Hennessy Comparison: lite racer vs. backpacker

[dstenberg1]

I am looking to purchase a hammock for backpacking. I would like some feedback comparing the Hennessy Lite Racer Asym and the Hennessy UL Backpacker Asym. Are there any differences besides the lighter weight? Is there really a durability difference between the models? Which one do you recommend?

I am new to hammock camping, and I am an ultralight backpacker. Yes I have an addiction to ounce counting. I am leaning toward the Hennessy lite racer for that reason, but I need some help figuring it all out.

Thanks!

[hammock engineer]

How much do you weigh? I think the racer has a much lighter weight limit. Plus, how long do you want it to last. The Racer will probibly not last as long as the Ultralight. Just a guess though, I haven't used Racer.

[Patrick]

The Racer is listed to fit to 200 lbs and is actually listed eight inches longer (9ft vs. 100 in). I haven't used one, but if you can afford to replace it if it wears out, I think it's worth thinking about.

[peter_pan]

I am looking to purchase a hammock for backpacking. I would like some feedback comparing the Hennessy Lite Racer Asym and the Hennessy UL Backpacker Asym. Are there any differences besides the lighter weight? Is there really a durability difference between the models? Which one do you recommend?

I am new to hammock camping, and I am an ultralight backpacker. Yes I have an addiction to ounce counting. I am leaning toward the Hennessy lite racer for that reason, but I need some help figuring it all out.

Thanks!

dstenberg1,

I have both of the models you are asking about...... The size posting on Toms comparision chart has an error ...both of these hammocks, as well as the Expedition are the same size....The primary difference is the material in the bottom ... Exped is heaviest, then Backpacker asym and then the Extreme light racer. The Exped uses a heavier suspension rope... The other two use the thin spectra about 1/8 inch...

I have about 60 nights in the BUL and 45 nights in the ELR....neither is showing any signs of wear...I do use an under quit and a top quilt...so there are no pads or zippers to be wear issues...This is a small point in the BUL, which is a 70d fabric... this is worth thinking about in the ELR which is a 30d ripstop IMHO...I make it a point not to have anything in my pockets when in the ELR...I'm also careful in site selection not to be near, above or next to any snags.

Medicine Man reported he was using the ELR a year or so ago for 2-3 weeks with no sign of wear...Perhaps he will see this and post an update, though he is not as regular here of late...he uses an under quilt also.

I Like the ELR over the BUL as it is a softer to lay on....and lighter to carry....it wins for comfort in my book...That said if you are going to use a pad, or two , or three the BUL is probably better as a uniform surface to support the pad without extra flex/shift issue...and pads only get so soft anyway.

It is definately nice to lose the 10 ozfrom the BUK by going to the ELR.



Pan

[dstenberg1]

Thanks to all for weighing in on my question. I think I am heavily leaning toward the lite racer. Pan, the next step for me (of course after saving a little more) is to order a 3 season quilt set.

[Patrick]

Be sure to post a review once you get it. I've thought about this one a few times myself.

[The Will]

dstenberg1,

I own the Light Racer A-sym and have been pleased with the purchase. I tend to pamper my gear so, as peter pan said, I make sure I have nothing in my pockets that may puncture the fabric...I even try to keep my weight evenly distributed when shifting or turning in the hammock. For example, I try to avoid putting most of my weight on one hand while I adjust sleeping bag/pad, etc. The longest continuous use I have made of this hammock is 6 days on Isle Royal Nat'l Park and I had no problems. To summarize, let me say this: while the 30 denier nylon has held up beautifully so far, it does seem like it would be vulnerable, especially to punctures when the fabric is taut (when lying in the hammock).

Other than the fabric of the hammock body, another major difference between the Light Racer A-Sym and the Ultralight Backpacker is in the size of the rain fly. The fly I recieved with my Light Racer wasn't asymetrical (can anyone out there tell me if this is standard or if I was sent the wrong fly?) and coverage, in an effort to save weight, is minimal. I have been in a VERY heavy rain and stayed perfectly dry. But I have to wonder what I would do if that rain were being blown horizontally. A larger fly could be considered, but in my opinion, that is where the descrepency in weight comes from between the two hammock models and not so much from the hammock fabric itself.

