HyperLite is here!

The next evolution of the idea to tension the fly with rocks or other weights is to clip a funnel onto the two side "O" rings of the rainfly. The narrow end of each funnel is threaded to screw onto a hydration water bag or any size of pop bottle. As the rain water drips off the low corners of the rainfly into the bottle, the weight of the water in the bottle lowers the fly automatically for storm conditions, maintaining tension on the fly and giving you two bottles of fresh drinking water ready to go in the morning. No more crawling out of your cozy sleeping bag into the rain at 3 am to retighten your rainfly! Just another way to make your Hennessy Hammock more useful. This is a great item for backpacking, emergency kits and disaster relief. Patent pending.

Helpful tip! It's fairly easy to snap the funnels on to each side of the hammock fly, but it's not easy to unsnap them because it's difficult to get your fingers down into the funnel to release the hook. We suggest that you modify the hook by trimming off enough of the straight side so that the funnel can be easily attached and detached. We suggest a pair of heavy scissors, tin snips or file. Placing the hook between a knife and a cutting board is also possible with care.

Tip from user: Perhaps my notions of impurities outside funnels and water bottles contaminating pure water may be unwarranted. But I'd imagine that just a few water-borne cysts that escaped purification may suffice to generate lots of cysts in a person's body.

Whether one is pouring impure water or pure water into bottles, a funnel makes it practical to keep the outside of the bottles dry -- good for people who put filled bottles inside packs. Your funnels thread well onto my Platypus bottles and also sit nicely atop my wide-mouth Nalgene bottles. I have given funnels to a grandnephew, a Scout...It's difficult to find lightweight funnels with sufficiently wide mouths to make pouring water into bottles fast and easy. And you have the funnels...whatever, the funnels have more benefits than helping to tension a rainfly and provide an additional water source. A. L.

Tip from Tom - Platypus makes a 2 liter bladder that fits the funnel when the piece of filter mesh included with the funnels is screwed over the threads of the bladder. MEC also sells a 2 litre bladder that fits really well.

The hammock is so excellent. It is now one of my most valued possessions. The problem is that your hammock is so revolutionary that it has made the sleeping bag OBSOLETE, along with the tent, pad, pillow, mosquito net, SPACE BLANKET, groundsheet, jungle hammock, bivy bag, cot, etc...
Now just take it the one step further to make it complete... Pardon me for giving more advice, but wouldn't manufacturing an insulation "system" as an optional co-product be beneficial for everyone? You will make more $$, but more importantly, us consumers will be more comfortable. At least do an experimental prototype and let me know personally how you did it.
Sorry for being so opinionated... as I go and cut up my sleeping bag.

In any case, thank you for creating the single best outdoor product ever. This is high praise-coming from a Venezuelan native, born and raised in a hammock culture. C. F.

Check out our new 4-season Solution video! In stock and ready to ship.

Pressure to Produce
Hennessy Hammock users have been continually encouraging us to come up with a Hennessy designed solution to the insulation issue. Hennessy Hammock users have generously shared many of their ideas with us. We have received many letters and photos of insulation ideas for the hammock which range from super-simple, ultra -low-tech inflated garbage bags and bubble wrap to more beautiful and ingenious high-tech solutions such as down quilts with differentially radiused baffles which would likely retail for more than the hammock if they ever went into production.

The reason it has taken us so long to come up with our solution was the pressure to keep up with demand for our hammocks. The few breaks we have had resulted in short blasts of design creativity experimenting with ideas and materials then back to hammock production before we could finish the process.

We wanted a system that could retrofit all of our latest a-sym models so that no one had to buy a whole new hammock just to get the improvements. We were looking for something that did more than just keep your back warm. We were also looking for a solution which solved more than one problem in one temperature range. We wanted something that could keep the whole hammock warmer and capable of handling temperature extremes without adding extra bulk to your pack. It would also be good if it could improve protection in horizontally wind- driven rain. And then, while we're at it, let's make it ultralite, compact and affordable!

Put this new insulation system on to the Hennessy Hammock and we'll call the whole thing the Hennessy Supershelter!

It’s indisputable.  Hennessy Hammocks could well be the best in the world.  Light, durable, comfortable and excellently engineered… perfect for warmer areas of the world, right?  Well, you will have seen from the website that ever evolving design solutions are attempting to expand the boundaries of the hammock inhabitable world, from calm low lying areas and comfortable lower latitudes, to where the silent killer reigns supreme…. cold.   So, it was with Hennessy Hammock’s Explorer Ultralite Asym, along with elements of the insulated Superstructure that I found myself in Northern Norway in order to test whether the cold can be defeated by this intruder from the tropics. 
 
