Now I realize that I’m not going to be telling most of the HF family anything new when I tell you that I have had a truly top notch experience with Papa Smurf and Dream Hammocks, but I wanted to share my story to let everyone know how thankful I am for their high quality work and amazing customer service.
So my story starts at a Palmetto State Hangers (PSH) Hang in January and a few members raving about the comfort of their DangerBirds. Not easily sold, I started to research them on HF and the rave reviews kept coming.
Finally, I couldn’t take it any longer and I contacted Papa Smurf at the end of February. We exchanged several emails and he was always extremely helpful. I never felt like I was being sold to even when I could have easily been convinced to add extra features. I soon placed order # 1685 with the help of my now 7 yr old daughter picking out the colors.
Then the wait was on. 6 weeks felt like forever and I was especially anxious, since I had Spring Cub Scout Camp the weekend after my hammock was supposed to be done and I had promised my HH Explorer to my wife. The thought of going to ground still sends shivers up my spine. I watched the progress of my order status every week and even got concerned after the Dream-Hammock.com website got updated and my out-of-date Explorer wouldn’t pull it up. Finally, the week before my camp out, with my hammock on the slate to be built the following week, I contacted Papa Smurf again. I asked if there was any way that my hammock could be shipped early in the week to make my camp out. I received a quick reply that it would not be an issue.
Shipped on a Tuesday and received on a Thursday. Whew, I had a day to spare.
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When I opened my package, I felt like a kid at Christmas. It was raining, but I was not going to be deterred, so I stretched out the dining room chairs and inspected my new DangeBird. The quality was evident immediately. My daughter offered to take it, if I decided I didn’t like it; I just shot her one of those “Get Real Kid” fatherly looks. My wife felt the HyperD material and was impressed with the softness. This worries me more than anything and that is why I have yet to offer to let her lay in it.
Being my first DangerBird, I did have a couple of pleasant surprises. First was the way the double layer was done. I had seen a couple of other hammocks with just one slit for inserting your pad and didn’t realize there was a better way. The DangerBird allows you to access all 4 corners for quick and easy pad installation and adjustment. I have tested this at home, but have not slept in it this way. Second, the DangerBird is designed so that the head of your hammock is dependent on whether you’re using the net or the overcover. Thus, I admit I mixed up where I asked for the extra zippers to go. I just count this happy mistake as a learning opportunity for which sides I’ll really want the zippers on next time.
So during the Cub Scout Spring Camp out weekend, I hung next to my wife under my Noah 12 in a V (shown below before I put up the tarp). I cannot put into words how well I slept. It truly was a “Dream Hammock”.(Yes, I know this is a horrible pun.)
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I would have posted my review sooner, but I just couldn’t get enough. I took the family out the following weekend. I hung solo this time. Below is my set-up with the last picture showing my wonderful Wilderness Logics Summer Series UQ that kept me warm.
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Originally Posted by PapaSmurf
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