A few questions

**saki** · 10-04-2011, 15:23

Hello everyone! I'm new here and have a few questions about hammocking and the new hammock I just bought. So I am about to take a trip down to South America. I will be starting in Peru and working my way up through Central America. To help me save money and give me a good bug free place to sleep I decided to buy a Hennessy Hammock (after a good friend recommended it). I ended up choosing the Explorer Ultralight Classic and got a really good deal because of the current odds and ends sale. I'm super excited and can't wait for it to get here. In the meantime, I had a few questions:

The first thing is about bugs. There are a lot in the Amazon, where I will be spending quite a bit of time. I didn't have the money to get a Deep Jungle XL, so I will have to make due with having just 1 layer of fabric between my butt and the bugs. My plan to help bug proof my setup is to first get a second layer of fabric to put down, something light like silk or the like, and second to treat my hammock with Permethrin. Does that sounds like it will work? Also, how does one actually treat or "soak" their hammock with Permethrin? I've seen 24oz bottles at REI at .05% dilution. Is that what I want, and will 24oz be enough to treat my hammock? Please let me know if you guys have found any other good ways to ward of the biting nasties.

My other question is about rigging and any other little DIY additions that you all recommend. I am thinking I will replace the standard HH rigging with a carabiner and two rapel rings on each side and use a garda hitch. That seems like a nice way to have everything be highly adjustable. Are there any other methods I should know about before I go out and buy the stuff? Other little things I am thinking about doing is adding drip strings and a secondary ridge line to hold the rain tarp away from the hammock. Are their any other little DIY mods/additions I should know about?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me!

**FLRider** · 10-04-2011, 15:34

Avoiding bugs is a concern here in Florida. It's one of the reasons that I went with the HH Explorer Ultralight Zip.

The permethrin used for clothing and gear application is 0.05%, yes. Is it the Sawyer's treatment? If so, it should work just about perfectly. I've yet to have a bite through the hammock, especially after spraying it (I use the spray treatment) with Sawyer's. Things to avoid bugs: treat with permethrin every six weeks or six washings, don't leave your bug net unzipped (not a problem with the Classic model, but if you eventually wind up getting a zip mod...), and don't sleep with any portion of your body against the bug net (harder than it sounds sometimes).

As far as the mods for it go, what kind of conditions are you expecting to use it under? Backpacking? Sleeping in a village? Moto camping?

I definitely recommend swapping the standard suspension for something else. Personally, I use JRB Tri-Glides. You can attach them (via the fixed loop on one end) to the hammock using the standard Hennessy lashing without any mods to the hammock. I've cut the stock suspension line short after doing that, but you don't have to. I've found that they are sturdy and relatively easy to adjust. However, there are lighter and easier methods out there; I just wanted something without moving parts, on the theory that there is less to break.

I hope this helps some. Welcome to the boards!

**Beast 71** · 10-04-2011, 15:52

With just permethrin alone, you shouldn't have to worry about adding a second layer. If your trip is a long one you may have to reapply because it does wear off. I use this stuff; http://shop.biteandstings.com/produc...?productId=106 to soak my hammock and clothing and the spray to do the outside of my hat and boots. I don't use it on my t-shirts, underpants, socks or the inside of my hat because it's not supposed to be in direct contact with the skin. You can find it cheaper at farm stores but I don't buy it because, it isn't odorless and I also use it for hunting clothes.

**saki** · 10-04-2011, 16:05

Ah okay. Well the trip will definitely be longer that 6 weeks. Probably more like 6 months to a year, so I guess I will either have to find some more down there or figure out another solution once it becomes ineffective.

FLRider, I would imagine those Tri-Glides would also really reduce the weight as well right? 2 carabiners and 4 rap rings, while isn't really heavy would definitly add more weight than two little buckles.

**FLRider** · 10-04-2011, 22:26

Originally Posted by saki

Ah okay. Well the trip will definitely be longer that 6 weeks. Probably more like 6 months to a year, so I guess I will either have to find some more down there or figure out another solution once it becomes ineffective.

FLRider, I would imagine those Tri-Glides would also really reduce the weight as well right? 2 carabiners and 4 rap rings, while isn't really heavy would definitly add more weight than two little buckles.

Not as much as you might think. They make very light carabiners and descenders these days, and most of the weight is in the strapping anyway. Since the tri-glide suspension system uses straps instead of line along the whole length of the suspension, it weighs more than a system that uses a line to connect to the minimum strapping needed to protect the tree. Really, if you want ultralight, then you probably want to look at replacing the stock suspension altogether with a whoopie sling set-up. There are various threads on that, but I don't have any personal experience with them.

Weight wasn't a huge factor for me when I purchased my set-up, since I was going to use it primarily for bicycle camping rather than hiking. Volume and ease of use was, since I'd be setting up at the end of a long day in the saddle and didn't want it taking up too much real estate on the bike or in my pack.

If you need help pointing you in any particular direction, I'd be more than happy to help!