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Hennessy Hammock
Explorer Deluxe Asym Zip
Tester Bio:
Name: Taylor Cockrell
Age: 22
Gender: Male
Height: 6’ 0” (1.83 Meters)
Weight: 190 Pounds (86.2 Kilograms)
Email address: [email protected]
City, State, Country: Abilene, Texas, U.S.
Date: March 15, 2015
Backpacking Background: My backpacking obsession began in High School after going on a weeklong wilderness trek. Since then, I have remained passionate about backpacking. I like to backpack overnight when I can, simply because I love playing with all my gearJ That being said, my pack normally weighs in between 35 and 50 pounds. I normally backpack in the Big Bend area or in the Rio Grande area of Northern New Mexico. I also love to camp out with family in local state parks around West Texas.
Product Information
Manufacturer: Hennessy Hammock
Year of Manufacture: 2013
URL: http://hennessyhammock.com
Total Weight: 3lb 8oz (1590 g)
Product Description: The Hennessy Explorer Deluxe is a backpacking hammock. It may be one of the biggest hammocks in the Hennessy line but it is also the Cadillac. It has just about all the features you could think of for a camping/backpacking hammock.
Price: $239.95
Field Information
Time Tested: Approximately 10 nights spent in this hammock over the past two years. However, many additional afternoons have also been spent in this hammock.
Location of Test:
1. Abilene State Park (Abilene, Texas)
- West Texas area. Flat, wooded terrain. Elevation: 1,719 ft. (524 m).
- Tested in October when temperature was cool during the day and cold at night. Temperature dropped to approximately 38 degrees Fahrenheit (3.3 degrees Celcius). No precipitation.
2. Cloudcroft, New Mexico
- Southern New Mexico area. Mountain terrain. Elevation: 8,668 ft. (2,642 m).
- Tested in early August. Temperature never dropped below freezing. Encountered light-moderate precipitation.
Review:
Hammocks, as a general rule, are usually lighter than most backpacking tents and they fit into a pack extremely well because you don’t have to worry about a pole structure. However, the Hennessy Explorer Deluxe is not your average camping hammock and it weighs a whopping 3lb 8oz. Many backpackers would agree that the primary advantage to hammock camping is that it gives you an excellent ultra-light option, allowing you to shave valuable ounces (and sometime pounds) from your pack weight. You lose that advantage with the Hennessy Explorer Deluxe. Each time that I have hiked and camped with my Hennessy, I have been joined by fellow hikers who were also using a hammock (usually an ENO). What I have noticed through comparison is that the Hennessy suspension system is inferior to the ENO. I only make this comparison in order to point out that Hennessy could definitely improve their suspension system. Hanging the Hennessy is not as easy as it could or should be. Any other comparison of these hammock brands is completely unfair. Another issue that I have with the Hennessy is that the stuff sack is not large enough to fit both the hammock and the rain fly (unless I’m doing it wrong?).
Now that I have gotten all of the cons out of the way, I have a long list of pros to share! The Hennessy Explorer Deluxe has just about every feature you could hope for in a hammock. It comes with a built in bug screen, and includes a rain fly. The way that Hennessy integrates the rainfly with the hammock is complete genius. It is incredibly easy to attach and adjust. I had the pleasure of testing my Hennessy in a moderate rainstorm in the mountains of southern New Mexico. As long as you have some way to tie out the rain fly (I simply affixed the ties to some rocks I found nearby) you should be in good shape during rain. If you don’t tie out the rain fly properly, the water won’t run off of the fly in an effective manner. The Hennessy Explorer Deluxe is made for people up to 7ft tall so it is truly a joy to lie in. It is very comfortable even without a sleeping pad. To be honest, I have not tested this hammock in any extreme weather conditions but one would be hard pressed to find a hammock more capable of handling weather extremes than the Hennessy Explorer Deluxe.
Summary
This baby is built for comfort, not for speed. If you are looking for an ultra-lightweight camping hammock, there are simply better options than the Hennessy Explorer Deluxe. If you are backpacking with a group of people and you are able to distribute the group gear in a way that allows you to carry a few extra ounces, I recommend stuffing the Hennessy Deluxe in your pack. Your fellow travelers will be jealous. Hammocks are just cool.