Warmer days are upon us and while hammock manufacturers have developed ways to make them comfortable in the winter, they really shine in the summer. Three of these four are very similar. They’re made of nylon, have triple stitch seams and will fit two albeit rather intimately. These three (and the fourth with the spreader bars removed) all feel the same to me as I lay in them. In fact, I’d wager even the designers would have a hard time differentiating between the lot unless they know the specific feel or smell of the nylon they used. Mostly the differences lie in the nuances as described in each description below. The fourth is a full featured suspended bivy tent with spreader bars that can be removed to act more like the other three. One note is not to be too quick to just compare weights directly as the only two can be compared apples-to-apples style: the Kammok and ENO brands. They do not include suspension straps in the package. All weights & sizes from testing. Capacity limits are manufacturer recommendations.
Kammok Roo
The Kammok crew only makes hammocks and related accessories. The attached stuff sack has a drybag style roll closure with two straps and buckles on either side to compress the packed hammock down. Their proprietary rip-stop Lunar Weave has the most unique feel compared to the others in this roundup. #TheRooLife $99; kammok.com
Kit includes:
- Hammock w/ compression stuff sack & carabiners attached
Specifications:
- Weight: 1.44 lbs.
- Size: 125 in. x 73 in.
- Packing Size: 8 in. long x 17 in. circumference
- Capacity: 500 lbs.
- Styles: 6 color combos
Optional Accessories:
- Suspension: Python Straps; $29
- Bug netting: Dragonfly; $75
- Rain fly: Glider; $230
- Winter insulation options
ENO DoubleNest Hammock
Born of the festy scene, ENO offers a range of products to satisfy your festival going self and it easily translates to getting out into the wilderness for a few adventurous days. The DoubleNest also has an attached stuff sack with a drawstring style closure and a single compression strap. $70; eaglesnestoutfittersinc.com
Kit includes:
- Hammock w/ compression stuff sack & carabiners attached
Specifications:
- Weight: 1.16 lbs.
- Size: 115 in. x 70 in.
- Packing Size: 6 in. long x 17 in. circumference
- Capacity: 500 lbs.
- Styles: 30 color combos
Optional Accessories:
- Suspension: 3 options; $20-$30
- Bug netting: Guardian; $60
- Rain fly: 9 Options; $80 – $270
- Winter insulation options
- All inclusive OneLink sleep system: $220
Grand Trunk Parachute Nylon Hammock (double)
Grand Trunk comes in from the adventure travel side and they offer a whole range of adventure travel products along with their hammocks. The attached stuff sack simply has a draw string closure and does not include a compression strap. It does include a set of suspension cords which don’t reach very far, but it’s more than what is included with the Kammok or ENO kits. For the stylish, Grand Trunk comes in with the most color options to choose from including the slightly more expensive tie-die version. $70; grandtrunk.com
Kit includes:
- Hammock w/ attached stuff sack & carabiners
- Suspension cords (120 inches of 5mm [0.197 in.] cord)
Specifications:
- Weight: 1.76 lbs.
- Size: 124 in. x 79 in.
- Packed size: 10 in. long x 16 in. circumference
- Capacity: 400 lbs.
- Styles: 33 color combos (price varies)
Optional Accessories:
- Suspension: Tree Slings; $20
- Bug netting: Mozzy Netting; $70
- Rain fly: 2 options; $70 – $80
- Winter insulation options
- All inclusive Air Bivy Extreme Shelter: $150
Lawson Blue Ridge Camping Hammock (BRCH)
Hammock snobs will be quick to quip that this one is a different category of hammock from the three above. It has spreader bars, a built in bug net (as do some models of the above brands) and arch poles to hold the bug net up. It works on the ground just as it does suspended between trees. The included hanging straps and hardware are pretty beefy and ounce counters could probably find items to replace to lighten the load. I wasn’t as fond of these straps as the styles provided by the above brands as these include metal buckles and limit how far apart the trees can be to find a suitable place to hang.
All-in-all, this is the fully inclusive package. Before you balk at the weight and size of the BRCH, consider adding all the included parts to the weight and volume of the other hammocks. Also, you will need to pack or make your own stakes if you don’t have any trees and need to use the BRCH as an on-the-ground bivy tent. $170; lawsonhammock.com
Kit includes:
- Hammock w/ bug netting & spreader bars attached
- Storage sack
- Rain fly
- Suspension straps & S hooks
- Arch poles w/ storage sack
Specifications:
- Weight: 5.06 lbs.
- Size: 86 in. x 44 in. x 24 in. of head room
- Packing Size: 25 in. long x 19 in. circumference
- Capacity: 250 lbs.
- Styles: 1 (Forest Green)
Optional Accessories:
- None
