http://www.cleverscampcamp.com/camping-hammock-2/
Which is better, Hennessy hammocks or Eagle’s Nest Outfitters?
My friend has an ENO hammock and i love it, but my local outdoor store just started selling hennessy hammocks, too. I need a hammock because i plan on hammock camping this summer. I will be camping in the Great Smokies area (east TN), if that matters. I am a large man, about 6’3″ 240 lbs, in case one brand is stronger than another. I’m new to hammocks so any info you can give me would be appreciated. however, i’m not new to camping, i’ve just always used a tent before. hammocks have just started interesting me because they are small, lightweight, and super easy to set up, plus they don’t hurt the surroundings as bad as tents. also, any tips you might have about hammock camping would be nice.
Thanks in advance!
I don’t know about ENO, but Hennesy makes a great product and is swift to deal with customer problems. We used to sell them at the gear store I used to work at in VT. AT Thru-hikers who came into our store with Hennesy problems usually had them solved quickly. Hennesy (usually the owner or his wife) would answer thier phone and just tell us to give them a new one. If we were out of stock (and often were because we sold them like hotcakes) Hennesy would send one out to the next store along the trail where the hikers would have a new one waiting for them.
I’m about your size. I never had success sleeping in hammocks. I think Hennesy makes some great hammocks, but they just aren’t for me. I prefer my tent or my bivy. I can’t fall asleep on my back and this is one reason I’ve never liked hammocks. They do have no ground impact, and if set up correctly can have very little impact on trees. My bivy weighs an ounce more than a Hennesy…so for a good night sleep, I’ll take the extra ounce. If you can use the hammock, great.
The other downside to hammocks is that they are not that great for cold weather camping. I’m no stranger to nights where the mercury drops below 45F…in summer. And the few times I used a hammock backpacking in the spring or fall I got cold at night. So that’s my $0.02.
Winter Camping – Hammock Gear Testing