I made the DYI Costco UQ...
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So I was looking at the specs of my Hennessy Hammock and the bottom dimension is 120" x 59" whereas the Chameleon standard is 132" x 58" so the Chameleon is even more narrow! Perhaps I really should get the wide afterall?
i would say that if you're at all questioning whether or not to get the wide chameleon to just go ahead and get it. that added width is really nice and its a little inconvenient to have to send back the regular width in case it is too narrow for you.
I think what I'll do is go for a 1.0 hexon regular first as I mentioned that I would prefer something lighter and that packs smaller. If I find that it's not for me: either the 1.0 hexon is too soft or I think a wider hammock would be more comfortable then I'll just order another wide 1.6. I'm trying to convert my wife from being a tenter so she could aways use the 1.0 hexon. Thanks for all of your replies!
If you decide to go wide, maybe consider Knotty Mods? Those help "cinch" up extra material if you aren't using it.
At 6' and 200 lbs, I don't think you need a wide Chameleon (and knotty mods aren't possible or necessary on a Chameleon). I'd personally think twice about the Hexon 1.0 - a Hexon 1.6 hammock will be much more durable.
While I love Whoopie Slings with Dutch hooks (and have been using that suspension on all my hammocks for over 5 years), my Chameleon has the Beetle Buckle suspension with 15 ft. straps. The Beetle Buckle suspension definitely allows you to utilize trees that aren't as far apart. You probably need at least 15 ft. between trees for Whoopie Slings.
"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." Ralph Waldo Emerson
I started in a Hennessy, used a Dream Hammock for years, and now have a Chameleon wide as well.
Wide vs regular: Wider hammocks allow you to lay at a steeper angle across the ridgeline which can feel a little flatter. More importantly for me, the extra fabric reduces the inward pressure on your outside foot, even with the cover or net attached. This pressure doesn't bother most people. It drives me insane. I will never go back to a regular hammock again. The downside? Extra fabric gets floppy and makes higher "walls" that block your view. The Chameleon tie-outs help a great deal, but the extra fabris is till noticeable.
Single vs double-layer: Double allows you to use a pad if you want. I never do. A double-layer hammock also has less fabric stretch and is more rigid. Whether this is more comfortable is a personal preference. If you have ever slept in a Sleep Number bed it's kind of like the difference between 40 and 70. Fabric stretch leads to what some people call "shoulder squeeze." This bothers some people more than others. I have a double because I go about 240 lbs these days.
SilvrSurfr hit the suspension issue on the head. I've tried then all - in New Hampshire where I spend 99% of my hanging time whoopies proved to inflexible because our regrowing forest is really dense and it's not always possible to find trees 15 or more feet apart. I tried them larksheaded to straps and with hooks. The Marlinspike hitch was fun the first two times I used it, but adjusting the hang is a pain with tying and untying over and over. I kept coming back to cinch buckles and tried every type of strap from differet weights of Kevlar to old-fashioned poly. I'm trying Beetle Buckles now on regular Spider webbing. So far this seems like the winner for me.
Hopesome of this helps.
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