Onestepmore wrote:Hi - I've been doing a lot of reading about hammocks recently, and am considering trying them. Like a lot of people I have been debating between a Hennessy U/L asym zip backpacker or a Warbonnet Blackbird.
Just wondering Phil what the reasons are that you chose the 1.1 double skinned WB one rather than a single skin. Is this so you have the flexibility of using a pad underneath? I notice also you didn't purchase the wind sock - would you if you were in a colder part of the country?
I have watched the videos of the Hennessey insulation system and it seems a bit cumbersome, and I think the use of the emerg blanket crackling all night would drive me nuts. (I do however have my own silver bubblewrap stuff we use under our sleeping pads currently - it was insulation that came with some chemotherapy drugs in an order at work and it works great!)
I am a little concerned about the fact that there isn't a full length WB UQ available, just the yeti torso UQ - I am a cold sleeper. Are other brands' full length UQ's easily compatible without too much modification? Initially I plan on using my normal sleeping bag partway unzipped as the top cover.
If I get a Warbonnet should I splurge a little and get a Cuben tarp right from the start rather than their superfly? I have Phil's rave reports about it.
Sorry for so many questions - I am shamlesslessy tapping into others' experiences here.
Hello Onestepmore.
That was not a easy decision for me at the time. I never tried a hammock before and there was no option for me to try before purchase. I was worried, what if this is not suitable for me, or I did not like it. I read as many reviews as I could find and didn't find anyone complain they where not comfortable in these particular hammocks.
I was initially going to purchase a Hennessy, but I didn't like the entry system at the time and I didn't like the small Tarp supplied with them. I than started to look into the Warbonnet Hammocks, read as much as I could find online, Read reviews, I liked what I was reading, loved the shelve. So I decided it will be a Warbonnet Blackbird, than I saw the different options available.
Why I chosen the 1.1dbl? I wanted the extra assurance of a double layer for comfort & durability, I could have got away with the 1.1 single layer, but than I thought I probably would not want to use a under quilt during our warmer months, so the thought of a thin padding could be handy for the warmer months. At the time, I did not realise you could adjust the warmth on your under-quilt, I've never left on a hike without my under quilt even in summer, it's amazing how cool it can get when your floating up in the air, so to speak at night.
In regards to the wind sock, it was not available from Warbonnet at the time. If I was in a colder climate, I probably would consider a wind sock, The coldest I've been down to thus far is 2C, and I was very warm in my hammock. I think if I used a wind sock I would melt. Not kidding. That's how warm I was.
I went for the Yeti from Warbonnet because it was made to fit the warbonnet Blackbird hammock. at the time when I ordered my hammock gear, i had no experience with hammock camping, so I wanted to make it as easy as possible with setup, and I don't like fiddling around to much with gear at camp. I did some research on this, and found many to have problems setting up a Under quilt to there warbonnet blackbird hammock and had cold sleeps. I didn't want to take this chance, so when I read that the Yeti was made to fit the blackbird, that won me. I also like the light weight of the Yeti, to keep my lower legs warm, I just used a small piece of foam, 3mm thick.
Hammock Gear and other's make Full Length Under quilts that are simple to fit to a Blackbird, I don't know if there's any adjustments that need to be done. But the trick is to get that under-quilt against you with no gaps.
The Warbonnet Superfly is a great tarp, With a superfly and a full length under quilt, I can't see why you would need a wind sock. If it's windy set that superfly down to the ground, but not to far, otherwise condensation could be an issue.
The Cuben Tarps are in my opinion, worth there weight in Gold. mind you there's not a lot of weight there. LOL
There easy to setup and no fiddling once there setup. With sill nylon there's a bit of fiddling involved as sill nylon can change it's size when wet, requiring you to tighten. I used rubber on my tie outs on the superfly to help overcome the fiddling.
I can't see myself ever going back to a sill-nylon tarp after experiencing the Cuben Tarps, they are that much better. I think there worth every dollar. There light, there easy to setup, they pitch better, they let more light in. you can view the moon through your tarp, easy to repair and they don't change shape when wet and they appear to get less wet on the inside and if there wet when you pack up a quick shake and almost all water gone. I've found the Superfly can get a bit heavy when wet. particularly if you don't wipe the moisture off.
I have no regrets in converting to a hammock. there's so many opportunities I can chose to camp, I've been up the top of a mountain with rocks underneath me and 40 degree angle underneath my hammock. I've even reached down and pat animals as they wander under my hammock.
I once had a kangaroo visited me on a wet rainy day under my superfly. I'll never forget that experience. The kangaroo's where tame, it was on private property.
: the only time ive slept in a hammock was on Fraser, i was lazing in the afternoon when a green snake dropped out of the tree above and landed in with me 
.. i froze every.. hair standing on end 
