Originally Posted by
traceyam
Last night was my third time out with my Hennessy Explorer Ultralite A-Sym. I'm having the usual cold weather and pad problems but I didn't think they'd be this bad, and I'm having some other problems in addition. I like the idea of the Hennessy and since a car accident a few years ago I can't sleep on the ground anymore, so I'd really like to make it work. Maybe some of you more experienced Hennessyers can help me out.
First let me say that if I had had that many problems when I first started sleeping in a hammock back some 9 years ago I doubt I would be called The Hammock Hanger now.
1a. This last test was the coldest thus far. I have a Mountainsmith Vision bag (15F), silk bag liner, Thermarest RidgeRest 3/4 pad, and a Speer down blanket on top, and I was uncomfortable at 40F (I'm a cold sleeper but not THAT cold)! Close to 32F, my toes had gone numb and I had to leave the hammock and sleep in the car.
In early April I slept in the HH Expedition with a 15 degree bag and a thermarest and did fine. In fact I felt that the 15 degree was overkill. At this point in time we were still getting snow and frost.
1b. The pad would stay under me under NO conditions. At first, when it was providing a little bit of warmth, every time it shifted cold spots developed that woke me, which was about every five minutes. Later when it wasn't helping to keep me warm I couldn't sleep at all.
I found that when using a thermrest you can not inflate it as much, more 3/4 of the way.
I'm guessing I'll have to sew a down underquilt and come up with a pad that is cut to the fit the entire length of the hammock and then secure it while it's in there. I've seen lots of underquilt ideas but does anyone have an idea for a pad that can be cut to fit the entire length and width of the hammock, and then secured in place inside the hammock somehow? What if I bought a long foam cushion insert and cut it to fit the inside of the pad, would that work, or would it be too much of a vapor barrier or smoosh down too much to provide any warmth?
I did find that the warmest way to sleep in the hammock during cold cold weather is with an underquilt. When I spoke with Tom last he was in the process of devloping something along those lines. Should be out soon. My friend uses a double wide pad that kind of wraps around her. The hard foam not squishy foam.
Has anyone tried one of those rubber grid thingies that go underneath the shower rug and tile floor in the bathroom to keep a pad in place? I wonder if putting one of those between the pad and hammock would help keep the pad in place.
I personally haven't. I do not seem to have any problem with my pad. I did read somewhere that some one had but it had problems all it's own. I read on the Wanderlust site that there is a chemical you can treat the bottom of a tent/hammock with that will decrease some of the slippage. - You could try sewing in a couple of straps with velcro on each end. Or sewing a pocket to the outside of the hammock, I did this at one point. If done I would recommend hand sewing and large spaces between the stitches. I would be afrais that too many tight stitiches would compromise the strength of the hammock. I took my pocket off cuz I didn't feel I needed the extra weight, since I don't seem to have the slipage problem.
2. Trying to move around in the hammock is a logistics nightmare. When I can figure out how to move, nothing moves with me, which is a big problem since my bag has a hood. Switching from my back to my side (or vice versa) is a major operation that requires waking up, sitting up to turn over onto my side, then trying to turn the bag around so it faces the right direction (it never moves as much as I need it to), then repositioning the pad underneath the bag, and repositioning the down blanket on top of the bag. Is there an easier way to do this?
I have heard of folks having problems moving around in the hammock. Again, I am perplexed. I lay the pad approximately where I want it to go, I sit in the entrance, take off my shoes, lean back and let the velcro come together. (Sometimes I need to straighten it out a little.) I get up to the position I want to be at. I lay my sleeping bag over me with my feet in the bottom, this is usually all I need. If I want to zip it, I roll way over to one edge, grab the bag and slide it under me, role back over, wiggle a little, zip. At this point I may need to readdress my pad position.
3. When I'm laying on my side, my shoulder feels like it's being wrapped around all the way to my chest. Is there a more comfortable way to lay on your side? Does that mean I've hung the hammock with too much tension?
I pull my hammock pretty tight and I have never had this problem, even when it was loose. I don't know if your height or weight have anything to do with this.
4. Each night I've been in it I've tried to find the "sweet spot" but I haven't found it yet, and it's so difficult to move around inside the hammock that I'm not really sure how to reposition myself well enough to find it. Can someone describe it?
I always seem to find a couple of "sweet spots". I sleep in the hammock almost the same as I do in my bed at home. I start on my back to relax, as I am getting drowsy I roll over to my side. Usually with one leg stretched out and one bent. During the middle of the night at some point I get fetal. Near the morning I am stretched out and "almost" on my stomach, like 3/4 of the way. I am only 5' 5".
5. I don't see how the rain fly is going to keep the hammock from getting wet in a rain storm. I can sew another (I have enough silnylon to do a 10 x 10 fly) but with just barely adequate sewing skills that's a dubious project. I also couldn't figure out a way to tie down the fly so that it was angled more closely to the ground, like it would be during a storm, without the fly resting against the bug screen, which results in a wet bug screen in the mornings. Any way to fix this? Anyone else have complete confidence in their Hennessy fly in an AT-worthy storm?
I have hung thru many many wicked and wild storms. I have stayed warm and dry. Only if there was a strong whipping wind did I ever feel a spray. Never enough to worry about. I use the fly provided with the HH A-sym. I simple pull it out and down at whatever angle is necessary to get a taut fly. If your fly is resting on the net you have either pulled it down too tight or to loose. I have complete confidence in my Hennessy fly, as I have weathered many AT storms!
6. I'm 6' and have to position the tree webbing at head-level (standing up) for the hammock to sit at the right height. Does that sound correct?
I have a tendency to hang my hammock high. I wrap my tree huggers almost as high as I can reach. Sometimes when I first try to get in to the hammock I have to "lift" myself in. But then it "adjust" and is at a perfect height for me to sit and have my feet touch the ground.
7. The slit doesn't really "snap shut." I have to grab parts of it and press the velcro together, which is going to be a problem if there's a hoard of mosquitos trying to follow me into the hammock. Is it normal to have to finish sealing the velcro yourself?
In the begining mine worked like a charm. Now that it has over 1000+ miles and many night of use I find I may have to help it a little. But even if I don't I have never fallen out!
8. The velcro tears at my hair and at silk as I'm getting in and out. Also, as I lean back into the hammock and pull my legs in, the very tense sides of the slit opening rake right down along the iliotibial band (on the outside of the thigh) which is excruciatingly painful for fibromyalgia sufferers. The first time it happened it hurt so bad I cried out. That's a very specific issue that I understand I couldn't have known about before I bought the hammock, but are there any other FMers out there who have found a way around this?
My friend had one specially made "without" the velcro, he seems to do jsut fine. Your body weight pretty much holds the fabric closed. And keeps the skeeters out.
I guess I'm lucky because the hammock has been a wonderful way for me to sleep out over the years. I started with a cheap net hammock from Walmart. When I got the HH I thought man this is like a palace. I bounce and rock in it sometimes when I'm getting dressed in the morning. I haven't had much problem at all with various pads, ie: thermarest, Z rest, windsheild reflector pad. Getting in and out of the sleeping bag jsut doesn't seem to be that big of a deal... I don't know if it is because I am short or what... The only true problem that I have had was extreme cold, but the underquilt has really fixed that problem.
Have you considered using Speers book to make your own hammock a length that maybe better for you? My only problem with the Speer is that I get that wrapped in a taco feel that I do not get in the HH.
Have youy thought about going to the next size up in the hammock?
Good luck, Sue/Hammock Hanger
Thanks!