hennesy question

**BLUEFIN 774** · 03-09-2011, 11:31

I have the stock HH tarp for my HH backpacker Asym hammock and last summer I spent a week in Nova Scotia, Canada. The first night there we had thunder and lightning and torrential rains all night. I stayed dry as a bone that night. I had the tarp rigged about 1 foot above the hammock on a separate ridgeline. Other campers nearby in tents had to get up in the night to dig small trenches around the tents to direct the water away from them.
I had just enough room to sit on a small tripod campchair under the tarp. It would be better to have a slightly bigger rectangular or cat cut tarp if it rained all day...A little more room under the tarp would be great. A second set of snake skins to fold up the hammock in rain conditions would also work well.

I usually set up my tarp on a separate continuous ridgeline using a Nitize knot bone and a figure 9 tensioner.

Just recently I upgraded to the "Toxaway Tarp" from Paul at AHE here on the forums. The original HH ASYM tarp worked but not much room underneath and you have to set it up perfectly to stay dry.

I hope this helps you out.

**Fiddleback** · 03-09-2011, 11:40

Originally Posted by Ramblinrev

The stock HH tarp is fine _if_ weight is the most important issue and you are willing to put up with the learning curve. There are plenty of people who have used the stock tarp in all sorts of bad weather and stayed dry. Site selection is important and good familiarity with the ins and outs of the tarp is needed. If you want foul weather porch space then you won't enjoy the stock tarp. But it is entirely servicable.

+1

If one makes the effort, one can learn to stay dry with the stock tarp. T'ain't that hard.

When I first got into hammock hanging some years ago I read a story on Sgt Rock's site about him staying dry with a stock Hennessy set up in the wind and rain at the edge of a hurricane. That's pretty convincing, IMO.

I've not weathered such extremes but I have spent a night in winds with high gusts of mixed rain, sleet, and snow with the same dry results. Worst (not coldest) weather I've experienced in a hammock. Since it was in the forecast I boosted my sleep system and it turned out to be my warmest (almost too warm) night as well.

FB

**Dave** · 03-09-2011, 21:26

I have the ultralight backpacker model. Last weekend we had heavy rain and high winds here in North Ga. I set the hammock up on our deck that is open to sky and wind to give it a test. I did not use a second line for the tarp. I have not had the issue that others have mentioned with the stock tarp going slightly slack once you enter the hammock. But that is a different post.
When the wind hit, I found that a small amount of rain splashed in. What I also found out is that I should have tied the tarp at a lower angle and not used as much shock cord (12" per side). When the gusts hit, the tarp that was normally only about a foot or so above the ridge line would lift up to about 2'+. My first thought was "oh crap, the tarp is going to shread" but it didn't. However, this large amount of lift allowed some of the "nearly side ways rain" to hit the bug net and splash inside. It was more like a spritz from a spray bottle.

In my opinion, the stock tarps are quite capable of performing the jobs they are meant to perform. Like I said, not a drop came in until the strong gusts hit. Also keep in mind that there was nothing between me and the wind and I live at the end of a small valley that funnels wind anyway.

All this being said, I was quite pleased with the tarp's performance. If I were to do that again, and I plan to, I would just tie the tarp at a lower angle and maybe not use as much shock cord. I think that would have prevented any rain from entering. If I absolutely wanted to prevent any rain from hitting the bug net, I might add a second ridge line very close to the hammock ridge line and place it on the outside (top side) of the tarp to prevent it from lifting in gusts.

Just my thoughts from my first experience with high winds and rain.

Dave