I picked up my double layer Sparrow Dream Hammock from the post office this morning and took it out to a local park to test out and take photos. Click here for order details for those interested.
Dream Hammock has excellent customer service, the best I've seen in the outdoor industry. Their responses are fast, friendly, and personal. The status page on the website so a customer can follow along as their order progresses is wonderful and appears to be updated daily. The ability to which one can customize a hammock is the initial huge draw to Dream Hammock and can't be beat by any other hammock company to my knowledge. Despite this, prices remain very competitive for a high-end hammock. The optional add-ons like the overcover, interior bags, peak shelf, organizers, tie-out clips UQ clips, gear loops, and the hand loop add to the luxury. The fabric used to make the hammock is top quality and I'm very happy with the 1.6 HyperD in appearance and comfort. It's bold looking and very soft to the touch. The quality of construction is superb. I went over the stitching, zippers, and add-ons and I'm impressed. This hammock should stand up for years to rough treatment in the field. Manufacturing time was as promised and definitely worth the wait over buying a ready made hammock.
Click on photos to enlarge them.
My hammock.JPG My Sparrow just after construction at Dream Hammock in Ohio. Most customers will see their new baby through one of these photos several days before it arrives at their home. Color and fabric selection are the first choices a customer makes after picking a hammock model. The best looking hammocks in my opinion have a matching outside layer and overcover and then a contrasting interior fabric color. Several fabrics are available for people looking to either minimize weight or add more durability and support.
DSC_4901.jpg My 11' double layer 1.6 oz fabric Sparrow with overcover, bug net, and a number of optional add-ons weighs 45.75 oz or 1297 grams including the stuff sack. A 10' single layer Sparrow without add-ons weighs 25 oz. in comparison. The stuff sack does not include a compression strap, presumably to save on weight. As pack volume is a greater concern to me than weight, I will be adding one myself. Regardless, the hammock compresses down to about half the volume shown in the photo making it plenty small enough to fit in the lower compartment of a backpack.
DSC_4915.jpg The hammock comes in this double ended stuff sack allowing it to be left on the ridge line or taken off as the owner prefers.
DSC_4917.jpg I chose to go with a built in Whoopie Sling suspension system. While not as simple as the continuous loop option, it offers a finer level of adjustment to achieve the perfect 30 degree angle. If you aren't a fan of Whoopie Slings but want the same extra adjustment flexibility and reach, you can select a cinch buckle system instead.
DSC_4903.jpg The Whoopie Slings attach to the lightweight 6' tree straps using a toggle inserted into a basic marlinspike knot. I'm not a knot guy, but this one is simple. If the toggle is lost, any stick will work as the sling sits on top of the knot, not the toggle. A carabiner can also be used.
DSC_4911.jpg The ridgeline organizer is an add-on and is one of the first additions you should consider. It has three pockets on each side and a large central pocket in the middle for a water bottle. While it appears to add considerable slack to the ridgeline in the photo, this disappears when a person is in the hammock. Laying down, the organizer was 18" above my body and lots of weight can be added to it with very little slack in to the ridgeline.
DSC_4905.jpg I added a peak shelf at the head end for additional storage for larger items like a rain jacket shown here.
DSC_4912.jpg I also added a side organizer with three pockets for my cell phone, pistol, and vape. A shorter but deeper one pocket side organizer that has a zippered top is also available. Fellow gun owners with larger pistols or long guns can purchase a gun pocket that attaches to the ridgeline.
DSC_4909.jpg These peak bags are added at each end of the hammock with the purchase of an overcover and bug net. They can be removed and left at home when not needed. Below the peak bag in this photo is an optional gear loop. The gear loop at the foot end of the hammock can be used to attach the foot end of a top quilt or sleeping bag to keep the bag in place.
DSC_4908.jpg A last minute addition I made to my hammock was a gear loop combined with a hand loop at the head end. It was a wise decision as I've found it's much easier to move around in the hammock by pulling on the hand loop than pushing with my feet. It also makes it much easier to pull oneself up to the zippers to close the hammock overcover or bug net.
DSC_4913.jpg Another useful addition are tie-out hooks. These hooks come with a length of shock cord with loops at both ends which attach to the hooks and pull out the side of the hammock when put around a tree or staked in the ground. They make the hammock feel more roomy and pull extra fabric away from the face and body.
DSC_4916.jpg Underquilt hooks can be added to the ends of the hammock. They help pull the underquilt up tight against the contours of the hammock to provide better insulation. Pictured here are the underquilt hooks at the head end of the hammock along with the vented end of the overcover.
DSC_4918.jpg The hammock with the overcover closed creates a cozy cocoon. The asymmetrical construction of the hammock provides for a flat lay with the body positioned at 45 degrees to the ridgeline allowing a comfortable sleeping position for back sleepers, side sleepers, and even stomach sleepers.
This Sparrow now leaves for autumn field testing in the Tahquamenon Falls backcountry of Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
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