Jolly Green,

A Bridge hammock (ie: from JRB) is the only "lay flat" hammock I've found. I'm over 6'1" and wouldn't want to be much taller in it, though. they may/may not make one custom for you - great folks!

You might contact Grizz at hammockforums.net to see if he can make a longer version if JRB doesn't. He is a genius. I don't know if he will do this, but it wouldn't hurt to ask. He modified my JRB Bridge to slash the weight.

Todd

The Hennessy Scout recommended size is for 5'8" 150 lb.

I got it for free when I bought my ASYM last Winter. Has not been taken out of the bag.

I'm thinking about doing a raffle for it. I will donate all the proceeds to BSA or similar organization.

What do you think?

I love my Warbonnet Blackbird and OES SpinnUL tarp and I don't plan on ever returning to the ground. I can now hike late into the evening on a steep, rocky mountain and not worry about finding flat ground for my tarp. While I'm hooked on the comfort and convienence, my system is lighter than it was when I was on the ground because I no longer need to carry my Big Agnes to get a decent night of sleep. What do you guys do with your packs? Do you put them right on the ground underneath you? There were quite a few critters where I camped last weekend. I considered bringing the pack inside the hammock with me or hanging it like a bear bag.

Last time on the ground was in may 2003... HHBUL, HHELR, Claytor moskito, Byer Misquito, M1965 jungle hammock, ENO,s and currently JRB BMBH... Have used them all...They are all great.... In Fact, anything off the ground is great!

Pan

Normally I just put my pack underneath me where I can easily reach in and grab things from my hammock. On occasion I will hang my pack from the suspension on one side of the hammock as well.

Hang it from the suspension line.

Jolly,

I would say WBBB 1.7 but I've heard your stories on SEBP lol.

Seriously though, and this is only going from those podcasts, the WBBB 1.7 should work for you. My guess is that you either weren't laying in it correctly or hadn't pitched it correctly, both of which take some practice when you first start out. Over on hammockforums, there's regular discussions about guys 6'6/6'7 having no problems in the WBBB.

Another issue in getting a flat lay in the WBBB may not be your height at all, but your weight. Again, from hearing your podcasts, you are near the upper limits of the "flat lay" in the WBBB 1.7. Getting a custom (as I did) would help in that as well.

PM me offline and I can maybe help further.

I do one of the following:

1. Throw it underneath me on the ground on a piece of tyvek that I always carry
2. Attach it to the suspension line - usually do this if the ground is saturated or expecting a downpour. Or if there is wind coming from a particular direction it helps to act as a barrier
3. Throw it in my hammock with me at my feet


As for hammocks:

1. Clark NX-250
2. Grand Trunk Single
3. ENO Doublenest
4. WBBB 1.7
5. Custom WBBB Triple Layer, 1.7 and 1.1

And I have only been hammocking for 9 months lol.

Grizz made a bridge for me (6'5") that was longer and wider than standard and did a first-rate job. I can't say enough good things about the work he did.

After two nights of trying it, I determined that I was not as comfortable as when using my Warbonnet Blackbird. Grizz was good enough to let me send the "Beep Bridge" back to him. He may still have it since I returned it about 3-4 weeks ago.

Bridge hammocks are a somewhat elegant design that are actually lighter than a full gathered end hammock, BUT, they don't work for everyone. The JRB bridge is generally too narrow and too short for someone my size...or yours!

Thanks for all the "What to do with your pack" advice...much appreciated.

Shawn,

Another option for your pack and footwear and such: a gear hammock or the recently released gearbox. Essentially a small light hammock for your gear that can be hung under or near your hammock. The gearbox has the benefit of being waterproof being made out od Sil. Have one on order. See following link.

http://www.mollymacpack.com/box.html

+1 on gear hammocks. They are also a nice way for keeping your gear organized and dry, and can also double for use as a pack cover. For me they were more useful for hennessy style hammocks, since you could sit on the entry slit and browse through gear, but even after switching to top entry, I still bring one along frequently to keep my gear organized, reachable and clean while sitting on the ground. But I suppose that use could be made of any pack cover.

Here's a link to some DIY instructions:
http://www.tothewoods.net/HomemadeGearPackCoverGearHammock.html

You can buy here at Jacks R Better:
http://www.jacksrbetter.com/JGHPC.htm

Edited by drewboy on 08/15/2010 07:18:43 MDT.

so i am really considering getting a hennessy hammock since i backpack quite a bit in colorado. i had a question though. would a hennessy hammock hold me (145lbs, 5'10) and my dog (45 lbs) and if so anyone got a genius idea how i would get myself, my dog and my sleeping bag in there? the backpacker weighs 1.5 lbs or so and the others about 2.5, my backpacking tent two person weighs 5 lbs so its a great trade off if it would work. appreciate the advice!

Andy,
There are plenty of people with lots more hammocks than you...
- Henry Hennessy
- Brandon Waddy
- Peter and Paul Pinholster
- Ed Speer

just to name a few folks (of course they actually sale hammocks occasionally).

Glad to see they put in a Hammock section
by the way this is greenlespaul :)

Edited by PA_Hiker on 08/17/2010 07:25:03 MDT.

OK, so I've been learking over at HF for a year or so. I could never find a thread that told me exactly what I need to do to start hangin. I'm one of those people who gets mental paralysis when presented too many options. Plus I'm still on an uphill battle with all the new terms like slings and woopies and what not.

This new forum should be great because I want to hammock under the following restrictions:

No major compromise to my UL kit. Most of the nice folks on HF don't put pack weight first, I know some do. Hopefully having a hammock forum here at BPL will create the perfect storm of ideas.

A rig on a dirtbag budget is a must.

Something that will hold up a 200lb meat bag (me), is needed. I know people do it, but I'm still in disbelief that 1.1oz ripstop will hold me up. I will sleep nervously the first night :)

daniel- i had this old hammock i got as a gift from the guy who owns hammockbliss whaen i lived in tucson arizona- i had never used it till a few months ago- it weighs 15 ounces sleeping in it for a week has me convinced that hammocking is the way to go- i rigged up a golite poncho tarp for rain protection and have a headnet for bugs- all pretty cheap and about a pound and a half-

Daniel
I think you could keep hammock cost down to pretty cheap if you want to make your own.
Check out backwoodsdaydreamer.com - he has 1.1 oz ripstop for $3.00/ yd in camo (68" wide) and olive green (64" wide)
he also has some 1.5oz ripstop for $3.85 / yd

you could make a double layer of 1.1, or a single layer of 1.5 in a gathered end for really cheap. I used the 1.1 camo 68" wide single layer ( I weigh 160 lbs)

Don't get webbing for tree straps from backwoodsdaydreamer it is way too heavy.

You can get 7/64 amsteel for whoopies and webbing for tree straps from arrowheadequipment.com

Both of the folks are great to deal with.

PM me if you want any other details, hammocking can be done fairly cheap, at least to start. Then you start wanting to make underquilts, topquilts, etc...

@ Michael, that's what I'm talkin about. Light-n-cheap

@ Chris, I think making my own is the way to go. I will contact you for sure. Thanks!

Hey Tom, lol, just caught your post. Guess I better subscribe to this thread. Oh believe me, the list of persons with more hammocks than me is quite long. You should check out a guy named Cannibal on HF sometime. But I'm always on the lookout for my next acquisition ;) Good to see all this hammock chatter going on around here. BTW, we have a backpacking group with 6 hangers in it heading out to the CO high country next week for a 5 day adventure. I will be posting a trip report on that for sure. It should be epic.