I have always taken a side entry Henessy or Clark to the BWCA. This last year I took a bottom entry Henessy with the matched Nest underquilt (has the matching velcro slot in it). I have now tried both for extended days. I will have to say that for getting in and out for those 2-3 night trips the bottom entry was much easier. No sure why everyone "Mods" them in to side entries. The upside of the side entry, of course, is that you can unzip and lean out and pull things in to the hammock. Not sure why you would need to do that but I suppose it is a plus.

Whenever I hear talk of the bottom entry I think of that Jim Carrey move about the pet detective when he was birthed by a rhino.

Ace Ventura

Dont know about others...I tried a bottom entry for my first few nights and found it to be a pain moving my stuff out of the way to get in and out. Granted, I was using a pad and not UQ but even in the hottest part of summer without the pad, moving the TQ and getting it re-situated over me seemed a hassle.

My first hammock was a bottom entry that had the mod done to add a zipper, in my case the bottom entry was left open. I had a "normal" underquilt and found the hassle to be too much, only ever used the zipper. My son inherited the hammock when I bought new and he only uses the bottom even with the regular underquilt.

To each his own I say.

I think a plus side to the side zip is that you can unzip the fly and use the hammock as a chair during the day.

I also have a Hennessy with the bottom entry And I have no plans on switching to a side entry. I have slept in a few side entries and prefer the bottom entry with one exception: winter camping. I use my ENO during the winter as I don't need the bug netting and it is easier to get in and out when using thicker sleeping bags.

Like I said, I have both side and bottom entry hammocks, both the same make/model. What makes the bottom entry work is that it is "mated" with the Nest underquilt designed for it. Extremely easy in and out and bugs don't get in.

I have a bottom entry hh expedition that was sewn shut and zipper put on the side,best mod I could have ever done. bottom entry is a pain.
mod.

I've been fine with my bottom entry for a dozen years of using it now and see no reason to switch. It seems that either model is going to put you on top of your sleeping gear when you get in. I just hang my top quilt over the internal ridge line before entry so it doesn't end up under me. I've never seen a good enough reason to change to a side entry.

As I have posted, I have Henessy Explorer Deluxe hammocks in both side and bottom entry. If I had the standard underquilt that had to be pushed out of the way to get in and out of the bottom entry I might feel different, but with the NEst underquilt, that also has a velcro entry that mates to the hammock, getting in and out is MUCH easier then in a side entry.

quote unshavenman: "I think a plus side to the side zip is that you can unzip the fly and use the hammock as a chair during the day."

+1