So, a couple of months ago I got a TTTM King Size Hammock to test. First of all I will say some words about the TTTM company:
The company was found in late 90s in Bali, Indonesia, after Charly, the head of the company found parachute silk and began using it as a material for his hammocks due to its superior features over traditional parachute materials. Nowadays TTTM hammocks (+ many other parachute silk products) are handmade in Bali by a company of about 60 people (for more info:http://www.ticketothemoon.com/en/tttm_tribe.html). TTTM is also involved in charity work, for example by using 16% of its annual profit to improve the living conditions of an Indonesian tribe (read more from http://www.ticketothemoon.com/en/foundation.html).
The customer service I got from this company was probably the best I have ever heard of, as most of my emails were friendly answered within several hours of sending. Also delivery was way faster than I had expected, even though TNT managed to deliver it into a completely wrong address at first ( so the mistake was made by TNT, not TTTM).
The TTTM hammocks are made of separate side panels and a center panel, and TTTM offers 21 different colours for those parts, resulting in hundreds of different colour combinations. Most companies provide only a couple of different colours, so this certainly is a big advantage.
HAMMOCK SPECS:
Size: 2,3m wide, 3,2m long with a laying surface of 2,9m
Material: nylon parachute silk
Weight: 700 grams
Carrying capacity: 200kg (however, testing has shown that it can hold way more than that)
TESTING:
Testing was done over a couple of months in different parts of Finland, from Helsinki (60°North) to Kilpisjärvi (69°North). Temperatures ranged from around 5C (41F) to about 35C (95F) during the main testing. Other equipment I used were the TTTM rope set, a small pillow and a collection of homemade underquilts.
The TTTM King Size Hammock arrived in a moon-shaped parachute bag that is sewn on the side of the hammock, so there will never be any danger of losing it. The package is about twice the size of my Single hammock’s package size, so it is a bit more bulky to carry that the single model, which basically fits into a large pocket. However, this should never be a problem as it is easy to hang the bag on your rucksack, etc., using the loops in the ends of the hammock bag. When I first got my hands on the hammock I was prepared to see a King size hammock, but I couldn’t have ever believed how huge it actually looked when I opened it the first time. And it didn’t just look huge, but it also felt endlessly wide as I was laying on it. Afterall, it is a marvelous 2,3 x 3,2 metres in size.
The TTTM hammocks come in two different options regarding the hooks: traditional stainless steel hook and carabiner. Mine came with the carabiners, and I’m very pleased with them. They are made of cold forged aluminium alloy, and can hold up to 1000 kg each. The reason I like these more than the hooks is that the carabiners have no sharp edges on them, and therefore they feel much nicer to push in the same bag with the hammock. They also provide a more secure attachment, and so the hammock will never be for example blown away by wind, as it has sometimes happened with the regular hooks (when there’s nobody laying on it, of course).
The material the hammock is made of, parachute silk, feels very smooth against skin. Due to the thin parachute silk material, the hammock feels pretty fragile as you sit on it. However, testing has shown that the material is far from fragile as it can easily hold three persons in it with not a slightest sign of damage. Meanwhile the material is extremely durable, it is also pretty lightweight: the hammock weighs only about 700 grams despite its huge size. I’d say the biggest advantage of the material is that it is very breathable, resulting in comfortable sleep in temperatures of over 35 C. However, with underquilts it is also possible to use it in far lower temperatures: It has been tested in the extreme coldness of -40C (-40F)
While being extremely durable, the material is also stretchy enough to allow your body take a natural position while you lay on the hammock. With its 2,3 meter width you can position yourself in basically any way you want, as even the biggest hammockers are not going to meet the edges. While it is possible to have a very comfortable sleep in even the single model, all the extra material around you takes you to a new level of sleeping comfort. Therefore, if you are capable of paying about twenty dollars extra, I’d say it’s worth the price to choose the king size over single or double model.
During the couple of months that I have been using this hammock, I have liked every moment I have spent in it. So far there is no sign of any wear and tear in any part of the hammock. Before I got this hammock I have been using the TTTM Single Hammock for more than a year, and have been very pleased with it. However, now that I have both models, I always choose the King Size just because it is much more relaxed to sleep in it due to its huge size. It also keeps my body straighter than in smaller hammocks, resulting in nicer feel.
The hammock is very simple, and basically perfect for 99,9% of all users. However, some nice improvements that would ease at least my usage and improve sleeping comfort would be for example a built-in mosquito net and some attachment points for easier use of underquilts as here around polar circle those nets and underquilts are basically a must all around the year.
Also the side panels of the hammock are quite wide, and therefore the seams that connect the panels and the center piece might get under your back or neck when you sleep in a very wide position, causing a slight bit of uncomfortableness. So just some little hints for the TTTM team, maybe these things would be worth considering as you design new products.
I will also include some words about the TTTM rope set that I received with the hammock: the set consists of two 5 meters long nautical ropes, which have been tied to form loops (see the picture). This method allows for very fast and secure attachment, and it is also easy to fine tune the length by just changing the places of the knots. Of course you can also make these ropes yourself quite easily. I have done this around five times, using different types of ropes. However, I have never been pleased with their usability due to stretching of the rope. The TTTM ropes are made of such material that has basically no stretch with the amount of weight that ordinary use applies on them. So there you have a great, easy solution for fixing your hammock.
BOTTOMLINE
-More comfortable than narrower models due to the extra material around you
-A double model or even single is definitely enough for a good sleep, but if you can afford to pay 20 dollars more and don’t care of some extra weight, go for King Size, since the luxury it provides is definitely worth the price
-TTTM rope set is very sturdy and easy way to hang your hammock. of course it is easy to make your own, but these provide a very easy way of hanging your hammock: no stretching, preset knots for faster attachment
-Carabiners cost some extra in comparison to S hooks, but I would choose them any time due to much nicer look and feel(pushing in the same bag with fragile hammock, no feeling of ripping the hammock)
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