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  1. #1
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    Kammock mantis vs Chameleon

    I know the mantis is not officially released but seems a lot of people have been testing them. In your opinions what is the advantage to buying. I'm new and family of 4 so on a budget I'm only out maybe 10 nights a year but I don't want to have to replace it. Does anybody know if the Kickstart error is actually going to happen and if it's on time? It seems that the Chameleon comes with great customer service. That is a big pro for me. Looking to see about comfort, quality.

  2. #2
    SilvrSurfr's Avatar
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    Kammok has had their customer service and quality issues. Their marketing is directed toward people who don't know much about hammocks - with one HF post, you are definitely Kammok's target market!

    If you've narrowed it down to the Kammok versus Chameleon, I think it's a no-brainer - get the Chameleon. I've had a Chameleon for a couple of years and it's a quality hammock. And, as a long-time customer of Dutch, I know his customer service is downright amazing.
    Last edited by SilvrSurfr; 03-04-2019 at 19:15.
    "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." Ralph Waldo Emerson

  3. #3
    Senior Member
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    Grab some of Dutch's $30 netless wide hammocks. If you are willing to splice your own amsteel, you can make the Continuous Loops for the ends for a couple of bucks or just buy them from Dutch. Get a roll of Zing-it and make your own Structural Ridgelines or buy them from Dutch for a couple of bucks more. Fronkey bugnets work great and are very cheap and easy to make or just buy them. You're looking at some awesome gear for a total of less than $100 with everything except insulation. Use blue tarps from Walmart until you're ready to upgrade.
    "God never sends us anything we can't handle. Sometimes I wish He didn't trust me so much." - Mother Teresa.

  4. #4
    cmc4free's Avatar
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    I agree with Surfr's 2nd paragraph.

    The Kammok Kickstarter package is $189 and who knows when it will be delivered. For $199 + tax you can get a single layer Chameleon in your choice of Hexon 1.6 colors, the asymmetric bugnet, and a set of 15' spider/poly straps with Beetle Buckles. This is a great quality hammock and suspension and you'd have it in your hands by the end of this week. It's manufactured in Lancaster, PA by honest to goodness American business people and Dutch will stand behind his products 110%. Plus it's a modular system to which you can add other accessories later on, if you choose. One more advantage is that the Chameleon and accessories will be much easier to resell on this forum should you ever change your mind.

    The Kammok package does include a rainfly, but that would not be enough to offset the decision if I were comparing these 2 products. As wbJohn mentioned, you can use an inexpensive tarp until you're ready to upgrade.

  5. #5
    New Member
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    Chameleon is my choice but I do own. Dual layer Hexon 1.0 for the fabric stretch. To me it makes it the most comfortable. I liked the fact that I could add pieces later and now worry about fit. Which one makes since to you? Go with your gut.

  6. #6
    Dutch makes some great products and you would probably not go wrong buying one. The Chameleon all inclusive: hammock + net + suspension + tarp + lines + stakes will be more expensive. 11 ft length. Easy setup. The Chameleon material 1.6 is 40D and traditional diamond ripstop nylon. About the same weight. You have more choices of colors and materials. The pull out wings are pulled out by the hammock. Manufacturer defects guarantee, they will accept a return if unused. Good customer service. USA company. Available within a couple of weeks. High price, but high quality.

    Kammok makes some good products too. I had a chance to check out the Kammok Mantis and Mantis UL in the Kammok store and these are my thoughts. The Mantis kickstart package: all inclusive Hammock + net + suspension + tarp + lines + stakes will be less expensive by at least $100. 10 ft length. Super easy setup. The Mantis material is 40D and super comfortable. About the same weight. The Mantis UL is 20D and a little more like traditional diamond ripstop nylon. You have 4 choices of colors and 2 choices of material. The pull out wings are pulled out by the net. Lifetime guarantee, they will repair/replace it. Good customer service. USA company. Available in June. The kickstarter is fully funded and will happen. Decent price and high quality, it is pretty attractive.

