Hammocks are essentially a piece of fabric and some rope - so what's the difference?

[tsshaw78]

I think you should seek out a local hang event where you can see a myriad of setups with different levels of hammock costs. There you can ask all these same questions and maybe even try/feel the different hammocks. Most hangers would probably be quite happy to help you learn what makes the difference between cheap and expensive.
In full disclosure, I am just starting out and working my way up the low budget route.

[Forbin]

The trippy part to me is not necessarily the cost of the different setups but all the different ways you can hang it, cover it, insulate it, or tie it out. It’s endless. If you’re Into bikes then you should get why a $300 bike is different than a $1500 bike even though they both have 2 wheels.

There’s no right or wrong. You just have to figure out what works best for you.

[cmoulder]

Just to ad a small thought, is not the simplicity of hammock camping the beauty and main thing about it? Maybe sometimes passion ads a layer of "complexity" that is not represented in the physical item?

I am firmly in the "beauty in simplicity" camp, although it took a bit of time and experience with somewhat more complex setups — in all kinds of weather — to learn what I didn't need and why I didn't need it.

It took a few nights in the rain to realize I don't really need drip lines. For a while I used various bits of hardware for tarp and suspension until I concluded that I could dispense with all that and use simple knots and hitches. Whoopies are just so darn clever that at first I thought I'd never use anything else, but through experience gained on the trail I learned their limitations and have tried a bunch of different options since then. Early on, I tried a Fronkey net and discovered that it was not for me... I like sewn-in, zippered nets. I got side pullout hardware on my first couple of hammocks only to realize I don't need those. But I do like UQ quilt hooks. And it took a lot of experimentation with various types of cords and webbing to settle upon what I now use for tarp and hammock.

Now maybe there is somebody "out there" who skipped that whole learning process and found exactly the right thing the first time, although in my experience this nigh impossible. However, there are plenty of people for whom "good enough is good enough" and who are perfectly content to soldier on with whatever they pick up in the camping aisle at Walmart.

[Trecker8]

When you think Warbonnet and Hennessy are even remotely comparable, you have a lot to learn!

I thought this site banned insults and put-downs. Nasty attitude and that kind of stuff has no place here.

[Halfed]

I thought this site banned insults and put-downs. Nasty attitude and that kind of stuff has no place here.

Seriously??? If I was the OP I would never consider it as an insult. Just my opinion.

[Tikker]

I thought this site banned insults and put-downs. Nasty attitude and that kind of stuff has no place here.

yeah, I didn't take this as an insult either, just a comment along the lines of a $300 bike and a $3000 bike are different, even tho they both have 2 wheels

[Saltfly]

Start cheap and build up till you're comfortable was my path. Unfortunately I spent a lot of money finding that sweet spot and then I enjoyed spending that money so much I bought more hammocks. What ever floats your boat if my motto.

This^^^^.


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[Saltfly]

I use a HH deep jungle xl. After some tweaking and adjustments got that old hammock sleepin like a champ. That said, I couldn’t get comfy in an XLC. So there is no answer that anyone will be able to give you. They’re just opinions. That said, I just set up a Warbonnet ridgerunner that is jam up. Good luck.


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[BillyBob58]

I use a HH deep jungle xl. After some tweaking and adjustments got that old hammock sleepin like a champ. That said, I couldn’t get comfy in an XLC. So there is no answer that anyone will be able to give you. They’re just opinions. That said, I just set up a Warbonnet ridgerunner that is jam up. Good luck.


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I have not read this entire thread, but from the post I have read it seems very similar to other threads on the subject over the years. I totally agree with the quoted post re: the HH Deep Jungle XL or a HH Explorer UL. And I have had a whole bunch of highly rated hammocks since I showed up here shortly after starting with an HH UL Explorer insulated with the HH Super Shelter in Sept 06. 13 years ago!

I still pullout that old HH system now and then and it is about as good as any other gathered end hammock for me. They all have their pros and cons. Adding a knee pillow negates the main difference in any of them, IMO. Since the knee pillow makes them all close to the same for me, I have even sometimes considered getting rid of everything and going back to my old HHSS system because of it's simplicity and consistency and bomb proof wind and rain resistance. But, I do like some of my other systems and they have their positives, plus I have leaned towards bridge hammocks in recent years. So I have not yet followed through on that crazy idea. But if I was forced to, I could be perfectly happy with it. Especially using it with the knee pillow.

The main difference for me between GE hammocks is I seem to get pressure on my calf(calf ridge) on some a lot more often than others. And their are almost 20 billion threads on here with people complaining about that problem.

