A question for Hennessy Hammock Users.

[Swiftfoot]

Hey I bought a Hennessy Hammock for my 2017 thru- hike. And was wondering if any of the thru- hikers who used a Hennessy where cold using it where temperatures can reach freezing. I will be using a 20 degree sleeping bag for any areas where it can reach freezing. Also if you didn't have an issue with the cold in the Hennessy and think my 20 degree bag is overkill I wouldn't mind a heads up on that as well. Hopefully this was enough information.

Thanks,
Swift

[FreshStart]

Hey I bought a Hennessy Hammock for my 2017 thru- hike. And was wondering if any of the thru- hikers who used a Hennessy where cold using it where temperatures can reach freezing. I will be using a 20 degree sleeping bag for any areas where it can reach freezing. Also if you didn't have an issue with the cold in the Hennessy and think my 20 degree bag is overkill I wouldn't mind a heads up on that as well. Hopefully this was enough information.

Thanks,
Swift


Do you have an under quilt? Or a nice warm pad at least? I'm by no means a thru hiker but I know you will have a chilly backside with only a sleeping bag in your hammock.

[Rain Man]

Sleeping bags do NOT keep your bottom side warm in any hammock as you compress the down down to nothing. I have two Hennesseys ... and two UQs (under quilts). Before UQs, I've been cold in the middle of the summer, hanging up in the air on a mountainside, with a strong breeze blowing cloud and fog over and under me.

I did use a sleeping pad for a long time, but was never able to stay on it comfortably, nor successfully combat CBS (Cold Butt Syndrome) as a side sleeper.

I use 20-degree gear (UQ and TQ) just about year-round when on mountains.

BTW, you might want to spend some online time over at HammockForums.net, which is WB's sister site.

[Tuckahoe]

Listen to Rain Man!

You will be much happier in the hammock if you set yourself up with a bottom and top quilt, rather than a sleeping bag. It really is a b!tch trying to get into a sleeping bag in a hammock without throwing yourself out.

Like RM said, when using a sleeping bag, you are compressing the insulation that is under you and losing its ability to keep you warm. On the ground this conductive heat loss is easy to mitigate with a pad or such. But in a hammock, the cooling is more difficult to halt without that underquilt -- the insulation hanging from the bottom of the hammock holds that warm air in a pocket up against you and reduces the convection-cooling.

[mPalozzola01]

You recommend a top quit in place of a sleeping bag? I'm new to the underquilt/top quilt concept because I've hammock it in S Florida mostly. And for that my thin 50 degree bag is fine mostly. But I'm an aspiring class of 2017 thru-hiker as well so I'm upgrading my gear

[bigcranky]

I have a Hennessy Hammock, and have used it for ten years or so hiking on the southern AT in the summer.

Without some sort of insulation under you, you'll freeze no matter what sleeping bag you have, even in relatively "warm" weather. I need something under me when the night temps are 70F or lower.

The cheapest and easiest is a closed cell foam pad. The Walmart blue foam pad is fine, and the extra width is very useful for wide shoulders. I use a cut-down 3/4 length version in the summer and it's plenty. In winter I have used a long/wide Ridge Rest (25x77 inches) down into the 20s with a good solid 10F rated bag, and it was plenty warm. As noted above, however, it can be difficult to stay on the pad, and it's not very comfortable.

More expensive is a down underquilt. Lots of choices out there. These are far more comfortable and can be very warm. There is a learning curve, so spend the time figuring it out before showing up at Springer :)

Many hammckers use a top quilt - lighter, easier to use inside the hammock, just as warm. These days I hammock only in the summer, so I use a 40F rated quilt from Jacks R Better and that 3/4 length pad. Works great.

[rotorbrent]

If you can get comfortable a wide airpad or foam pad and foil windscreen underneath will work with your 20deg bag. And you will have the pad for the occasional time you are in a shelter ect. Underquilts and a overquilt are the best for hammock.
I haven't tried but some of the rescue/escape bivy combination might work for you but I haven't tried them yet, going to this winter.
A guy on you tube with a 1 20 deg bag, 2,vapor liner, 3 rescue bivy. was out in -9 deg on the ground. looking the try that in a hammock because the weight savings would be great. look for -9 deg on you tube

[Bluegrass]

I have a Hennessy Hammock with the classic bottom entry, and have been occasionally experimenting with hammock camping.

