Hennessy Hammocks: A Beginner’s Guide

This article is intended for backpackers who normally sleep in a tent and are interested in learning more about hammock-based shelters, and specifically Hennessy Hammocks. When I first tried a Hennessy a few years ago, I found that it was very difficult to really understand how they worked from the explanations I found online at the Hennessy web site. So, in the following article I try to explain the basics from the perspective of a non-disciple.

When I originally bought an Ultralight Backpacker A-Sym (31 oz.), it took me over one year of experimentation to understand when to use it as a shelter and how it is better than a tent under certain conditions. Despite the marketing,  hammocks are not ideal for 4 season use, but they do have distinct advantages over tents in certain weather conditions and terrain.

The Basics

The Hennessey Hammock hangs from two canvas straps that you wrap around trees about 10 feet apart.  Each canvas strap, called a tree hugger, has loops at the end: you tie the hammock to the loops to protect the trees’ bark. The hammock has a top half made of mosquito netting and a bottom half that you lie on made of heavy nylon. The sides are sewn together to form a completely enclosed space you sleep in. You enter the hammock from the bottom or, if it has a side zipper, from the side, and sit down on the edge, slowly raising your legs over the side until you can stretch out inside.

You are now lying down in your hammock. Above you is a black cord that runs the entire length of the hammock. This is called the ridgeline. The Hennessey comes with a little pocket that hangs from the ridgeline that you can put your glasses or an LED headlamp into. You can also hang other gear off the ridgeline, like your boots, wet socks, or whatever.

Before you go to sleep, you want to hang up your rain fly over the hammock. You can hang this over the ridgeline and stake down the sides or you can suspend it separately between the two trees. The degree of separation between the fly and your hammock and the direction of the wind can make a huge difference is how warm or cold you get at night. This will take some experimentation on your part, but you’ll be cooler if you have more airflow, just like in a single-walled tent.

Temperature Range

I do not recommend trying your new hammock for the first time if the nighttime temperature is below 55-60 degrees F. The bottom of the hammock is a poor insulator and your sleeping bag will not provide you with much insulation because you will be sleeping on it. Hennessey Hammock offers additional fabric and insulation layer add-ons that can extend your hammock’s temperature range.

I’ve tried them all, but I prefer a product called The Nest (see my review) from a manufacturer called Jacks R Better that makes extremely high-quality quilts and aftermarket products for Hennessy Hammocks. Hammocks and quilts go hand-in-hand and you may end up reconsidering your insulation system and getting rid of your sleeping bag because it’s easier to use a quilt than a sleeping bag in the enclosed space of a hammock.

Hammocks are great for a limited temperature range. I prefer to use them in late spring through early fall. They are fantastic when it is raining, and the ground is very wet. Your friends will be envious. They are also good for camping in heavily forested mountainous areas where the ground is very hard, and good campsites are hard to find. Hammocks are also excellent for stealth camping when you want to camp away from other people in a wilderness setting because they have a much lower impact on the environment than tents.