Hammocks anyone?

“I got my Hennesy Hammock last month, and I couldn't be happier! 37oz for the hammock, 3oz for the heat shield, and I added 2.5 for a few stakes. Sure beats buying a tent, ground cover, and sleeping pad wich would weigh even more.

Plus there is no condensation problems, water doesn't run into the bottom like a tent, there aren't any problems with those mystery rocks and roots that poke your back, no problems with needing level ground, no slidding to the end of your tent when the pitch is't completely level, and it is many more times more comfortable to sleep on than my thermarest.

I just wishI had knew about the new ultralight version befor I bought it.”

“I just got off the trail with mine and discovered a better heat reflector than the one Tom has on the site. Go to Wal Mart and get one of those car sun shades. Mine is 4'x2' and weighs 3.5 oz. I bring it in the hammock and lay on it silver side up. Easy to use, no crinkle noise when the wind blows, and I can use it to lounge on outside the hammock while cooking and eating "Roman style".

I highly reccomend the hammock to everyone!”

“Thanks for the tip.”

“Went to REI and got the Hennessy hammock 34% off because of "discontinued color"! Saved enough to get me some other stuff too...



...Um, pardon me while I step away for a while and play with my hammock.”

“So let me get this straight, you picked one up for $66. No fair. I demand a recount! I've been cheated!

Very cool, like I have said before, it's the best gear purchase I've ever made (even for $99).”

“I saw a hennesy hammock at rei for $35 it was used once and returned. It had a small but repaireable rip i a seem. I reckon I shoulda bought it.”

“Bet you could have even contacted Hennessy to repair it and would have still saved a bunch.”

“Tom Hennessey is very nice and customer friendly. I wrote him an e-mail after the new catalog came out saying I wish the ultralight was available at REI so I could refund it for the new light version. He told me he would send me the new one if I just sent the old one back and a check for the difference. What a guy. Then he proceeded to tell me about how the Army here is testing them. Wish I was in that unit.

Oh yes, he also sells discounted models in last years colors and exchanges at a reduced price if you order directly.”

“my new hammock has a nylon cord ring, instead of a metal ring, to hang it.

what would be the best, clean knot to use? i know that there are some that are designed to protect the loop. any suggestions?”

“i'm thinking of a sheet bend double or making a overhand loop in the rope into a square knot with the hammock loop.”

“I like pinto beans with mine.

Oops, sorry...thought I saw hamhocks. Never mind.”

“triple, rather than double, sheet bend sounds good.

don't hang your life/health on a reef knot!

But why worry about wear/tear? Sounds like a rope loop can be easily replaced. Anyway, cord with a nylon sheath doesn't have the best wear characteristics. Polyester would be better. With that in mind, I'd probably just tie a slipped bowline and forget about it.

What hammock did you get?”

“thanks, dude!

just a 10 ounce travelling hammock. it'll replace my thermarest chair, on certain trips. and it might get me into a hennessey ultralight, if i like it. i just wanted to get used to doing it right.

zzzz....”

“What about a couple of half-hitches?”

“nah! that's too easy! i want it interesting! LOL!!!!”

“Well I just thought radagast might appreciate the knot being easily untied so he can put the rope to other uses when he's not hanging on it. That's why I suggested the slipped bowline. But if he wanted it permanent, then 2 half hitches isn't going to be secure enough (imo). Sure, you could just add more half hitches but then you have a bulky crappy knot. I'd probably still use a bowline. Or an anchor bend.

Aw hell it doesn't #&%!$ing matter anyway! :p”

“BTW, you just might find that a utility hammock is more useful as a gear sling in camp, rather than a seat.”

“Taut line hitch.”

“tautline hitch = impractical”

“TLH = most f'-in practical knot of all time!”

“Um, no, limpy. There's better sliding friction hitches than the tautline.

Using the tautline in this case would be using the wrong knot for the wrong purpose.”

“Easy to tie, easy to untie, with proper rope it won't slide unless you want it to (if you know how to tie it.)”

“"Easy to tie, easy to untie, with proper rope it won't slide unless you want it to (if you know how to tie it.)"

What you mean to say is: if you know how to set it.

No, limpy, a slipped bowline is easier and faster to tie and untie, and is more secure than than the tautline.

I really can't fathom why you're promoting that knot for this purpose. I think it shows a profound lack of experience with knots, hammocks, or both.”

“mutt, i was definately going to use the slipped bowline to tie it to the tree, etc.

and i agree about the bulky knot issue. a triple (or more) sheet bend would be great. thanks!”

“Whoa there radagast! You wanted a knot to tie the rope to your loop in your hammock. For that the slipped bowline is good (if you want it removable).

Tying the hammock to the tree requires two wraps around the trunk/branch and two half-hitches. You can slip the two half-hitches if you want as well.”

“why not two wraps and a slipped bowline?”

“yeah, rad, woah! ;-) LOL!”

“I'd want to be able to adjust the length of the line and hence the height of the hammock from the ground. My understanding is that a bowline is designed not to slip, that that is its strong suit. I wouldn't want to do the adjusting at the tree end to spare the tree the rub.
Yes, I'm partial to the TLH. I'm certain there are other knots which are quite practical for many different applications (or they wouldn't exist.)
I am unfamiliar with the "slipped bowline" but assumed (perhaps wrongly) that it like the standard bowline was designed to (k)not slip.”

“it's a bowline, but the last pass, you bring the rope back through. it holds like a regular bowline, but can be undone by yanking your rope.

i just had to say it. sorry.”

“limpy, now I know why we're not communicating. radagast was asking for a knot to tie rope to his hammock loop. You're talking about (I think) tying an end to the tree, puting the other end through the hammock loop and tying the tautline to the standing part, thus making it adjustable. That makes sense, but it's overkill. I use a system similar to that for my hammock tent, but I use rope clamps instead of sliding friction hitches. But for a utility hammock, it seems a little unnecessary. For one thing, the adjustability it gives you will be variable depending on how far apart your trees are. For another, with a little practice you won't need to adjust your hammock after you tie it. Yet another, it's not as fast as my method. Also, tautline hitches DO slip! That's at the least annoying and possibly dangerous.

Radagast: you sure could use a slipped bowline. I'm used to having weight in my hammock tent when tying it, and that makes forming the loop in the standing part too difficult. But with your hammock you won't have that problem.”

“I agree with mutt about the knot for attaching the line to the tree - twice around and a slipped double hitch is what I use for my hammock.

As for the attachment of the line to the ring - here I am unsure - probably I would just use a bowline but I remember there being better knots for the purpose in the knot bible - Ashley's Book Of Knots.”

“cool. i was planning on leaving the rope attaced to the hammock loop, unless i need it for something else.

thanks for your help, fellas!”

“so...rad.....what did ya think about my hammock tying knot?....knot sure there is a name for it.....LOL..you were very nice knot to laugh.......but hey...this chunky monkey has never hit the dirt yet! heh
mutt.... you would roll over in your hammock if you saw my knotting technique...heh......

rock a bye raddy in the treetop
when the wind blows the hammock will rock
if the bowline breaks the hammock will fall
and down will come raddy...natty and all....
3~”

“LOL om”

“ROTFLMAO!!!!”

“http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php?t=6922
last edited: 3/18/09 2:24:43 PM”

“wow, that was an exciting error message. Wuz up?”

“Try this::

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php?t=6922”

“ahh yes, I believe this has already been penciled into mine and Tater's calendars. I have no tarp....wonder if I could bring my tent...and my hammock....:) lol. Thanks for the link.”

“Use one of my Tarps Ms. Bucky Katt”

“Do you actually sleep in your hammock, Uncle Fridge? I tied mine up the other day for lounging...well I was really trying to read, but it wasnt working.

I kept fidgeting/dosing off. lol. I'm still not sure if I got the degree of sag right. Didn't know it was gonna be so complicated.”

“I double checked with Tater. He is still plannin on tryin to go at this point. :)”

“Ms Bucky....I used my set up at SIPSEY this past Fall and will use at BEARTOWN WILDERNESS trip comming up in April and using my new Electric Bear Fence I built myself.”

“Ms Bucky....Come a do a Trip with Uncle Fridge.”

“http://www.grandtrunkgoods.com/ProdDetails.aspx?prodId=34”

“http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2010%2F07%2F28%2FSBM41ED45G.DTL”

“Anyone have a good system to use in a hammock without a sleeping pad. Broke out my HH A-sym this past weekend to use in the Sods...getting into the hammock, and then into my sleeping bag, and then onto the thermarest was a PITA. Would love to know some good ideas, see some pics for using them without a pad, something light. Maybe even a quilt too instead of a sleeping bag. And yes, I know about Hammock Forums but I like to check with the TT crew first.”

“www.hammockgear.com for top and botton quilts. You will never use a pad again.

They make summer, 3 season and winter quilts. he also offers 3/4 and full length underquilts

We have quite a few of his quilts and would highly recommend them.
last edited: 6/28/11 6:49:03 AM”

“I just shove the pad to one side, sit back, pull my feet up/in, then throw my bag over me like a quilt...werks fer me...”