Finally, I would say it all depends on why you are buying a hammock and what use you are going to make of it. I bought mine for one purpose only: to lose pack weight. The whole system of underquilts and overquilts sounds very innovative and if you're making the switch to a hammock for reasons of comfort and because you have problems sleeping on the ground then that would be the way to go. Again, I simply wanted to lose pack weight so in cooler conditions that would require the underquilt, I can have a much lighter shelter and sleeping system if I'm sleeping on the ground. My hammock is for me very much a niche item--in warmer climates (upper 50s to 60s for a night time low) where bugs are an issue the Light Racer A-Sym is ideal.

This has just been my "thinking out-loud" process. Take what's valuable, leave the rest behind.

[Seeker]

I am looking to purchase a hammock for backpacking. I would like some feedback comparing the Hennessy Lite Racer Asym and the Hennessy UL Backpacker Asym. Are there any differences besides the lighter weight? Is there really a durability difference between the models? Which one do you recommend?

I am new to hammock camping, and I am an ultralight backpacker. Yes I have an addiction to ounce counting. I am leaning toward the Hennessy lite racer for that reason, but I need some help figuring it all out.

Thanks!
if i recall correctly, the racer doesn't velcro shut.. it just has a slit. also, the tarp is not removeable. that's all the differences i remember...

[peter_pan]

if i recall correctly, the racer doesn't velcro shut.. it just has a slit. also, the tarp is not removeable. that's all the differences i remember...


Whoaaa,

Be careful which racer you are talking about....The Adventure Racer is the 16 oz model with the fixed fly and no velcro on the slit....limited to like under 5-10 and 180 pounds. It is 8 inches shorter on the ridgeline and 12 inches narrower...

The Extreme Light Racer is the same size as the BULA and Exped ... It does indeed have velcro in the slit and is advertised as up to 6-6 and 200 pounds... IMHO, any one over 6-2 would be more comfortable in the Explorer models as they are longer.

Pan

[HikeLite]

http://www.hennessyhammock.com/comparisonchart.htm

[Seeker]

Whoaaa,

Be careful which racer you are talking about....The Adventure Racer is the 16 oz model with the fixed fly and no velcro on the slit....limited to like under 5-10 and 180 pounds. It is 8 inches shorter on the ridgeline and 12 inches narrower...

The Extreme Light Racer is the same size as the BULA and Exped ... It does indeed have velcro in the slit and is advertised as up to 6-6 and 200 pounds... IMHO, any one over 6-2 would be more comfortable in the Explorer models as they are longer.

Pan
yeah, that's the one i meant... hadn't been back to the hennessy site in awhile... didn't realize there were two kinds of racer now... thanks...

[dstenberg1]

I was leaning toward the Lite Racer, but I decided to go with the Ultralight Backpacker Asym. I did this because initial cost was cheaper (major factor b/c I am in grad school) and until I learn about hammmock camping I want something more durable at first. Thanks all for your input. I am excited about hammock camping!! My order is in for the hammock. Now I have to get an underquilt/pads and the like for the cold weather here in MA. Probably not the best time to start hammock camping!

[hikelite55]

Good choice for durabilitywith the BULA. I have the BULA & LITE RACER ASYM and I`ve got to tell ya the LRA has got it beat in the weight (1lb.4ozs. vs 1lb.15ozs.) and compactability catagories. I use a G-5 hyperlite backpack so using care with my gear comes naturely. One other thing, the asymetrical shape of the LRA allows you to get a flatter sleeping position,which can help when trying to avoid getting a bad case of banana back during the night. Hope to see ya in the Whites some time seeing as how I live in Ct.

