Outdoor gear lab posted an article that said that generally ultralight hammocks are less comfortable.
http://m.outdoorgearlab.com/Hammock-Reviews
Is that true? Why? Fabrics or less features, length?
I'd like to be light but still sleep well.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
They say that because the ultralight hammocks they tested are all short hammocks. The ENO Sub 7 for instance is 8'9" long! That's tiny and would indeed be uncomfortable to camp in.Originally Posted by makingitoutdoors
11ft hammocks are generally considered much more comfortable to the average user. You can get an 11footer from Dutchware in his 1.0 Hexon line that weighs about 8 oz or so. Still very light, but infinitely more comfortable than those "ultralight" hammocks outdoor gear labs reviewed.
Word of advice: unless you're 4' 5" don't sleep in an 8' 9" hammock. It'll probably work in a pinch, but you'll never achieve nirvana.
There are two ways to make a hammock ultralight: either make it small and narrow, or use a light (thin) fabric. Or both.
Short hammocks are not very comfortable to many (most?) people. The shorter a hammock gets, the less diagonal you can go, and the closer your head and feet will be to the ends. This creates more of a bathtub shape and pinches your shoulders.
Normal sized hammocks made from lightweight fabrics are not necessarily uncomfortable IF you like or at least don't mind stretch. I can't cope with stretch, so they are very uncomfortable to me.
Small hammocks made from lightweight fabrics simply can't be comfortable in my opinion. Unless you only use them for lounging.
makingitoutdoors, hello from Lafayette!
When I was a tent camper, I carried an ENO sub 7 with me as a camp chair. Many times in mild temps, I would fall asleep next to a camp fire in that hammock. Usually, the only reason I got into the tent after that was to get away from the falling dew since I wasn't using a tarp. I'm pretty confident that I could manage a night or 2 sleeping in that if needed given a tarp and TQ/UQ. Wouldn't even need the TQ/UQ if temps were high enough which isn't a problem down here. Beyond that, my only concern would be the Louisiana state bird, the mosquito, getting to me at night. For reference, I'm 5'9" and 180#.
I personally find 10ft hammocks to be plenty comfortable (I am 5'11"). I also find light fabrics to be sufficiently comfortable; though I do like a little more stiffness if I am not packing it in to far.
So, If you make a 10ft, sewn-end-channel type fabric out of 1.0osy fabric, you are looking at ~6oz for your hammock(at least the way I make 'em). If you throw on continuous loops, a light ridgeline, maybe a knotty mod or two, you are hovering right around the 7oz mark.
In my book, this is pretty light (and I am the guy who cuts the handle off his toothbrush). It is also pretty comfy.
I think it is important to remember that the cottage/DIY side of things is a different animal from most of the mass produced market.
Welcome to HF.
I made this DIY 11-foot widebody ultralight hammock our of 1.0 oz ROBIC fabric from Ripstop by the Roll. It is 132" long and 68" wide, and it weighs 8.5 ounces (242 grams). It has the least stretch I've seen in any ultralight fabric, and makes for very comfortable sleeping for most people under 200 (although the actual weight capacity is significantly higher). There is plenty of room in this hammock for almost anyone.
Some cottage vendors have discontinued offering 1.0 ROBIC hammocks owing to durability concerns, but mine continues to hold up well, as I would expect for sensible campers under 200 pounds. Jared at Simply Light Designs will still make you one without qualm, if you don't want to build one yourself. (This hammock packs up to about the size of a soda can.Together with the pictured widebody asym tarp, it makes a core sleep system that weights 1 lb 1 oz).
Last edited by kitsapcowboy; 03-31-2017 at 08:42.
Smart graphic design for all your needs by BGD
Hike your own hike, hang your own hang, ect. You asked so I'll give my view. I used a nano 7 till I wore it out. I used it year round. I sleep with most of me covered up to my chin so just a head net was all I needed. Then, and forgive me I can't recall where I bought it, but I bought a 3/4 ounce net that hung off the nano 7 ridge line that I put on to get a consistent hang from that hammock. I don't sleep on my back, ever, at home. On the trail, in a hammock, on my back is all I ever do with an occasional knee askew. So a shorter hammock works fine for me. After the retirement of the nano 7 I bought a weenie weight micro and still use it occasionally. It is an 11' hammock. In order to have that11' hammock fit under my tarp with better end protection, I tied an overhand knot in each end. I initially put a toggle in the knot so it could be undone if it didn't feel right. I removed the toggles after a few nights. The knots are tight and I'm not sure they could be untied if I wanted to but I don't, so no worries on that. An 11 footer with two knots has significantly shortened the weenie weight micro but I've never measured it. Then my now goto hammock came along... A 10' halfwit from Dutch. I don't move much, but can, I have bug protection when and where I need it and its comfy for me. Just to give you background I backpack a lot with my dog Ben. I got him for using not for looking at. Last year we did 31 trips ( minimum 2 nights for me to list as a trip.) 2015, we did 26, 2014 we did 25, 2013 we did 25 again, an off year in 2012 of 18 ( I had some home projects going on) and 2011 we did 21. So I have some time in a short hammock. Just saying, 10 or 9'6-ERS work for me. Disclaimer; I did do a handful of tent nights and we sleep in lean-tos once in awhile but 75% of those trips were hammock trips. I, me, don't care for 11' hammocks. You asked. Peace, Two Tents and ben
I like refried beans. That's why I wanna try fried beans, because maybe they're just as good and we're just wasting time. You don't have to fry them again after all.
Does any one else think this sub7 looks terribly uncomfortable?
269268_14895_L.jpg
Yes but it also looks like it is low on the foot end and it appears strung a bit tight.
I like refried beans. That's why I wanna try fried beans, because maybe they're just as good and we're just wasting time. You don't have to fry them again after all.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks