There's a wide array of hammocks out there and many different ways you can customize your hammock setup. There are many different brands and styles to choose from as hammock camping is becoming more popular. One of the leading brands is Hennessy. I have the Hennessy scout classic which I have really grown to like. Before I bought it, I searched for reviews and videos on it and didn't see a whole lot out there aside from basic description from retailers. Someone who is interested in hammock camping may want a little more to go on than that. The hammock is roughly 2.5 lbs and, when taken down into the stuff sack provided, it's about the size of a small tent. It's a dark green in color and about 63" overall when set up. 
First if all, the scout is made for a smaller person, youth size. It's rated for someone around 5'10" and max of 150 lbs according to Hennessy. I'm 5'5" and it's nice and snug for me but I wouldn't recommend someone much taller than me get this model. Hennessy does have other models, but being how this is a smaller size, it's cheaper. Cheap is always best when starting out to decide if it's something you actually like. Since Hennessy is a bigger brand, they are more expensive so if your starting out, you may want to go with an Eno or Hammock Bliss which are still good brands but cheaper.
Most Hennessy hammocks have a signature entrance into the hammock. The scout classic has a Velcro strip underneath that you enter from. If you watch videos on other models on YouTube, you can see how that works. You open the Velcro, sit back in the hammock, lay back, and pick you feet up which causes the Velcro to shut. I like the way the entrance is set up, however there is a drawback. You can't really use the hammock as a chair very well because the hammock's not open and it is a little tricky with an underquilt. There's a built in bug net that is sealed all the way around the hammock which means you can't sit sideways in it and use it as chair. I do believe, though, that the way it is set up makes it slightly warmer in the winter than if it was open.
All Hennessy hammocks have a top ridge line that runs the whole length of the hammock. These are great for hanging gear, wet clothes, shoes, headlamp, etc. On the ridge line, there's 2 hooks to hang gear and a small gear pouch with 2 pockets. I see this as a big plus being how you can put snacks, your phone, and other small things you may want handy.
Hennessy hammocks also have elastic guide lines on the sides of the hammock. They can be stretched tight and staked down to keep the inside more open rather than feeling like the hammock is engulfing you. It also keeps the hammock from swinging in high winds. However, you don't have to use them. It also has it's own diamond-shaped rainfly that can be removed. The cord that suspends the hammock has a small cord tied to it by a prusik loop. The rainfly just hooks onto it and the tension can be adjusted by the prusik loop. This is also where I hook my underquilt as well. The downside to the rainfly is the size. It's a rather small rainfly and it has to be adjusted just right to keep the blowing wind and rain out. Hennessy does have additional rain flies that are bigger and hexagon shaped that provides much more coverage, but they have to be purchased separately.
Suspension-wise, the hammock has a cord on each side that are about 4 feet in length. It has 2 webbing straps that come with it that wrap around the tree or post that the hammock is hung from. This makes it a little easier to hang the hammock. Hennessy provides instructions on how to wrap the straps around the tree and tie the cords to them, but there are more efficient ways to set up more quickly that I will cover in a later post. Setup it relatively simple and I won't go into how to set up because it's so simple, children do it. Do remember, though, that when setting up, make it about upper chest to neck height and maybe a little higher yet. When you lay in the hammock, the cords will stretch a little and the knots tighten, making the hammock hang a little lower. Generally, you want to pull it tight enough that the ridge line has some good tension to it. But in all reality, the tension depends how comfortable you are. If you prefer to lay relatively flat, pull it as tight as you can. If you want it to hang a little and have that curvature, loosen it up a little. You will have to experiment with it to see what you like. If you lay down and it seems like you're sliding towards either your head or feet, you can just adjust the straps on the tree until it's level.
There's some additional things that can be added to the hammock to make it more comfortable and convenient. Of course, there's the additional, larger hex rainfly which many people end up going with. If you plan to winter camp or camp in the cold, I recommend an underquilt that wraps around the bottom of the hammock. I will do a gear review on my underquilt a bit later. Hennessy also has something really cool called "snakeskins". Right now, if you buy a hammock on Hennessy's website, you can get a free set. What they are is pretty much a simple stuff sack. They look almost like snake skins and are a tubular stuff sack that is pulled over the hammock. What these do are keep the hammock dry if you are setting up in wet conditions and also make it easier to set up, keeping everything from getting tangled. I highly recommend them. Although, when you put snakeskins on your hammock, it adds a little more bulk to the hammock when storing and makes it a tighter fit in the original stuff sack. They are also a little difficult to put on the first couple times. The downside to these hammocks is you will need 4-6 tent stakes which do not come with it. I bought MSR stakes which I think are very versatile and have many other uses.
I love the Hennessy scout and hammock camping in general. It's good to change up how you camp and really is a great experience. Comment below what you think.
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