Hennessy Expedition Asym Zip Hammock Overview

Bottom Line

For a solid, all-in-one kit that comes in at a low price for the quality it delivers, the Hennessy Expedition Asym Zip is a great choice for people just getting into hammock camping. It’s not the most spacious or well-protected system, but the fundamentals are solid. The durable materials should also last a long time, which isn’t a given in the realm of budget options. We tested the Expedition Zip in the Boundary Waters of Minnesota and on the Ice Age Trail in Wisconsin and came away impressed with the entire kit.

Value is the main draw here; it’s hard to find or assemble a more compelling package for the price. But nothing comes for free, and Hennessy is making tradeoffs in comfort to achieve the low weights. This hammock comes with a smaller tarp that doesn’t provide as much protection as a hex tarp, and it features non-standard suspension that is straightforward enough once you learn it but isn’t our favorite. These tradeoffs aren’t enough to ignore the value proposition here, and for someone curious about hammock camping, this is the most accessible way to explore it.

How We Tested

We tested the Expedition Zip in the Boundary Waters of Minnesota and on the Ice Age Trail in Wisconsin and came away impressed with the entire kit.

Comfort

The Hennessy Expedition Asym Zip provides an acceptable level of comfort for an all-in-one system that hits an impressively low price for the quality and weight. It has a patented, asymmetrical design that Hennessy employs on all of their models to achieve a more comfortable, flat lying position. However, the 10 foot length of their standard model feels more cramped than other 10ft hammocks like the Warbonnet Blackbird or Kammok Mantis UL due to the aggressive asymmetrical design and comparatively shorter ridgeline that makes for a deeper curve. 

Some of our testers did find it comfortable, but compared to other more roomy hammocks where you could shift around a lot, there seemed to be only one sweet-spot for comfort. Hennessy rates the comfort up to 6 feet, but we think that’s generous. In our opinion, anyone above 5’9” would be better served by the Explorer Deluxe Zip XL, which is an 11 foot model.

Thankfully, the material is comfortable even if it’s not as soft as some of the other more premium options, and there are other features that help with comfort. It uses a 70D nylon which is the thickest of any hammock we tested. 

In general, an asymmetric design makes it easier to get a flat lying position. Like other asymmetrical designs, the most comfortable position is on the diagonal. We found the sweet spot of comfort was a bit tricky to find because Hennessy uses a curve that’s more aggressive than other hammocks, and the dimensions are smaller. 

The side-pulls do a lot to help interior livability as well, so the mesh isn’t falling in your face, and features like the included ridgeline organizer help keep objects from rolling around inside with you. When testing this on a backpacking trip on the Ice Age Trail, comfort was decent enough to allow for a good night’s sleep, even when using it with a sleeping pad instead of an underquilt.

Features

Hennessy adds a good amount of features to their hammocks that strike a balance between useful but not in the way. The addition of side pulls on the head and foot area helps a lot for livability. We wish that they were more adjustable, however, so they could attach to the same stakes as the tarp, like some other all-in-one kits we tested. These side pulls meant the bug net stayed out of our faces all night, but the aggressive, asymmetrical cut and deep fixed ridgeline meant that the bug net was already pulled out of the way better than other models.

Compared to tents, most hammocks struggle with storage space, since they inherently lack floor space. Thankfully, the Expedition Zip is above average when it comes to storage. The included ridgeline organizer is decently large and well organized, and we especially loved stashing our phone and headlamp up there when turning in for the night. The larger pocket has space for a hat, buff, or ditty bag, but a puffy would be a tight fit.

As an all-in-one kit, the Expedition Zip comes with a full suspension system and tarp that allows you to get started hammock camping very easily. Hennessy takes a slightly different approach to suspension and tarp set-up than most manufactures, opting for a set of short tree straps that connect to rope that is permanently attached to the hammock body. The storage bag does include instructions for set-up, but they still can be confusing for first-time users, especially if you’re not handy with knots since there’s no included hardware to attach the rope to the tree straps.

Thankfully attaching the tarp is relatively straightforward. Instead of connecting the tarp to the trees, it connects directly to the hammock rope using a prusik knot and mitten hook. This system is more lightweight and simpler than the conventional method of having a tarp attached to the trees independent of the hammock, but it comes with downsides.

