New Innovations in Hammocks

[jeff-oh]

What new ground breaking innovations, if any, have come up in the last several years?

I've been less active on the forums since 2020 and I am out of the loop. Have there been any ground breaking new hammocks, bug nets, insulation, suspension, stands, methods, suppliers etc. in the last several years?

Last ones that broke into the scene I know of is the Tensa Stand.

[iceman857]

The YOBO Gear hammock stands are one recent innovation, in particular the Hive (Hive Hammock Stand - YOBOGear) although the Cricket is also an innovative product (Cricket Hammock Stand - YOBOGear).

[LowTech]

Integrated hammock insulation may be a new thing if you haven't been following along. We have a few vendors now that that are going that direction.

"Sent w/o me knowing"

[stevebo]

I think the next big wave of innovations are going to be 90 degree hammocks! The cross hammock and amok draumer are already on the market, and I suspect soon there will be several other models available. The comfort, ease of set up and reduced distance between trees makes this a pretty attractive option! ( and it's something different- plenty of room for innovation and creativity!)

[Tikker]

I think the next big wave of innovations are going to be 90 degree hammocks!

draumr's and 90* hammocks are getting on 8 to 10 years old already!

[cmoulder]

Over the years, I've taken Michaelangelo's approach in his "David" sculpture and applied it to hammocks. He started with a block of marble and simply (lol) chiseled out everything that wasn't "David."

Likewise, I've tried to 'distill' my kit down to only the essentials, and I'm very, very close to (if not at) that point so I'm pretty much immune now to the sirens of bling and new gear. I'm not contributing as much as in years past but I do take note of new stuff and haven't seen anything that I absolutely must have. Last new thing I got was a Dutch bonded silpoly hex tarp, which is pretty cool. It's bigger than the HG DCF and is a nice 'tweener' tarp for nastier fall / spring weather.

[sideshowraheem]

I think the next "big" innovation will be in fabric materials. The backpacking market is pretty small all things considered, so as other industries come out with new advanced fabrics it'll eventually trickle down to us. Much like cuben fiber initially did after being used initially for sail cloth.

[iceman857]

I think the next "big" innovation will be in fabric materials.

The company I work for is in the textile industry, and I can say that what we're all excited about right now is what might be possible with "Smart Fabric" (The Future Of Fabric: Programmable Weaving Unleashes Smart Fabric Potential (forbes.com)). Hate to say it, but it won't hit the hammock industry for probably another 10 years but there are definitely some great potential applications. Imagine a tarp that can convert solar energy into power so you can charge your devices, or a hammock that senses your pressure points and recommends shifting the height of the foot end to help you find a better sweet spot for YOU. Although it's fun to imagine, I doubt I'll see it in my lifetime.

Heck, the whole outdoor industry is currently "innovating" to create more non-PFAS/"forever"-chemical-free finishing products so we get great rain repellency without harming people and the environment. Why getting PFAS out of our products is so hard — and why it matters | PBS NewsHour

[FLTurtle]

I think the next "big" innovation will be in fabric materials. The backpacking market is pretty small all things considered, so as other industries come out with new advanced fabrics it'll eventually trickle down to us. Much like cuben fiber initially did after being used initially for sail cloth.

Waiting for those Ultra fabric tarps.

[cmoulder]

I think the next "big" innovation will be in fabric materials. The backpacking market is pretty small all things considered, so as other industries come out with new advanced fabrics it'll eventually trickle down to us. Much like cuben fiber initially did after being used initially for sail cloth.

A .71osy material that is actually durable would be a good start!

That said, I'd be okay with the situation if 1.6osy were the lightest available. Doesn't 'break the bank' even in the UL realm.