For the last couple of years, I’ve been using a Hennessy Hammock as my shelter and it has served me well. I’ve modified it a bit to fit my needs better, but realized that some things I couldn’t change. For example, I’m always looking for ways to lighten my backpack. I had already changed the heavy Hennessy ropes for a lighter, adjustable suspension system. With the Hennessy, there’s only so much you can do to make it lighter. It was time to go a different route.
Rather than purchase another hammock, I decided to try my hand at making one. Here’s what I ended up with:
As you can see, a backpacking hammock has a few unique features. First, you’ll notice it has a bugnet. Though not necessary all the time, it sure is handy when getting eaten up by black flies or mosquitoes. Next, you’ll see the tie-outs. Unlike a hammock in most people’s backyard, there’s no chance of flipping or falling out of this hammock.
The hammock has a ridgeline (rope running from one end to the other). The ridgeline has a few purposes. First, it keeps the bugnet off of you. Second, every time you hang the hammock, it will have the exact same sag. This is important, because once you find the “sweet spot”, you want to be able to reproduce it every time. Finally, the ridgeline is used to hang items from at night such as a headlamp, etc.
The other major difference between a backpacking hammock and an everyday one is the suspension (how it is connected to the trees or posts). When backpacking, you may need to set up or take down the hammock very quickly. You will also need to adjust the height of the hammock when you set it up. Having a lightweight suspension that can be quickly set up and adjusted is a must.
Back to the hammock.
There’s a zipper on the right side of the hammock for entry.
For maximum comfort, always lay asymmetrical in a hammock. In a hammock such as this one, you can lay very flat doing so. In fact, in this hammock (and my Hennessy), I can sleep on my side or even on my stomach comfortably.
This thing is roomy!
A zipper on the left side allows the bugnet to unzip and be stowed at the foot end of the hammock. Here, the bugnet is unzipped and simply hanging on the ridgeline waiting to be stowed away.
The bugnet stowed away:
As much as I prefer sleeping without a bugnet, in the summer that just isn’t practical. I’ll be using the bugnet until the winter, and even then have the option of zipping the bugnet on if needed.
I’m pleased with the outcome of the hammock. It’s almost a pound lighter than a stock Hennessy, weighing in at 1lb 14oz. Now I have an excuse to go backpacking again soon (like I need an excuse).
Appalachian Trail - Yellow Creek Gap to Nantahala Outdoor Center
This weekend I hit the A.T. with 5 other guys (Chris, Joey, John, Brian & Kevin.) just south of Fontana Dam. We headed to Brown Fork Gap Shelter for the night. We arrived around 2PM, so we had lots of time to sit around and do nothing. I took the opportunity to play around with my hammock setup.
I was using whoopie slings and dutch clips as my hammock suspension for the first time. Both worked great. This was also the maiden voyage for my DIY Black Cat tarp. I had tested it in the back yard with the water hose, but this trip would be the first time to field test it. It didn’t take long for that test to come.
After supper (chicken burritos), a thunderstorm rolled in just north of us. The rain slowly moved our way and we started hearing thunder rolling in from the East. I pulled in the ends of my tarp that were facing the wind to try to stop any blowing rain. I was going to add some tie-outs on the bottom of the sides of my tarp, but decided to wait until after this trip. I will be adding those soon, so the tarp will stay taught with the ends pulled in.
I got in my hammock and pulled out my phone to check the weather. It didn’t look good. The weather for Robbinsville, NC (just below us in the valley) was calling for severe thunderstorms and large hail. Yikes! I wasn’t too worried about the thunderstorms, but really didn’t want to be under a silnylon tarp with large hail falling. I apparently wasn’t too worried, because the next thing I remember was waking up a couple of hours later listening to thunder and rain. I was high and dry, and quite comfortable.
The thunderstorms rolled through in just a couple of hours, then it got calm. It rained a little during the night, proving a nice soundtrack to sleep to.
The next morning, we got up early and after breakfast headed south. We all met for lunch at Locust Cove Gap before making the climb up Cheoah Bald. When we reached Cheoah Bald, we were greeted by biting gnats. Lots of them. Chris built a small fire to try to deter the gnats. Cheoah Bald would have been a really cool place to watch the sunset, but we didn’t get that luxury. We had planned on staying up on the bald, or just south at Sassafras Gap Shelter, but while we were on Cheoah Bald, we could see a thunderstorm quickly coming our way. We decided to turn our short day into a longer hike and head on down to the Nantahala Outdoor Center.
