With all that being said. A 7 foot taffeta tablecloth makes a amazing sleeper, and cheap as 20 bucks. You don't even have to sew. Just accordian the ends fold over once and do a hammock knot. Bam instant hammock. If it needs replacing then no big deal.
Medic, Coffee nerd, Otaku, Fisherman.
Great, thanks for the info partner, I will consider the Caroline model!
I have been hanging full-time since 2014 and I have tried and used a lot of hammocks over the years. While I like to switch hammocks every so often, my main bed-hammock is a Heavyweight Double Layer Blackbird XLC. I occasionally use DIY hammocks made from fabrics most comfortable to me, i.e. fabrics with little stretch. I wasn't able to sleep a full night in my Brazilian hammock since it was too stretchy. However, one of the most comfortable hammocks I ever used was a Mayan hammock. The weave is magic: I could even sleep on my side! I'll order one soon and will start using it when I find a way too keep my Wooki underquilt from direct contact with my skin.
Try placing a pillow case or piece of sheet between the Hammock and underquilt.Originally Posted by hutzelbein
Let me know if it works-
Charlotte
Thanks for the suggestions Hutzelbein, I'll have to research Mayan hammocks. At first glance they look a little too sheer for my taste.
As I read LaSiesta's site, the Carolina has a 100% cotton body, with only the suspension being 50% polyester. The Carolina is also my favorite, full-time since 2013. As you note, it is heaviest. My experience of similar cotton hammocks is that they are all quite comfortable at first, but that lighter, looser fabrics stretch out and develop ruts, becoming less comfortable. I have a worn-out Flora, in fact. This is why I prefer Carolina: holds up over the long haul, really well made.
They have a decent marketing video that goes into depth about where and how made: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7zgGzz2LzY
On the matter of Mayans, I agree that they are remarkably "floaty", but i didn't like the waffle pattern on skin, and they are too easy to damage IMO for a full-time bed.
As for materials generally, it's hard for me to understand why anybody prefers plastics (nylon camping hammocks) over cotton. Unless of course they are camping, where weight and pack size is very important. For indoor use where comfort is everything, cotton seems like a no-brainer to me, but I have met people who've tried both and prefer the noisy slipperiness of nylon, so: different strokes.
I live in the PNW where it is seldom very hot, so AC is fairly rare. But yes there are 2-3 weeks most years where it's miserably hot at night. These weeks I spray down my heavy cotton hammock with water, and point a fan at the underside. I've been too cold at 95F this way: extremely effective, and the heavy cotton will hold enough water for this to work several hours between wettings.
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Tensa Outdoor, LLC, maker of the Tensa4, Tensa Solo, and Tensa Trekking Treez hammock stands: http://tensaoutdoor.com/
Thanks for the suggestion. The problem with pillow cases or sheets is that they slip and end up in a heap at the lowest point. I'd have to attach it to either the Wooki or the hammock somehow. Or I'll add a hammock loosely in between. I'll see what works best.
I'm not a fan of the looks either, but the magic is in the weave. The individual threads are not fixed to each other as in a piece of fabric, but can move pretty freely. The result is that they conform to the weight almost perfectly. I did not expect this at all, but in my opinion I was able to lie straighter than even in a 90° hammock. I don't sleep on my belly, but I was able to lie relaxed on my belly without my back being distorted. Truly amazing. If you can, give Mayans a try. The comfort might convince you to overlook the sheerness
Maybe there are different weaving styles, but I didn't get a pattern on my skin. I did expect it to feel more similar to the netted hammocks that can be found in many gardens - but the threads of the Mayan distributed my weight much better. I found it important to spread the threads evenly, though, which takes getting used to. I only tested the Mayan for a week, so I'll have to see how I like it over a longer time.
I prefer the feel of cotton over nylon. Unfortunately I found that cotton did not provide enough support for me. I tried to sleep in my Brazilian a couple of nights, but had to switch to a nylon hammock after a couple of hours every time, because I did feel too bent and started to get back pain. I would like to try a hemp or flax hammock some time - but those fabrics cost a lot more than nylon does. I think I found a wide hemp fabric for something like 40€ per meter
Another full-timer here. All my indoor hammocks are 100% cotton, for comfort, no static, and ease of frequent laundering (wash warm and hang to dry, or very low heat in dryer if you must in winter). I love my La Siesta Flora, also a super-easy (no-sew) DIY from a high-quality densely woven (firm) 100% cotton "Chambury Classic" tablecloth from tableclothsfactory.com. I have a Vivere Brazilian-style and it's held up fine after at least 5 or 6 years every night. It would still be in perfect condition if my 2 kitties didn't climb in and out all night. Now I mostly use it as a daytime lounge/recliner chair. I always have a few "guest" hammocks ready to deploy as needed (no beds in my house), and some of them go home with guests as "starter" gift hammocks.
My current Mayan is still going strong after 5 years of every-night use in the hot & muggy summers here. If you try a Mayan, I'd stay away from the "thick-cord" ones. I prefer thin cotton cords in a close weave (lots and lots of inter-twined threads) for flexible & supportive body-conforming comfort and less waffle-marks on bare skin. My current Mayan is from Rada, a gift from a friend's trip to Merida but now also sold on Amazon. I also recommend the Mayans from Seaside Hammocks (a Florida distributor -- check out their web site for lots of fun facts and decent prices, especially "Tommy's Two-fers"). With care a good Mayan can last several years. They can be used with an underquilt but if I need one I just change it for a solid-weave Brazilian style and UQ. I store each of my indoor hammocks, UQs and suspension cords ready to hang in the room it fits best, so a couple of carabiners make the change-over quick and easy without fiddling.
Whatever style you decide on, if you order it from Amazon be prepared to return it, especially a very low-cost "generic" hammock. I'd expect many of those are poor quality and won't last. I always read the one-star reviews first, even though I know some might be from cranks who wouldn't be happy with anything! Mold is a common complaint; I suspect at least some of those that fail quickly are rotten from improper storage before the sale.
Best wishes in your quest to find the most comfortable indoor hammock for YOU. Let us know what you get and how you like it. (IMO hammocks are like potato chips -- I bet you can't have just one!)
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