Ten Reasons Why a Hennessy Hammock is Better Than A Tent

Outdoor adventure comes in many forms from camping in the backyard to year-long jungle expeditions and everything in between. Whether your idea of getting out in nature is one of these two scenarios or something in between, there’s one thing that everyone needs for a safe and enjoyable experience and that’s dependable shelter.

When it comes to shelter, most people tend to think of one thing — a tent. And, although there are plenty of options out there including dome tents, inflatable tents, and pop-up tents, each one tends to fall short on one or more aspects of comfort, safety, or ease of use.

If you’re looking for the ideal shelter that you can take with you wherever you go — whether you’re ultralight backpacking, kayaking, riding your motorcycle across country, or exploring the far corners of the globe, a lightweight camping hammock from Hennessy Hammock will be your best bet. If you’re not quite convinced, here are ten reasons why a Hennessy Hammock is better than a tent.

Lightweight

Tents, although technically portable, can actually be quite heavy and hard to carry — especially if you’re backpacking or need to limit the amount of weight you’re carrying. For instance, if your primary mode of transportation is going to be a kayak, a bicycle, or your own two feet, the extra five to eight pounds of a standard tent can really weigh you down!

Normally your shelter is the heaviest item you’ll carry in your backpack, but not with a Hennessy. If you’re looking for the lightest, most compact form of shelter available, our popular Ultralite Backpacker hammock weighs in at just 879 grams (1 pound, 15 ounces). That’s less than a liter of water!

More Comfortable

A tent can usually offer you some form of shelter from the elements, but lying on the cold hard ground is anything but comfortable. One small stone can feel like you’re sleeping on a giant jagged rock, making your night’s rest anything but restful. Plus, depending on where and when you’re camping, the ground is often cold and when you’re lying on the ground, that cold seeps into your bones to create a chill that just won’t go away.

If you can’t remember the last time you woke up from a camping trip feeling refreshed, it’s time to try a Hennesy hammock. Imagine relaxing in a cocoon-like shelter that lightly sways in the breeze, rocking you to sleep. There’s simply nothing else like it.

Being suspended above the ground is naturally the more comfortable way to sleep, but we’ve taken it one step further. Our specially-designed hammocks are created for comfort with their unique asymmetric shape that allows for maximum space to spread out. And, because we know that one size does not necessarily fit all, we also offer larger versions of our popular hammocks to accommodate those who need (or just prefer) the extra space. Our largest hammocks can have a capacity of 7 feet and 350 pounds. Once you experience sleeping in one of our lightweight camping hammocks, you’ll never go back to a tent again!

Easy Assembly

Many of today’s tents are certainly easier to assemble than those of decades past, but most of them are still a confusing combination of poles and stakes. Some tents are nearly impossible to put together without an extra set of hands and if you’re trying to put up your shelter in the dark or after a long day of hiking, it can really test your patience.

A Hennessy hammock, on the other hand, is designed for fast and easy setup. It requires no equipment or accessories other than the ropes and webbing straps they come with. Simply follow the simple instructions or watch our quick video and you’ll see that it only takes minutes to set up your hammock.

If you have a tent and one of your poles is missing or damaged, you’re really out of luck. With a Hennessy hammock, you have everything you need for a comfortable and safe shelter minus the trees. Don’t have any trees around? You can actually set up your hammock using poles, rocks, a couple of sticks, or just about anything you can find.

Fast Tear Down

Taking down a tent is oftentimes one of the most difficult tasks of camping. Because it’s on the ground, chances are it has dirt, mud, or condensation on it, and trying to disassemble it and get it back into its pack often leaves you just as dirty. Even if you disassemble the poles and carefully fold your tent, it almost never goes back into the sack the way it first came — leaving you with a battle between you and your tent to make it fit.

If you’ve always wished for a better, easier way to disassemble camp, now you have it. Every Hennessy Hammock ordered through our online store comes with a free set of SnakeSkins. SnakeSkins are like instant mini stuff sacks — half-ounce tubes of silicone impregnated nylon that collapse and protect your Hennessy Hammock in about 30 seconds. Your hammock never touches the ground and it never gets dirty. Try doing that with a tent!

