful (wishful thinking) that he made the very minor adjustments on the final production models.

Don't sweat the bugs from below; you have 3 options.
1. Permethrin. Chemical treatment that works marvelously on biting bugs. Bugs in general really. It's primary purpose is to kill ticks, but the kill time on mosquitoes isn't too shabby. Never had any issues when sleeping in a single layer hammock with no insulation below me, including a year in Florida.
2. Pad. You'll be using something for insulation below you in Alaska most of the time anyway and a pad keeps them from getting at you.
3. Underquilt; the Cadillac option. Like the pad, the underquilt will make it impossible for the buggers to bite through. Plus, an underquilt is just dreamy.

Having spent a little time in Alaska and seeing the size and ferociousness of your mosquitoes, I'd suggest using all three methods at the same time. Also, take a few rocks with you when you go to bed so they don't carry you off, hammock and all!

[Tikki-Tavi]

Loosely based on a true story. . .

My girlfriend, four friends and I had had some wine, the kids were in bed, so the conversation drifted to the relative merits of hammock vs tent camping.

“Hammocks are antisocial” she complained. “You can't have two people in a hammock”.

“Two!” I said. “You can have six in a hammock”

“You think we can have six in your Hennessy?” she smiled mischievously, “I'll bet you're afraid to try.”

She was right, of course. I was immediately thinking of voided warranties, breaking strengths and the possible injuries - but how do you walk away from a challenge like that?

So, we went to the backyard and set up the hammock. After a brief discussion of who would be get in first (and be on the bottom) and some unnecessary apologizing if the lay was not as good as usual, I got in, then my girlfriend got in.

Nothing broke, but it was immediately apparent that this was as far as things would go. Just trying to scoot around to make each other more comfortable was clumsy and exhausting. The adventure had ended.

“Sorry,” we told our four friends outside, “you can't come in. There's just not enough room for six in a Hennessy.”

Although I must confess a lingering curiosity about three in a hammock. . .

- Tikki-Tavi

[KyH]

Allright guys, I think I am going to go for the Deep jungle to begin with, and if that works allright, but we would like a bit more space, i'll grab a TL double and some netting. If we decide that we just aren't meant to be sharing the hammock, then I'll have a sweet solo set up anyhow and I can get her her own. Or, best case scenario, it works fine for the two of us.

So the last question I have is whether to get the XL or just the regular Deep Jungle? The regular is rated to 250 lbs while the XL is rated to 300. Between my girl and I we weight just about 300. The price and weight differences of the hammocks are negligible. ($30 and 6 oz) but will the extra length actually make any difference? Cannibal, were you and GD sleeping in a regular or XL?

Thanks again for all your input guys. I am really looking forward to heading for the trees.

-KyH

[Cannibal]

I suspect the "XL" is little more than a name change. He originally offered two choices for the Deep Jungles/Deep Winters; Expedition sized, or Explorer sized. All he did was change the names. I'm 6' and find the Explorer sized hammocks much more comfortable than the Expedition sized rigs. I would definitely choose the longer hammock. In this world, longer is usually better.

[fixt]

I'm going to revive this thread to hopefully get an update on whether you were happy with the Deep Jungle and to find out if anyone else can chime in on this one.

I'm in basically the same situation as KyH right now and I was hoping to get more info. My girlfriend and I are both tall and slender and are very close sleepers, actually she refers to me as "Matt"-ress given that she has taken to sleeping on me..

One of the deal-breakers for me is an integrated bugnet (it gets buggy here in Ontario for most of our warm months), so with this in mind has anyone found a suitable hammock that meets this criteria and sleeps 2 rather comfortably? I have a BB and love it, but it's a DL1.0 so I haven't tried to get the two of us in it (we come out to about 310lbs total), but was interested in maybe looking into the switchback given the rather unenclosed experience is provides might fair better for 2.

Synopsis is: I have thought about the Deep Jungle, Switchhback, and the Blackbird for me and my girlfriend. Has anyone had any experience with these and two people or have any other recommendations for hammocks with integrated bugnets?

[Cannibal]

None here, sorry. My girl and I sleep double only in top loaders. We've laid in the HHs and the Blackbirds together, but never really slept in them. I think the enclosed environment combined with two people make me just uncomfortable enough to not want to do an overnight in them.

Good luck!

[KyH]

Hi Fixt. My girl and I now sleep pretty comfortably in the Deep Jungle XL. Obviously it's more comfortable solo, but we sleep just fine 2 up as well.

We find spooning or me on my back with her head on my chest to be the best 2 options. Also expect a good 10 minutes of wiggling around when you get in to get both of you in a position you're happy with.

I hope this helps.

-KyH

[Hanging Around]

I used this thread to pick out my HH Deep Jungle XL. I like the fabric, and while it does take a few minutes to get comfortable it can work. Best positions are definitely spooning or her on her side, head on chest method.

Pros:
--The fabric feels nice against bare skin.
--The built in ridgeline storage bag is nice for our kindles, chapstick, kleenex, etc.

Cons:
--The stock rainfly is far too small. It covers the hammock well, but if it's raining when you set up, one of you has to stand in the rain while the other gets toweled off under the fly and climbs in. And also if you're storing the packs under the hammock, one of the two will get wet.
--Weight limit is a little close for comfort when considering dynamic load testing.
--No place to put clothes for the next day, and I find myself sorting through and pushing things out of the way.

I'm getting a Warbonnet Superfly regardless but may end up getting a Blackbird XLC 1.7 as well for the additional weight limit, the foot box, and storage shelf. I'm not excited about the single zip though, That could be a big reach.

[lancastor]

I'm gonna waft some smelling salts into the nostrils of this thread to report that my girl and I sleep together in a double layer WB Blackbird exclusively now (while camping) for the last few years. We always bring an ENO just in case it's too hot or something else arises, but haven't used it.

I did have to send it back to WB for a $25 zipper repair. That happened in the very beginning of us sleeping together. It actually happened when I was out of the hammock, so I'm not sure exactly if she just got rough with the zipper or if we stressed it by rolling over and putting too much weight on the zip.

I'm mindful of the zipper, as I'm always on the outside, but not excessively so. It's impressively strong for its size. I just try to make sure I'm not directly on top of it when I fall asleep.

We're not necessarily small, either. I'm 5'10", she's 5'6", both around 165lbs. It's definitely mandatory cuddling (oddly, I can't usually fall asleep cuddling in bed), but so nice.