First off, I truly love the Hennessy Hammock bottom entry. I know some really don't care for it, and some of those have actually tried it. But for me, it just makes sense. Easy to get in and out, and you leave the flying pest outside the hammock where they belong, not inside the bug net with YOU all night long.
But there are times when a side entry would be nice. And sometimes, the bug net isn't actually needed. Even in my part of Florida, what we call "could" is cold enough for the mosquito squadrons to be grounded. When that happens, the net isn't needed. But on the HH Expedition and other models, the netting is a permanent part of the hammock, not meant to be opened, or removed.
Well, until now, anyway.
My wife, Nanette (who still says her name is NOT Dementia,) was gracious enough to do a major overhaul of the hammock. I planned it out and got the materials, she did ALL the work. And a nice job of it, too!
This zipper mod is something that many have opted for, and there is now one outfit on the Internet that will do it for you. They have several versions of the modification, and the one I now have is the "biggie." It involves the installation of two side zippers, one with a single zipper pull on it, and the other side has three pulls. Why three?
It allows you to open the netting from either end, part way open, if you need to reach inside (or out,) to get something, or to adjust anything. And, you can unzip it all with way down to the foot end to completely open one side. Then you can zip the other side down to the foot, and roll the netting up, stuff it in the foot end, and have a completely open hammock, with no netting.
When it gets cold enough to loose the aerial assault squadrons, it's cold enough to need a pad in the hammock, along with a blanket and/or sleeping bag. Getting any or all of that situated inside the hammock when the bug netting can't be opened, using the bottom entry, can be a major undertaking.
Now, I think I have the best of both worlds!
Here is what that looks like. First, the head end:
On the side closest to the camera, only one of the three pulls is visible. The other two are down at the foot end. After the zipper has been installed, the first pull runs down to the foot, opening the zipper. Then you run the second one down, closing it. Now you can use that second one to open the zipper from the foot end, to gain access to that end of the hammock, leaving the rest of the zipper closed. You can also use the third zipper (still at the head end,) to open the zipper at the head end, to get to that end of the hammock, or to completely open that side for entry or exit into the hammock.
The netting is cut across at this end, to the other side. That side is the one that has a single pull on it. Right now, it is hiding under the black hood she installed. I will be putting a cord on each of the pulls, so they can be easily used from inside the hammock or outside, when they are hidden under the hoods at each end. The foot end of the netting is NOT cut across, so the netting is still attached at the foot end. The netting never is completely removed from the hammock. When not wanted, it is stuffed in a little bag fixed at the foot end of the hammock.
The foot end:
The covering hood, the black part, is part of the modification she did. The one on this end is larger than the head end, as this one has the netting storage bag under it. The one at the head end is to cover the part where the netting was cut across, and keeps the bugs from discovering that opening. (That opening is only about an inch across.) And that is NOT a tear in the netting! The bottom entry wasn't sealed completely when I took the picture. That's just the ground showing through the opening.
One tricky part was where the hammock curves out where the spreader lines attach:
And lastly, here is the hammock with the zipper opened completely down one side, with the netting flipped out of the way.
I'm really liking this modification! Hennessy does now offer a zipper version of the Expedition hammock, but it doesn't come with the bottom entry, too. One or the other. I think the one company that does the zipper mod on your bottom entry hammock charges about $80 or so, for the "full" mod, and less for the other variations. They will also permanently close the bottom entry for you, if you request it.
You can pay to have it done, or do it yourself for less than half the cost. Either way, I think this is a good thing to have. And it will get a full, field test, next week.
Mike S.
Spring Hill, FL
But there are times when a side entry would be nice. And sometimes, the bug net isn't actually needed. Even in my part of Florida, what we call "could" is cold enough for the mosquito squadrons to be grounded. When that happens, the net isn't needed. But on the HH Expedition and other models, the netting is a permanent part of the hammock, not meant to be opened, or removed.
Well, until now, anyway.
My wife, Nanette (who still says her name is NOT Dementia,) was gracious enough to do a major overhaul of the hammock. I planned it out and got the materials, she did ALL the work. And a nice job of it, too!
This zipper mod is something that many have opted for, and there is now one outfit on the Internet that will do it for you. They have several versions of the modification, and the one I now have is the "biggie." It involves the installation of two side zippers, one with a single zipper pull on it, and the other side has three pulls. Why three?
It allows you to open the netting from either end, part way open, if you need to reach inside (or out,) to get something, or to adjust anything. And, you can unzip it all with way down to the foot end to completely open one side. Then you can zip the other side down to the foot, and roll the netting up, stuff it in the foot end, and have a completely open hammock, with no netting.
When it gets cold enough to loose the aerial assault squadrons, it's cold enough to need a pad in the hammock, along with a blanket and/or sleeping bag. Getting any or all of that situated inside the hammock when the bug netting can't be opened, using the bottom entry, can be a major undertaking.
Now, I think I have the best of both worlds!
Here is what that looks like. First, the head end:
On the side closest to the camera, only one of the three pulls is visible. The other two are down at the foot end. After the zipper has been installed, the first pull runs down to the foot, opening the zipper. Then you run the second one down, closing it. Now you can use that second one to open the zipper from the foot end, to gain access to that end of the hammock, leaving the rest of the zipper closed. You can also use the third zipper (still at the head end,) to open the zipper at the head end, to get to that end of the hammock, or to completely open that side for entry or exit into the hammock.
The netting is cut across at this end, to the other side. That side is the one that has a single pull on it. Right now, it is hiding under the black hood she installed. I will be putting a cord on each of the pulls, so they can be easily used from inside the hammock or outside, when they are hidden under the hoods at each end. The foot end of the netting is NOT cut across, so the netting is still attached at the foot end. The netting never is completely removed from the hammock. When not wanted, it is stuffed in a little bag fixed at the foot end of the hammock.
The foot end:
The covering hood, the black part, is part of the modification she did. The one on this end is larger than the head end, as this one has the netting storage bag under it. The one at the head end is to cover the part where the netting was cut across, and keeps the bugs from discovering that opening. (That opening is only about an inch across.) And that is NOT a tear in the netting! The bottom entry wasn't sealed completely when I took the picture. That's just the ground showing through the opening.
One tricky part was where the hammock curves out where the spreader lines attach:
And lastly, here is the hammock with the zipper opened completely down one side, with the netting flipped out of the way.
I'm really liking this modification! Hennessy does now offer a zipper version of the Expedition hammock, but it doesn't come with the bottom entry, too. One or the other. I think the one company that does the zipper mod on your bottom entry hammock charges about $80 or so, for the "full" mod, and less for the other variations. They will also permanently close the bottom entry for you, if you request it.
You can pay to have it done, or do it yourself for less than half the cost. Either way, I think this is a good thing to have. And it will get a full, field test, next week.
Mike S.
Spring Hill, FL