    I'd say your decision may depend on your timeline and budget.

    If you're new to hammock camping, you might consider getting a basic setup and see if you like it. Then after June you could decide if you want to invest more.

  7. #7
    SilvrSurfr's Avatar
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    If you ever go to group hangs of any size, you'll meet Dutch. I've probably seen him 3 or 4 times a year over the last nine years - at the 501 shelter in PA, spring and fall MAHHA, NEHHA, the NJ Winter Hang, the Loco Libre November hang, etc. He definitely gets around. Over the years he's given me gifts - Dutch bling, tree straps, and other stuff. He treats me like a prized customer. I really like that.

    Anybody ever met someone from Kammok? Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?
    "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." Ralph Waldo Emerson

  8. #8
    cmc4free's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SilvrSurfr View Post
    If you ever go to group hangs of any size, you'll meet Dutch. I've probably seen him 3 or 4 times a year over the last nine years - at the 501 shelter in PA, spring and fall MAHHA, NEHHA, the NJ Winter Hang, the Loco Libre November hang, etc. He definitely gets around. Over the years he's given me gifts - Dutch bling, tree straps, and other stuff. He treats me like a prized customer. I really like that.

    Anybody ever met someone from Kammok? Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?
    And even if you're not going to a hang, you could post a question or comment on the Dutchware subforum here, and there's an excellent chance you'll get a reply from Dutch himself as he's an active member of the community here.

  9. #9
    Member
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    Quote Originally Posted by troyfromtexas View Post
    Dutch makes some great products and you would probably not go wrong buying one. The Chameleon all inclusive: hammock + net + suspension + tarp + lines + stakes will be more expensive. 11 ft length. Easy setup. The Chameleon material 1.6 is 40D and traditional diamond ripstop nylon. About the same weight. You have more choices of colors and materials. The pull out wings are pulled out by the hammock. Manufacturer defects guarantee, they will accept a return if unused. Good customer service. USA company. Available within a couple of weeks. High price, but high quality.

    Kammok makes some good products too. I had a chance to check out the Kammok Mantis and Mantis UL in the Kammok store and these are my thoughts. The Mantis kickstart package: all inclusive Hammock + net + suspension + tarp + lines + stakes will be less expensive by at least $100. 10 ft length. Super easy setup. The Mantis material is 40D and super comfortable. About the same weight. The Mantis UL is 20D and a little more like traditional diamond ripstop nylon. You have 4 choices of colors and 2 choices of material. The pull out wings are pulled out by the net. Lifetime guarantee, they will repair/replace it. Good customer service. USA company. Available in June. The kickstarter is fully funded and will happen. Decent price and high quality, it is pretty attractive.

    I'd say your decision may depend on your timeline and budget.

    If you're new to hammock camping, you might consider getting a basic setup and see if you like it. Then after June you could decide if you want to invest more.
    You're telling me you're going to get a hammock, bug net, suspension, tarp, guy lines, and stakes for $100 less than the Dutchware Chameleon setup, made in the US? Doubtful.

  10. #10
    cmc4free's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jtkratzer View Post
    You're telling me you're going to get a hammock, bug net, suspension, tarp, guy lines, and stakes for $100 less than the Dutchware Chameleon setup, made in the US? Doubtful.
    Yeah, they may be a USA company, and they may also be a great bunch of people for all I know. But I suspect their products are assembled overseas.

    Their Kickstarter does offer all that you described for $189 to be fair, which is $10 less than a single layer Chameleon, bugnet, & suspension, but without tarp, so once you add in a Dutchware tarp, $100 cheaper is about right. But I'd still cast my vote for the Chameleon, which is assembled in the USA and is more of a known quantity at this point. Time will tell about the Kammok Mantis package, and for more of a mass-market company, they will probably find good success with this package. But to ask on this forum which is a better choice, the response is going to be overwhelmingly in favor of the Dutchware product.
    Last edited by cmc4free; 03-04-2019 at 23:43.

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