First, you can’t swing in the hammock too much because it will stress the stakes holding the tarp down. Second, you can’t set up the tarp independently if you just want to temporarily shelter from the rain, something that is all too common on wetter backcountry adventures like in the Boundary Waters, North Cascades, or Appalachian Trail. Additionally, the included tree straps are short and insufficient for larger trees, which made us resort to using other tree straps during testing.

Another downside of the tarp is the size. Simply put, it’s small. As opposed to a more common hexagonal shape, the Expedition Zip tarp is an offset diamond that is large enough to cover the hammock body, but not much else. It’s not our favorite shape for weathering storms, but we managed to stay dry in light drizzles during our testing on the Ice Age Trail.

Weight

At 46.5 ounces for the entire package (not including two required stakes for the tarp), the Expedition Zip is on the heavier side, but that’s actually respectable, considering it includes a tarp and suspension. However, the hammock body alone is 27.5 ounces, and it’s clear Hennessy was only able to achieve that 46.5 total weight through the small tarp and suspension system. All features need to be taken into context with price; in this case, the heavier weights make sense considering this is Hennessy’s most affordable option.

Ease of Use

With some practice, the Expedition Zip is easy to set up, but the non-standard nature of it takes some getting used to. The reliance on knots instead of hardware for both suspension and guy lines makes things a little confusing, even with the included instructions. The short, included tree straps were difficult to use, because the instructions only work if the straps can wrap completely around the tree. At only 3.5 feet long, that means the maximum diameter of a tree is 1.1 feet, which is comically small compared to the behemoths that we tested this with in the Boundary Waters during a Labor Day weekend trip.

We were able to improvise with some other knots because we have experience tying ropes securely, but since this kit is aimed at first time hammockers, we think this is a misstep. Hennessy does sell longer tree straps, but they really should be standard. 

This experience was reinforced when handing the Expedition Zip to a friend who was curious about trying hammocking for a fun weekend trip in Sand Dunes State Forest. They had never used a hammock before, and despite the printed instructions and ample time to set things up, they found the experience confusing. One person’s frustration shouldn’t be taken as concrete proof of a product’s flaws, but if you’re considering this hammock, try setting it up a few times to get the hang of things before taking it on an adventure.

Relying on knots for a hammock system is not inherently an issue. Experienced hammockers will exclusively use knots to secure their kits because knots are lighter and more adaptable. However, that takes knowledge, patience, and practice, which we don’t think is the best introduction for a beginner testing the world of hammocking.

Should You Buy the Hennessy Expedition Asym Zip?

Hammocking can be an intimidating and expensive hobby to get into, and the Expedition Zip makes both of those things much easier by offering an all-in-one kit at an affordable price that should appeal to many. It’s a great option for someone who’s not ready to assemble their own system or spend that much on it but still wants something quality that will allow them to explore hammocking.

It’s not a good fit for a more experienced hammock backpacker because other models will do things better or are lighter at a good value. It’s also not a good fit for taller people who would be better served by Hennessy’s XL models.

What Other Hammocks Should You Consider?

Kammok Mantis UL Review: For a step-up in quality, features, and also price, the Kammok Mantis UL is an awesome kit that nails the fundamentals in a premium package that comes in at a respectable weight. You can achieve lighter weights and better customization by assembling a kit, but the Mantis UL isn’t overpriced for what it offers, and the comfort is much better than the Expedition Zip.

Hennessy Ultralight Asym Zip Review: If the general concept of the Expedition Zip was appealing, the Ultralight Zip takes all that’s good about that design and uses more premium materials to take 12.9 ounces off the weight. The dimensions are the same so if you found comfort lacking in the Expedition Zip, the Ultralight Zip won’t change that, but there is an XL model that increases the length to 12 feet that should be more comfortable. To go even lower on weight, Hennessy also offers a Hyperlight Zip model at only 28 ounces, but this is not offered in an XL length.

Onewind Tempest Review: If the most appealing thing about the Expedition Zip was the low price, the Onewind Tempest is an even better value. During our testing, we were continuously impressed at how comfortable and full-featured this hammock is, and despite the low price, the quality was solid. It’s not as bomber as the Expedition Zip, but the 40D nylon still feels good. When adding OneWind’s Hex tarp and whoopie sling suspension system, the total weight and price is comparable to the Expedition Zip but with significantly more rain coverage and comfort.