Clark VS. Hennesey

[Buckingham]

Which is the better hammock, Clark or Hennesey?

[tlbj6142]

I own a HH, but honently think the Speer-like hammocks are a better choice (it offers more setups than the HH and Clark(?)). Though I often wonder how folks hang their Speer as it doesn't have a the center line like the HH that allows you to pull the tree connections tight. Got it?

I know very little about the Clark. I have looked a few pics, but that's about it.

[Kerosene]

Hikerhead, a frequent participant on this forum, swears by his Clark and seems to sleep warmer than I in my HH. The Clark has pockets underneath the sleeper that you can fill with clothes or other "insulation" and the pad naturally tends to envelope the sleeper. Plus, it's a whole lot easier to get in and out of with side entry. The HH provides a flatter sleeping surface with more leg and arm room and better airflow (I think), in a significantly lighter overall package.

[Just Jeff]

I voted other because my homemade Speer-type is the most comfortable I've slept in.

I guess it depends on "better for what" though. I'd take the HH in a second for tropical, buggy areas. I like my Speer-type for colder-weather, and it's more comfortable. Some folks say it's better for the AT than a HH...probably true for parts of it, at least.

FWIW, adding a ridgeline to a Speer is as easy as tying two knots. I put one on mine. Ed doesn't put them on the ones he sells because Tom H. has patented it, but that doesn't mean you can't do it yourself after you buy it.

[Hikerhead]

Hikerhead, a frequent participant on this forum, swears by his Clark and seems to sleep warmer than I in my HH. The Clark has pockets underneath the sleeper that you can fill with clothes or other "insulation" and the pad naturally tends to envelope the sleeper. Plus, it's a whole lot easier to get in and out of with side entry. The HH provides a flatter sleeping surface with more leg and arm room and better airflow (I think), in a significantly lighter overall package.

The Clark has better airflow because it allows the bug screen to be partially zipped open or completely rolled off depending on your needs.

I agree with everything else.

And the Clark is somewhat more expensive than the HH.

But, you'll stay warmer and drier in a Clark.

I also added a ridgeline to mine that runs thru a mesh bag that I keep my flashlight and radio in. Keeps me from having to open 2 sets of zippers to get to the pockets underneath.

[neo]

i love my hennessey hammock
my wife loves her hennessey hammock
my 2 sons love thier hennessey hammocks neo

[SGT Rock]

Here is a link to a very good comparison

http://www.hikinghq.net/gear/clark_hammock.html

The format of the page is jacked up a bit, but that shouldn't stop you.

[tlbj6142]

FWIW, adding a ridgeline to a Speer is as easy as tying two knots. I put one on mine. Ed doesn't put them on the ones he sells because Tom H. has patented it, but that doesn't mean you can't do it yourself after you buy it.

True, but many don't. How do they setup their hammocks?

[Just Jeff]

I guess they just get good at eyeballing it. I find that I can tie the hammock to the tree at a lower level with the ridgeline on...helps with finding suitable sites sometimes. Not to mention that it's effortless to keep the right amount of sag.

[tlbj6142]

I must not be expressing my concern correctly. How can you tie off your hammock to trees when there isn't any tension on the line? Seems like it would be difficult to make a tight and secure knot.

Whereas with the ridgeline setup, you are able to pull against the ridgeline when securing the tie-outs to the tree.

[Youngblood]

I must not be expressing my concern correctly. How can you tie off your hammock to trees when there isn't any tension on the line? Seems like it would be difficult to make a tight and secure knot.

Whereas with the ridgeline setup, you are able to pull against the ridgeline when securing the tie-outs to the tree.

Not a problem, you just have to use the right knot for the job.

[tlbj6142]

OK. So, what sort of knot do folks use to tie up their Speer hammocks?

[Youngblood]

OK. So, what sort of knot do folks use to tie up their Speer hammocks?

My hammock is a home made one and I use hollow braid polyproplyene rope instead of webbing like the standard Speer uses. I use Clark's slippery bowline (about 3 PAGE DOWN strokes on this site http://www.junglehammock.com/tips.php ). Speer uses a multi wrap knot on small trees that I don't have a link to, but the slippery bowline will work with it also. The multi wrap knot can be tied with a taut line, or not... but it probably is a little easier with a taut line.

[Just Jeff]

I use one like the "modified 4 wrap" on www.imrisk.com

With the webbing, you can just wrap it around a rough-bark tree a few times and it'll stay. With the smoother barks, you need to go back and forth like in the link above.

[Youngblood]

Yeah, this link http://www.imrisk.com/hammock/speerknot.htm . Anyway it is a multi wrap knot and there are several variances in how you finish it off. You can also take the last wrap back under and between all the wraps and the tree, and finish that off with a slippery bowline if you don't want the knot to constrict (or cinch up on the tree). In my view, how you finish it off is secondary to the multi wrap feature as the multi wrap feature makes this an "ultra tree friendly knot", whether you use webbing or rope, because you are speading out the force on the tree.

[neo]

i use the figure 8 knot the tom hennesey showed me at trail days 2002
on my hammock and line for tieing tarp to trees also neo

[Ramble~On]

Which is better ?
Neither. Both are good. Both have advantages over each other.
The person who designs and markets a cross between the two is going to make some money.

[SGT Rock]

Which is better ?
Neither. Both are good. Both have advantages over each other.
The person who designs and markets a cross between the two is going to make some money.

If you read my review where I do the recommendations, I think you could easily modify the Hennessy to do the best of both worlds stuff. A bigger tarp and add some side pockets on the inside at the pull out points.

Actually, as I sit here thinking about it, the Speer could probably be modified even easier, sew a few mesh pockets on the bottom. But if I were doing a Speer Hammock, I would probably add a ridge-line mod like Youngblood does and some side tie outs like the Hennessy has.

Personally I found that using the bottom pockets for insulation, while a novel idea, not very practical because they do not cover enough area to truly be effective. Also I don't bring enough extra clothing usually to make it work - and leaves are often wet in the temps I need the extra insulation, so using them seemed like a bad idea.

[Youngblood]

Sarge, that wasn't me with a ridgeline... maybe Just Jeff?

But the point is, not everyone would agree on what is the best features for a backpacking hammock. I think we would all agree that the features would be somewhat different for different conditions... temperature, rain, buggy, etc.

Youngblood

[titanium_hiker]

home made speer! yeah!!!