[johnthebaton]

Hikelite55:

I'm curious about your statement that the asymetrical shape of the LRA allows you to get a flatter sleeping position. In context it sounds like you are saying that you can get flatter in the LRA than in the BULA. I'm under the impression that the two models are the same except in the bottom fabric and a few notions (velcro, etc). Were you just commenting about the asym shape in general, or can you in fact get more horizontal in the LRA than in the BULA?

Thanks for clarifying!

[Tinka Yambe]

Hey guys,

I am also looking at getting a hammock and have appreciated the information provided here. "The Will" was stating something about using the hammock only in temps down to the 50s. Is much harder to stay warm in a hammock? Also can someone clarify what quilts are? I was planning on using a thermarest. Is that the same thing as a quilt? And has anyone had a problem with horizontal rain or high wind say on a ridge?

Thanks for the help

[Just Jeff]

Tinka - It's not hard to stay warm in a hammock - just different than on the ground. This should answer most of your questions: http://www.tothewoods.net/HammockCampingWarm.html If not, come back here and ask.

The rain depends on your tarp, how you pitch it, and what kind of site you pick. (http://www.tothewoods.net/HammockCampingDry.html)

The winds depend mainly on site selection, but also what kind of insulation you use and how you use your tarp as a windblock. If that works together, you can be comfortable in pretty high winds. I think the winds on my last trip were around 50 mph on Friday night and I was very warm and comfortable.

[hikelite55]

johnthebaton: I was refering to the BULA & Lite racer asymetrical as being the more comfortable/able to lay flatter than the standard 15oz. lite racer. All of the asymetrical hammocks give you that ability to lay slightly diagonal to the center line of hammock.

[Seeker]

Hey guys,

I am also looking at getting a hammock and have appreciated the information provided here. "The Will" was stating something about using the hammock only in temps down to the 50s. Is much harder to stay warm in a hammock? Also can someone clarify what quilts are? I was planning on using a thermarest. Is that the same thing as a quilt? And has anyone had a problem with horizontal rain or high wind say on a ridge?

Thanks for the help

jeff's site is awesome. short answer is that a quilt hangs under the hammock, providing insulation. thermarest will work, but it's slipperier (a word?) and a lot heavier than just a plain foam pad, and no more comfortable when used in a hammock. but if you anticipate more nights on the ground/shelter floor, i guess it's a good choice.

you lose a lot of heat through the bottom of a hammock. the ground traps a lot, even in winter, and your sleeping bag gets compressed as you lay on it in your hammock. hence, the quilt on the OUTSIDE, which insulates without being compressed. i've had my JRB underquilt (outside) and a blue foam pad (inside) down into the low 30s comfortably... my 35* sleeping bag was approaching the limits of it's utility at that range, but then i'm a really cold sleeper...

poster "patrick" makes synthetic underquilts. he's at kickassquilts.com

JacksRBetter (JRB) makes down underquilts. they're at jacksrbetter.com the owners post here as PeterPan and Smee.

i've used my small stock HH BULA fly in some pretty crappy weather, and it works fine. rain has to blow literally almost sideways to get up underneath the tarp if you've got it battened down as designed (the little side clippy things fastened to the side tie-outs, and the side tie-outs staked down to the ground. and if you know rain is coming and stil camp out on the top of a hill when you can just duck to the leeward side, you deserve to get wet! :D seriously, if you set it up, you can see the angle needed to get around the tarp and into the hammock, and it's a pretty shallow angle. i've seen rain come down that could get in, but like i said, if you're deep in a grove or on the side of a hill away from the wind, you'll be fine and the rain will come straight down, even if it's howling somewhere else nearby. (local micro-climate, i think that's called).

i will admit that my tarp has torn a little in one corner due to high winds, but it was pretty windy, probably sustained 40+ mph winds, that did it. the problem was probably that i had it pulled to tight along the ridgeline axis. it was easily repaired and is holding up fine in any case.

[Tinka Yambe]

Thanks for all of the information Jeff and Seeker. I am looking through it right now.