My low cost Claytor(still using 12 years later) is probably the least likely to have that problem, but the HH Explorer UL is also usually not too bad in that department. However- and this is why I have leaned toward bridge hammocks in recent years- I can and do get at least some calf ridge, even if only rarely, in ALL GE hammocks I have tried(even a couple of 11 foot jobs and one 12 footer). If I get in the hammock wrong, or get up to pee and get back in with less tha perfect position, not in the "sweet spot", foot end not high enough, tension too loose or too tight- boom, there it is: enough pain in my calf that I can't sleep. It can happen to me in ANY GE hammock. But wonders of wonders, after 10+ years of searching for the one magic GE hammock that would never have that problem, I have finally had to admit that a nice fat stuff sack knee pillow not only solves that problem in all GE hammocks, but makes the hammock over all more comfy. At which point they are all about the same to me, comfort wise. So, from now on, which GE has the least calf ridge is a moot point for me.

Lately I have also been fighting an urge to convert to pads only, used in hammocks where pads seem to be at least as comfy, or pretty darn close, as nothing under the hammock for insulation, or UQs. But so far for me, that means either bridge hammocks or a 90 degree style hammock only. No GEs. But, I have not yet had the courage to make that move(to pads only) either. So, for now, I am keeping all of them!

EDIT: I forgot this: one of the main complaints against the Hennessey over the years is the figure eight suspension system. That is a ultra simple and foolproof once you learn how to tie it. But it is definitely more time-consuming than most of the other suspension systems for the other brands. But I'm still using the original HH ropes and tree straps, no longer bothering with the old HH knot. I simply put a figure 8 loop in the rope, placing a small toggling in there so that I can easily get it undone if I want to, and then use a Becket hitch or a simple slippery 1/2 Hitch of the type used on the Claytor hammocks, and that works wonderfully. Still no hardware necessary, and still using the original suspension that came with the Hennessey hammock. So that's the end of that problem. Not that the original suspension was ever a big problem for me anyway. But it was definitely more time-consuming, especially if you need to change something like the tension on the hammock, and I had to undo and retie the knot. But usually, it's not like I didn't have plenty of time to accomplish that task once I got to camp. But sometimes it didn't seem like a bit of a pain in the rear end. Still, not a big deal in the scope of things.

[dakotaross]

...Usually I can figure out what sets different systems apart, and why one might be fetching a higher price than another. But when it comes to hammocks I have so far not been able to sniff out the "essence". I have been through loads of videos, forum threads, reviews and loads of manufacturer pages, but I am still slightly bewildered.

To give you an example: I have seen asymmetric hammocks between 100 and 350 Euro. There are some minor differences, as how to unzip a mosquito net and so, but they are all essentially a piece of fabric with some rope in each end. I understand that weight would set various systems apart, as in light and strong equals more expensive. But what other parameters should I keep an eye on?

To give you an other example: To me Warbonnet and Hennessy seem to have very similar product packages. But Warbonnet seems to get most of the love on the forums and is more than double the price. Is this mostly about brand affections, or are there any significant product differences?

Please not that the question above is about hammocks only, why various suspension systems differ in cost and popularity makes a lot more sense to me.

...Just to ad a small thought, is not the simplicity of hammock camping the beauty and main thing about it? Maybe sometimes passion ads a layer of "complexity" that is not represented in the physical item?

Well, I suppose your last quote has some truth to it, that passion about something sometimes makes the user represent the item/hobby/whatever in a way that seems exaggerated. The details are truth, but the understanding of what is being presented doesn't translate the same way to those not yet capable of understanding how the language is used in particular context. And yes, I would agree that simplicity is a defining aspect of our love for hammocks, though the irony is that to someone new, it seems much more complex than the standard tent. Hammock stuff is much more modular and requires a better overall understanding of what you're doing with shelter and insulation to understand what you need, whereas tents more or less mimic our normal bedrooms, leaving most things inherently understood, or so we think.

But I think the complexity you're getting at is in the differentiation of all the various hammocks, and I would say to that... they're not all that different. Yes, rectangles of different materials have slightly different properties which can be not so subtle to someone who's used to being in a hammock for 9hrs+ each night. Suspension systems vary about like backpacks do - everybody has they're own personal choice of what is better for them. If you ask me, I'm confused at the proliferation of backpacks, though I doubt there's anything more personal to an outdoors person.

There are some elements of your inquiry that I don't get, though. For instance, Hennessy and Warbonnet are about the same price for single layer netted hammocks. Sure, HH includes a tarp in their package which doesn't account for much cost (asym). You can get a hex for free, too, but its $60 more for the 30D hex tarp that compares to WB's hex. Total package for the HH Explorer Deluxe with 30D hex tarp upgrade is $319, and its $255 for a similar Eldorado/Mambajamba package. Perhaps its not quite comparing apples to apples that is clouding the understanding? Or maybe some international pricing is skewing things a bit and creating some of the confusion.

Regarding "buy once, cry once"... a lot of us started with integrated net hammocks I think mostly because they seem most like tents. And a lot of us who have done that have gone on to sell those expensive hammocks in favor of less expensive netless hammocks. The hammock part is essentially the same, though more recent materials might actually make them better. And, as you pointed out, they are more simple, and to me they do in that way add more glory to getting out.