First Time Hammocker: Are all 11' hammocks essentially the same?

[gooless]

There is something to say for getting a decent bottom-entry bugnet and trying out several netless hammocks. It is kind of addicting however.

[JollyRoger70]

The basic parameters of an 11’ hammock are going to be comparable, but we tend to gravitate toward particular feature sets or fabrics. Because so many of us are drawn to hammocking by the fiddle factor, we have a tendency to accumulate hammocks to get the “just right” setup. I tend to switch off between a 12’ Dutchware with a separate net, and an 11’ SLD Trail Lair (which has lots of features). Maybe some day I’ll upgrade to the 12’ Trail Lair :-).


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[TominMN]

I guess there's one more aspect that may be important to you. Dream Hammocks offers a lot of options in terms of customization. Dutch offers a lot of add-on accessories. Warbonnet has hammocks with a foot box and a shelf on some models. Other vendors add their special touches.

[joe_guilbeau]

Thanks for the responses everyone! From what it sounds like, the only way to find out what is gonna work best for me is to try all of them. Which is annoying, but understandable, considering how many options are out there. I think I am gonna go with the Darien since I want a different tarp than what the HG comes with anyways. Thanks everyone!

There is a cheap way to get into the 11-foot hammock. That is with a 132-inch long and 90-inch wide Polyester Taffeta Rectangular Table Cloth. Take it to a seamstress and have them sew channels on the ends, triple stitched lines at each end.

You now have a choice to use as a gathered end or use the channels.

For channel use, you can just run a whoopie sling in the channel, or a simple continuous loop, or spreader bars to simulate bridge hammocks.

Investment will be about $30.00 and you now have a (dare I say it) chameleon hammock which can be set up as gathered end, channeled end, spreader bar ends, bridge hammock ends, even large carabiner ends.

Plus the non-stretch polyester taffeta comes in gobs of colors and has no give, so it is very supportive on the back. Some have an absolute preference to a specific amount of stretch,and thus the plethora of fabric types.

https://tableclothsfactory.com/colle...ta-tablecloths

Good luck!

[Semiuseless]

There is a cheap way to get into the 11-foot hammock. That is with a 132-inch long and 90-inch wide Polyester Taffeta Rectangular Table Cloth.

After the 9ft Academy hammocks.....my first "real" hammock is a DIY'd tablecloth gathered end hammock, and never moved on from there. I have had three or four suspension experiments and settled on the one I like. I use an add on bug net, that pretty much comes with anytime I am not in the backyard. I am not opposed to trying something else, but I like DIYing gear.

[Saltfly]

The basic parameters of an 11’ hammock are going to be comparable, but we tend to gravitate toward particular feature sets or fabrics. Because so many of us are drawn to hammocking by the fiddle factor, we have a tendency to accumulate hammocks to get the “just right” setup. I tend to switch off between a 12’ Dutchware with a separate net, and an 11’ SLD Trail Lair (which has lots of features). Maybe some day I’ll upgrade to the 12’ Trail Lair :-).


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I went to the 12’ trail lair about 6 months ago and I’m finally done with my hunt for real comfort. Nice hammocks


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[Pnicogen]

There is a cheap way to get into the 11-foot hammock. That is with a 132-inch long and 90-inch wide Polyester Taffeta Rectangular Table Cloth. Take it to a seamstress and have them sew channels on the ends, triple stitched lines at each end.

You now have a choice to use as a gathered end or use the channels.

For channel use, you can just run a whoopie sling in the channel, or a simple continuous loop, or spreader bars to simulate bridge hammocks.

Investment will be about $30.00 and you now have a (dare I say it) chameleon hammock which can be set up as gathered end, channeled end, spreader bar ends, bridge hammock ends, even large carabiner ends.

Plus the non-stretch polyester taffeta comes in gobs of colors and has no give, so it is very supportive on the back. Some have an absolute preference to a specific amount of stretch,and thus the plethora of fabric types.

https://tableclothsfactory.com/colle...ta-tablecloths

Good luck!

What is the weight of a DIY hammock made with that?

[jamie shard]

If you are just getting into hammocks, the one thing i would want to emphasize is that how you hang the hammock is going to change how it feels. In particular, I was amazed how differently my hammock felt when I correctly hung the foot end about a foot higher than the head end. It fixed so many areas of discomfort.

If you don't hang a hammock this way, the body can kinda "taco" into a U-shape and it feels as if you are sitting too upright. It might create a lot of pressure on the butt and create a ridge of material over the calves.

If you hang the foot end higher, the torso is allowed to lay flatter and it removed the "calf ridge".

So definitely make sure you post pictures and get advice on fine-tuning the hang before deciding that a particular hammock isn't working for you!

[dfgh45]

I'm 6ft and have went down the rabbit hole not reading up accordingly getting to small sizes. I feel like if you get a 11ft you can't go wrong but don't get anything shorter.

[sunsetkayaker]

If you can get to a hang in your area you can try other people’s (or at least see them up close) to narrow down the number of hammocks you have to buy.