I recently went to Lowes, got materials, and made a new hammock stand. The design is by Ed Speer (www.speerhammocks.com, www.hammockcamping.com).

I am very impressed and love this new stand. I will cherish every moment when I am camping on it.

It is very stable/sturdy and rather easy to erect. I went with the two 6' members instead of the single 10' member across the top. This makes it much easier to transport.

If you need a hammock stand, I highly recommend making one of these. The cost was about $160, which is a bit more than when Ed made the first one in 2004. The price of materials just keeps increasing. :)

Speer Hammock Construction Review

I recently made a speer hammock. However, the hammock was for someone else so this review will not comment on the use of the hammock, but on the construction.

This was my first DIY (Do It Yourself) project, which included sewing. I felt this was a great first project because the hammock has minimal sewing. The tarp on the other hand has a bit more sewing, but is still minimal.

The Hammock Camping book does a great job teaching how to make this hammock, and tarp combination. This is a relatively simple project by most standards and the majority of people should not have any difficulty completing this project.

If you have some sewing experience this is still a great project to do.

The most difficult part of this project was sewing the velcro onto the bug net. The bug net tends to stretch and mess up your seams. Someone recommended putting tape on the bug net side while sewing so it cannot stretch. I have not tried this, but several others claim it does work well. I will do this on my next project with netting.

I highly recommend this project for people wanting to learn how to make your own gear, or in need of a good hammock setup.

This is a great way to break into hammock camping and backpacking.

Good Luck, and have fun!!!

Hennessey Ultralight Backpacker Asym Hammock Review

I absolutely love my Hennessey Ultralight Backpacker Asym hammock (HH - Hennessey Hammock). This is my second season using this particular piece of equipment and it is by far the best thing I have ever purchased. I love everything about this hammock too.

First and foremost is the entry system on the HH. This entry system is easy to use and works extremely well. I have never had a single issue with the entry system on this hammock. In conjunction with the bug screen, the entry system does an excellent job keeping out bugs.

On a typical top entry hammock, when the bug net is opened, bugs tend to fly in the hammock and end up getting under the netting. Thus, when you get into the hammock and zip the netting closed, you are trapped in the hammock with the bugs. This can be very frustrating.

The bug net is permanently attached to the HH to ensure bugs do not get into the hammock. This also reduces overall weight of the hammock system because it eliminates the added weight of zippers and such. The bug net does a great job keeping out the tiniest bugs.

The standard tarp (rain fly), which comes with the HH does a great job keeping me dry. I have been in the rain several times and never had an issue with this tarp. The tarp is as small as possible to save as much weight, on the overall system, as possible.

I am 100% satisfied with the weight of this hammock system. Hennessey does a great job keeping this hammock system as light as possible without compromising durability, or features. It is one of the lightest shelter options on the market today. It is by far one of the most comfortable as well.

Comfort is the #1 selling point of this particular hammock. I can easily lay flat on my back because of the asymmetric shape of this hammock. This gives me a greater degree of positions to sleep in, which is very important for me to remain comfortable. The trick to laying flat is to lay diagonally in the hammock.

I have compared this hammock to several others on the market:
Clark Jungle Hammock
Claytor Expedition Hammock
Claytor Jungle Hammock
Speer Hammock

When comparing a weight to cost ratio, the HH cannot be beat. It is simply the lightest weight hammock for the least amount of money. However, this does not rule out purchasing any of the other hammocks by any means. They are all great products and have their strong points. For example, the Claytor Jungle Hammock is low cost, durable, comfortable, and comes with a large tarp. It comes in a cool camo pattern too.

Another benefit of the HH is that it has pullouts on the sides. This helps prevent the hammock from hugging my body and gives me room to move around. The inside of the hammock is very roomy. This is a big attraction for me. I like a roomy hammock, and don't like feeling restricted by hammocks, which hug my body.

The ridge line used to hold up the bug net has a loop in each end and has a mesh pocket hanging on it for small items. I find the combination of the loops, and pocket in the hammock are adequate for the amount of stuff I keep in the hammock with me. The loops work well for tying my water bottle up in the hammock as well. I have also been successful tying my bottle to the ridge line with a bandanna.

Overall this hammock is a top choice for me and I highly recommend it. The other HH models are similar and I recommend considering the one that suits your needs best. Simply put, Hennessey Hammocks are great hammocks!

Hennessey Super Shelter Review

This is my second season of using the Hennessey Super Shelter on my Ultralight Backpacker Asym hammock. I purchased it last season because the use of a pad in a Hennessey Hammock doesn't work very well at all. A standard CCF pad has a tendency to move around and get out from under me. Thus, I end up getting chilly.

The Super Shelter is a great concept and works well in warmer weather. I personally would not consider it a 4-season system. The temp could get down to about 55 degrees F and still felt warm enough. When the temperatures drops anymore than that I would start to get a bit chilly.

Another issue I have is the under-pad tends to slide around a little, and moves out from under me. This is an issue for me because I get cold spots and it wakes me up.

The wind tends to cut right through the Super Shelter so on a cold windy night I have to bundle up. On a windy night at 55 degrees F I would be cold. I normally wear long cycling pants, a long sleeve shirt and a cap.

A suggestion has been made to put a space blanket in the Super Shelter to warm things up. However, I have not attempted this because I already have a serious issue with condensation between the hammock bottom and the Super Shelter. Every morning I wake up I have to hang the under-pad out to dry for several hours because it is usually wet.

The shelter tends to pull the sides of the hammock inward reducing the overall width of the inside of the hammock. To me this is a disadvantage because I like the extra room in the hammock and this is one reason I purchased it.

Overall I do like the Hennessey Super Shelter and I would recommend it. However, only for warmer and less windy weather conditions. This really limits the use of this particular piece of equipment and an under-quilt may be a better choice. I recently ordered a Potomac under-quilt and will soon write a review on it.

Hammocks for Backpacking

I am well into my second season of using a hammock instead of a tent while backpacking. As far as I am concerned, a hammock is the way to go. Here are two good reasons why I will always choose a hammock over a tent:

1. Comfort - They are 100x more comfortable than sleeping on the ground.
2. Location - You don't need flat ground to get a decent nights rest. You can literally hang on the side of a mountain if you so choose. If you get to a camping spot and it is already taken you can easily find a somewhere else to hang.

I currently own a Hennessey Ultralight Asym Hammock. The Hennessey Hammocks (HH) are specifically designed with an asymmetrical shape so when you lay at a diagonal you are laying flat on your back, side, stomach, or whatever.

HH's come with a nice ridge-line, which is a string traveling from the foot end to the head end of the hammock. This ridge-line can be use for hanging stuff. They have a bug net on the top, and are entered from the bottom. See my photo galleries for pictures of my hammock.

If you are backpacking and for some reason decide to camp on the ground, the HH's can be used as a bivy, or a small single person tent on the ground.

I strongly recommend getting an under-quilt to hook on the bottom of the hammock. Hammocks can get cold if you don't have proper insulation. I also recommend using an over-quilt instead of a sleeping bag. It is much more practical and is lighter.