We dropped 3,339 feet in 8 miles from Cheoah Bald to the NOC. On the way down, Chris spotted a Garter Snake crossing the trail. Farther down the trail, I was about 30 minutes ahead of the others when I walked up on a huge Black Rat Snake just off the trail. It was about 6 feet long, just hanging out on a log. It didn’t care that I was there and stopped to take pictures. It was a cool sight to see. Shortly after seeing the large snake, I rounded a corner and spooked a bear. Having just seen two snakes and startled a bear, I was extra alert for the next 15 minutes or so.
Walking on the ridges with lightning popping on either side of me was quite the experience. There was nothing to do but keep moving downhill. Just when I thought the thunderstorms had passed me, and as I entered a section of the trail without much of a canopy above me, the heavens opened up. It poured. It rained hard for the last 4-5 miles down to the NOC. We all got soaked. It wasn’t worth it to put on rain gear, because it was so hot that I would get wet from sweat, so I just keep moving. It was actually fun to be hiking in such a downpour (knowing my gear was all dry in my pack with pack cover on).
John had caught up with me and we hiked the last few miles together. We reached the NOC just before 5PM and the others arrived shortly after. Before heading our separate ways, we hit the river-side restaurant for burgers that we had been craving all day. It wasn’t the best burger I’ve ever had, but it tasted like it that day.
Even though we cut the trip short to avoid riding out another thunderstorm on top of a mountain, it was a fun trip. I always enjoy hiking, and enjoyed the chance to experiment with new gear. The new tarp worked great, and it’ll be even better with some tie-outs added soon. Whoopie slings and dutch clips are so much easier that what I was using for my suspension (descender rings). It’s always fun to test new gear. Throw in a nice hike and good hiking companions and it made for a great trip.
I’ve posted pictures on Flickr and a video on YouTube.
Hi, my name is Jason and I love backpacking. Sleeping on the ground (even with a Thermarest) was never comfortable to me. In 1994, I switched to backpacking with a hammock for a while. I made the switch to hammocks permanent a couple of years ago when I purchased a Hennessy Hammock Expedition.
Sleeping in a hammock (the right kind) is much more comfortable than sleeping on the ground. With a hammock, you need a good tarp. My Hennessy came with two tarps: one small one and one large one. I love the small tarp because it’s so minimal. it covers just enough, but doesn’t obstruct your views. On the other hand, because the coverage is so minimal, you really have to know what you’re doing in a storm. The large tarp I got has great coverage, but it’s heavy.
I wanted a good tarp with lots of coverage, but lighter than the Hennessy one. I could have bought one from quite a few places, but decided to make one instead. I’ve made a few pieces of backpacking gear before, but I’ve held off making a tarp because if it doesn’t perform right, you’re screwed. In a cold rain in the winter, a tarp failure could be very dangerous. In the end, I decided I liked the idea of doing it myself and taking that risk that I could handle a situation if it did arise.
The tarp was a challenge to make, but not too bad. The tarp tie-outs have tarp tensioners made out of surgical tubing. Tarp tensioners are necessary on silnylon tarps because during wet weather they can stretch slightly. If you don’t have tarp tensioners, your tarp will sag. Tarp tensioners will keep the tarp tight. I also went with an over-the-tarp ridgeline. One end of the ridgeline has a microbiner that attaches around the tree and the other end has a Figure 9 on a prusik loop. The tarp is attached to the ridgeline with s-biners attached to prusik loops making centering the tarp a breeze.
Here’s a few pictures of the completed tarp:
Trekking poles used to create “porch” area:
Here’s the tarp on its first backpacking trip on the Appalachian Trail:
The first night was trial by fire. A couple of thunderstorms rolled in during the night. I pulled the ends in to block the wind and blowing rain, crawled in and went to sleep to the sound of rain on a tarp. The new DIY tarp worked perfectly!
What do you want to know? I'm married, have two kids and live in Rome, GA. I'm Director of Information Technology by day, and lately it seems like at night as well.