 THE TEST
 
CONDITIONS.  The system was tested in the area of 68º 33’ 37.12’’N by 16º 58’.54’’E, east of Harstad, Norway.  Initially mild temperatures prevailed, fluctuating around freezing, which resulted in freezing rain, sleet and snow.  Though this is not the extreme cold that was later encountered, it was far more testing due to the freeze-thaw effect and moisture content of the air which accentuated the cold.  Minimum temperature encountered was - 18ºC (0ºF) still air and estimated at -30ºC (-54ºF) with wind chill.  Maximum precipitation encountered was 7.5cm (3 inches) of snow in 6 hrs. Click here to read the entire review.

...CONCLUSION.  The Hennessy Hammock insulation system is capable of supporting a lone traveller in extreme cold weather environments down to -12ºC (10ºF) in the format tested.  This was dependent on the sleeping bag used and a bag with a lower comfort zone than that used in the test will similarly reduce the -12ºC figure.  This figure will also be reduced by: (1) adding insulation to the Under Cover e.g. spare clothing/suitable vegetation, (2) use of the Over Cover, and (3) a solution to cooking which would also heat the living space...However, for those comfortable operating in extreme cold the system works in all respects other than the method in which one can cook, but there must be solutions out there. 
 

Thanks to Ben for his detailed and informative review!

Tom and Ann:

Got the undercover/pad and Snakeskins and they are both GREAT! They arrived on Thursday. I set it up last night although it was only in the 40's; I figured it would give me an idea as to the pad's effectiveness..I am a cold sleeper who sleeps with a quilt on top(The discontinued Golite Fur), a GoLite Coal Parka under my torso and I was warm! Happy! Happy! Happy!
Thank you so much for designing another great product..I'll be the envy of the other Hennessy owners on my upcoming hikes in Wisconsin and Michigan..eh eh eh..I love cool, new gear..especially when it weighs next to nothin'!

Thanks again, Linda Voll.

Tom.

I was given the SuperShelter system a year ago as a gift and it is the best. For starters your customer service is number one. I had some issues setting it up the first time out. Yea I should have done it in the back yard but just winged it. I called your company with my cell on the trail. I ws shocked when you called me back within 15 minutes personally and explained what I was doing wrong. I had no more problems. After more than a year of heavy use it held up great. Going to order a new underpad before next winter. Considering the use and abuse of my Explorer Deluxe and the SuperShelter system it has proven extremely durable but everything has limits. I am very hard on gear and have owned my hammock for two years now sleeping inside the thing for weeks on end. The system alone keeps me cold-back-free down to about 35. Toss in my jacket and sometimes a poncho linr and I have taken single digits with a proper sleeping bag. But that is just me. Everyone is different. Once weathered a heavy snowstorm inside my SuperShelter. The wind proof bottom cuts the wind chill perfectly. Even in the summer I use the silnylon bottom. Keeps the bugs off the bottom of the hammock.

The overall comfort of the hammock is outstanding and I just want to thank you personally for making such a great product and your fantastic customer service. Thanks again for those hammock camping tips. They came in useful.

Sincerely, Kevin Renkavinsky

The UnderCover WEIGHT: 7 1/2 oz., double ended StuffSack weight - 1 oz.

We decided to go to a full outside cover for several reasons. The addition of a single layer of fabric, sealed at the perimeter, would create a double wall over the full area of the hammock bottom, which means that a layer of warmer air is trapped between the hammock and the cover fabric. A full outside cover with silnylon coating would greatly improve windproofness and waterproofness. We designed in extra cutting and sewing to produce a contoured tailored cover because it is less weight than a folded rectangular piece of fabric. Then we suspended the UnderCover under the hammock with elastic tensioners to hold it close to the hammock

STAYING WARM OVER A BROAD RANGE OF TEMPERATURES The biggest advantage of our 4 Season insulation system is the ability to add extra insulation and radiant reflecting materials when the temperatures drop. Lightweight item such as a second layer of foam, spare clothing, towel, socks, etc. can be placed above the UnderPad. Heavier item, such as your coat should be placed under the UnderPad. Dry ground litter, when available, such as leaves or grass or moss can also be spread under the UnderPad When even more insulation is needed.

INSTALLATION To install the UnderCover onto the hammock, simply thread the suspending ropes through the holes at each end of the UnderCover and thread the side elastics through the holes in each side of the UnderCover, of course keeping the entrance of the UnderCover at the same end as the entrance as the hammock.

HOT AFTERNOON / COLD NIGHT If the insulation system is not needed during the day, it can be moved out of the way to one side of the hammock by detaching one side elastic of the hammock from the UnderpPad and UnderCover and lifting the hammock out of the UnderCover. It will stay off to one side and you will hardly know its there. When it cools off, just thread the side elastic back through the UnderPad loop and the side hole of the undercover.