Bug Proof

Although tents are supposed to protect you from what lies (or flies) outside, somehow bugs and small critters still seem to find their way in. Have you ever laid down in your tent after an exhausting day of hiking only to hear the high-pitched hum of a mosquito honing in on its target? This is not only annoying, it can be downright dangerous. In many parts of the world, mosquitos and other creatures carry dangerous diseases. That’s why you’ll want to make sure that you’re well-protected during the night.

Our Hennessy lightweight camping hammocks seal you inside with a tightly woven breathable mesh that is mosquito- and no-see-um-proof! Our patented snap-tight closure also ensures that bugs won’t follow you into your shelter because it automatically closes the entrance tightly behind you when you get in.

Rainproof

There’s nothing worse than waking up in a puddle of water in the middle of the night, or feeling the drip...drip...drip… that’s coming from a small puncture at the top of your tent. Although some tents are intended to be nearly waterproof, few rarely are. However, a Hennessy hammock will keep you nice and dry — even in the wettest of environments.

First, you’ll be suspended above ground so you won’t have to worry about your backside getting wet. Next, each Hennessy hammock comes with either a polyurethane-coated polyester or silicone impregnated nylon rainfly, depending on the model you choose. For little or no difference in cost, you also have the option of upgrading to our extra-large rainfly. It’s perfect for when you want some extra coverage. You can even use it to set up a protected meeting area or working place under and around your hammock.

Can Be Used Anywhere

When you’re traveling with a tent, it can be a challenge to find a suitable place to pitch it. Dry, level ground that’s not too hard or rocky can be difficult to find when you’re in the mountains or trekking through a rainforest. With a Hennessy lightweight camping hammock, you can put your shelter just about anywhere. If you have a couple of trees that you can hang it from, that’s ideal. You don’t have to worry about how large or how far apart they are because you can always upgrade to longer webbing straps. These suspending ropes can wrap around trees that are up to 32 feet in diameter!

Don’t have many trees where you are? That’s ok, people have found dozens of ingenious ways to hang their hammock — from poles, sticks, or even oars sticking into the sand. There aren’t many places where you can’t take your Hennessy!

Smaller Environmental Impact

As lovers of the outdoors, it was important for us to design a product that had minimal or no impact on the environment. Compared to a tent that may require staking, trenching, or ground leveling, Hennessy hammocks have almost zero impact on the land. Some other hammocks use ropes that dig into and harm the bark of trees, but not a Hennessy. We designed wide webbing straps that “hug” the trees, not harm them — and they’re included with every hammock we sell.

Easy To Pack

If you’re camping next to your car or in your backyard, you may not be that concerned about pack size, but for those who want to use their lightweight camping hammock for backpacking, kayaking, motorcycling, biking, or any other type of adventure where you have limited space and are far from home, pack size is incredibly important.

Compared to big and bulky tents that may take up most of your pack or not even fit in smaller travel compartments, Hennessy hammocks pack down into a compact size that fits easily into the bottom of your backpack. What’s even better is they’re lightweight — our most popular models weigh in at under two pounds (879 grams)!

Dependable

When you’re in remote areas or extreme environments, having dependable equipment can make all the difference when it comes to your safety and comfort. Tent poles get broken, stakes get lost, but with a Hennessy lightweight camping hammock, you’ll have a piece of equipment that you can trust no matter where you go.

Our hammocks have not only been used by thousands of campers and backpackers, but they’ve also been used by soldiers, extreme adventurers, and disaster relief teams. People have taken them on months-long expeditions in the jungle, the mountains, and the desert. They’ve been tested time and time again under the most severe conditions and that’s why we know that you can trust a Hennessy hammock too.

Shop Hennessy Hammock

At Hennessy Hammock, we’ve made it our mission to engineer the best lightweight camping hammock possible. In fact, owner Tom Hennessy has been designing and redesigning hammocks his entire life. If you’re ready to experience a different kind of camping with the only shelter you’ll ever need, visit our website to start shopping.

Have a question about our hammocks or want to learn more about their features? Visit our hammock features page or check out this handy comparison chart. We also have handy guides on how to set up your hammock as well as valuable tips from hammock users.