Some things I have learned:
* An inflatable pad in your Hennessy can be a bad night's sleep. Getting it inflated the right amount where I was not sleeping on a balance beam, and yet still warm was difficult. Getting it consistent night after night was never going to happen.
* An under quilt makes the night much more enjoyable, but can be difficult to arrange once you are in the hammock. Getting the under quilt suspension setup correctly took some practice.
* A 3/4 underquilt and a sit pad made from a Z-lite pad made the most sense.
* With a 20* quilt and 3/4 length 40* UQ along with the sit pad under my feet, I was able to sleep very warm in 40 degree weather.

I considered adding some under quilt hooks from Dutchware, but ended up just ordering a hammock from Dream Hammock.

When I do the AT next year, I have been debating hammock vs. tent. I prefer the hammock for sleeping (as well as the freedom to pitch almost anywhere), but know I will be staying in shelters at least occasionally. Hammock + Underquilt + Pad obviously weighs more than Tent + Pad. I still have not completely decided.

[Monkeywrench]

I thru'ed in my Hennessey Hammock in 2009, and spent every single night in it except through the Smokies, where shelter use is mandatory.

I used the underpad and undercover, along with a 20 degree bag inside the hammock. On very cold nights I added my down jacket to the under insulation in my torso area. I stayed comfortable except for one night when I didn't attach the elastic on the head end of the underpad and thus left a huge air gap between me and the insulation. Duh! Never made that mistake again!

[ChrisJackson]

I have a HH bottom entry and use a JRB Nest. Works great. Still use a regular bag inside though, but a proper top quilt will replace the bag soon. The current system works pretty well but the top quilt replacement will lighten the system, be more compressible, convenient, and warmer (or as warm).

[fastfoxengineering]

You'll start off with a bad thru hike if you don't have proper bottom insulation. As others have said top quilts and are under quilts are the way to go. For someone who plans on using their hammock pretty much every night then an under quilt is definitely the way to go in terms of comfort and warmth. Pads work, under quilts are simply a more tailored design for hammock insulation. If one was planning on 50/50 on shelters and hammocking, I would say bring a nice warm, and more importantly, extra wide pad.

For the person that plans on hammocking the whole way and not really planning on shelters. Which means you'll prob stay in a shelter once or twice, then imho I think the best system for bottom insulation would be a 3/4 length 20* underquilt paired with a torso sized closed foam pad.

This way you have your underquilt and extra feet insulation if needed. You have a sitpad. And furthermore, you have a pad that is comfortable enough to sleep in a shelter. With a torso length pad you would put your pack under your legs and sleep on clothes bag pillow. I think it's the lightest way to be prepared for what you may encounter on a thru.

If I was planning on spending alot of time in shelters, well firstly I wouldn't bring a hammock, but.. if I were going to, I would carry a extra wide gossamer gear thin lite pad and another type of pad. Maybe a 3/4 length z lite or short neo air.

When it comes to hammocking, under quilts and top quilts are the way to roll.

[Swiftfoot]

Wow, I was not expecting so many quick responses. Thanks everyone. Unfortunately, I did forget to mention that I already have the Hennessy Underpad and cover. Which probably changes the nature of most of these response. So a whoops and apology from my side. My question was still answered for me. Most of you guys also mentioned top quilts and under quilts which is something I'll probably look into more now.

And thank you Rain Man for the website. I'll be spending the next couple of days there.

Swift

[Five Tango]

FWIW,I ditched my Hennessey underpad and cover for a JRB nest and a HG zero top quilt and have never been happier with a gear change.IMHO the HH pad and under cover for it are pretty lame.In the end I matched the top and underquilt with one of Dutch's argon hammocks for winter use and am going to a WarBonnett Blackbird 1.1 double layer with a pad for summer use.If I don't like the pad then I will use the feathers year round.

[kayak karl]

Lowest in my HH on the trail was negative 10 , but it was the Jacks-R-Better quilts that did it :)

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[zeppo]

What kind of underquilt did you use? I saw a video of how to make your own underquilt using a down sleeping bag. Way cheaper than buying an UQ. Have you seen/heard of that?

[zeppo]

Monkeywrench, What kind of underquilt did you use? I saw a video of how to make your own underquilt using a down sleeping bag. Way cheaper than buying an UQ. Have you seen/heard of that?