KEEPING IT ALL TOGETHER Once the Undercover and Underpad are installed, I suggest leaving the system on the hammock. This makes set-up and break-down a breeze and also protects the somewhat fragile pad from damage. I just stuff it all into my pack compressing the foam UnderPad a lot if my pack is full or less if there is more room. We reccommend lashing all of the attachmenty points so that they cannot come loose when collalpsed into your pack.

The UnderPad WEIGHT: 5 1/2 oz.
First experiments used down and lofted synthetic insulation, but lofted insulation needed a quilted covering, which only added to the production time, cost, weight and bulk. We chose the open cell foam because lofted down or synthetic insulation would compress to half its loft when compressed by the tension of the UnderCover. However, the tension of the UnderCover is not strong enough to compress the loft of the open cell foam pad.

NEW CONTOURED SHAPE PAD We also developed a process to build a contoured open cell foam pad which did a very nice job of matching the shape of the anatomy of the occupant. Open cell foam has the ability of being able to stretch and mold to shape and it will also compress laterally.

WIDER AT THE SHOULDERS Using open cell foam allowed us to manufacture a tapered pad which was 29" wide at the shoulders for the Expedition and the Backpacker and 36" wide at the shoulders for the Explorer models. This solved the problem of your arms hanging off the sides of those narrow 20" closed cell foam pads. The UnderPad is designed to be long enough to keep your feet on the pad but does not extend above the shoulders as I believe a pillow or fleece will do a better job of keeping your neck and head correctly supported and warm.

LESS BULK The compressibility of the open cell pad is another advantage which will be appreciated by any backpacker. The Backpacker UnderPad is an ample 66” long by 29” wide, yet can compress down to less than 25% of the bulk of a open cell foam pad. 5” diameter by 8” long!

EMERGENCY SPACE BLANKET An Emergency Space Blanket is considered a very important part of this insulastion system. It is highly effective, lightweight, cheap and replaceable. Think of yourself as a hot dog in a foil wrapper on a cold windy day at the baseball game

SNAKESKINS I find it a lot easier not to use SnakeSkins with the insulation system. I think that the compressed open cell foam puts too much pressure on the snakeskins and is too much of a wrestling match to get it into your pack. If you do decide to use the snakeskins with the UnderPad removed, the UnderCover will still fit inside the SnakeSkins if one size larger SnakeSkins are used. Fold and roll the UnderPad carefully and store it in the stuffsack.

The OverCover WEIGHT: 3 oz.
Originally the OverCover was offered as an optional accessory because only a small percentage of campers will be spending time camping in dry, subfreezing temperatures. However,some reports are coming in saying that the OverCover is being used in above freezing temperatures with great satisfaction as it keeps interior temmperatures about 10 degrees warmer inside the hammock enclosure with noticably reduced condensation.

INSTALLING OVERCOVER The OverCover is placed over the hammock netting with the air hole at the head end of the hammock. The OverCover is secured under the perimeter of the UnderCover. To install the OverCover, thread the elastics at each end of the OverCover through the holes at each end of the UnderCover and hang elastics onto the hook of the fly tensioner. Next, thread the hammock side elastics through the side openings on the OverCover. If the UnderCover is already installed, make sure the side elastic is threaded through the Over Cover first and then the UnderCover. Fresh air is available through the air hole near the occupant's face. Changing position in the hammock acts as a bellows and automatically pumps fresh air through the air hole. Condensation which may form on the inside of the breathable OverCover will be absorbed and will wick through the uncoated fabric and evaporate through the dry air moving between the OverCover and the rainfly. The OverCover may also be released on one side and the loose half can be tucked between the netting and the OverCover on the opposite side to expose half of the netting and still block the wind from one side.

THE BIG DOUBLE-WIDE "HEX" FLY

Our dark green PU coated polyester hex fly weighs in at 1.9 lbs with a regular price of $59 US.

It can be substituted for the regular silicone fly of the Ultralight Backpacker Asym, Explorer Ultralight Asym or Explorer Deluxe Asym for no additional cost. Just indicate in the "Comments" section of the online orders page that you would prefer the hex fly.

By special order, we can provide a 19 oz., 12" x 11" silicone impregnated nylon coyote brown hex fly with a price of $129 US.

- picture of hex fly on a frosty morning demonstrates full coverage

Dear Tom: ...the weather was nice today and I managed to put the hammock up and fit the new rain fly to it. I was thinking this new one would be just like the one that came with the hammock but I got a surprise....it is a lot better, a whole lot better.

This is not a rain fly... it is a custom made (light weight) tarp for the hammock and the campers comfort. You even thought of the center line of the tarp for attaching it to the center line of the hammock(triangular pieces to fasten to the adjustment cord) and if it was not possible then there is a line (and a pocket to store it in) at each end to tie off to a tree as a separate unit.

Chuck Littleton(LOldsparkey)