4 ms·

To avoid both problems, the hammock needs to be really large and made of high quality, heavy, natural fabric. Small, rustic hammocks are only ok for recreation,

by kawera 10y ago

To avoid both problems, the hammock needs to be really large and made of high quality, heavy, natural fabric. Small, rustic hammocks are only ok for recreation, not sleeping.

nickpsecurity 10y ago
Appreciate the tip. You got a specific brand of those to recommend that's comfy and cost-effective?
- kawera 10y ago
  We have two brazilian hand-made hammocks like this one - they are great. The trick to a good sleep is to lay your body diagonally, leaving it almost strait, not parallel or perpendicular to the hooks. http://dfohome.com/Large-Cotton-Brazilian-Sunshine-Stripe-Hammock-with-FREE-Matching-Storage-Bag/BG-HAMXXRS http://dfohome.com/Large-Cotton-Brazilian-Sunshine-Stripe-Ha...
  - bambax 10y ago
    Looks nice, very similar to what I have.
- cema 10y ago
  I have had good results with more expensive hammocks which are intended for backpacking. They include (1) a netting attached to the lower portion which forms a cocoon of sorts and prevents against bugs and mosquitoes and (2) a rainfly which hangs from the same cable but is not attached to the rest of the hammock and can be taken out of the way in good weather. The brand I have had good results with is Hennessy (http://hennessyhammock.com/ http://hennessyhammock.com/). I have not done hammock shopping in a few years, so maybe there are better, and certainly cheaper, options. For example, you are unlikely to need a bug protection or rainfly if you intend to use a hammock indoors. Good luck!
  - nickpsecurity 10y ago
    I appreciate all the comments but the Hennessy demo was some brilliant stuff! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqg4x443RmM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqg4x443RmM I like how the entry/exit works along with built-in skeeter protection. Just wonder if the entry mechanism would let bugs in. Another is how much rain protection you get. Still need a rain tent or something? Or is it bearable humidity with what it stops?
    - cema 10y ago
      No bugs get in, in my experience, but I do not live in a very bug-infested place. Rain protection with the provided rainfly is somewhat inadequate, in my opinion: I would get a larger sized fly, maybe from a larger hammock (Expedition?) or simply cut from a large piece of material. The way it is attached is fine, in my opinion.
- w-ll 10y ago
  I have a biased opinion because I grew up in PI, but these really are the best home style hammocks. http://pawleysislandhammocks.com/ http://pawleysislandhammocks.com/
- joveian 10y ago
  The particular brand I used for a couple of years seems to no longer be in business, but one good option is Mayan hammocks where you sleep perpendicular to how it is hung. Usually they are not fabric, but the threads are thin and close together so I never had a problem with it digging in to my skin even when laying on it directly (I usually layed on a blanket). I did have a problem snagging some of the threads with buttons and such, so I recommend a blanket or sheet even if you don't otherwise need it. Do not use a pillow with that style hammock since it will mess up your back. It took me a couple of months to fully adjust, but after that it was very comfortable. I mostly turned from side to side and sometimes slept on my back that I don't otherwise do. The main challenge I had with it is using it is that in cold weather you need to redo the bankets every night for decent warmth. You can put a second hammock below to hold less compressed blankets for additional warmth; for the coldest weather (I sleep cold and was outside some of the time I used it down to 0 F) diagonal sleeping works best. They take up quite a bit of space, but indoors if you use hooks that are curved enough that it won't come out accidently you can very easily leave it off to the side during the day. Make sure what you attach it to is sufficiently sturdy. Sleeping with someone else in a Mayan hammock seems comfortable when your weights are somewhat close, but with large enough weight difference it doesn't work that well (for me at least, I also move quite a lot at night). Another style of bed that looks really interesting to me is the "floating bed": http://www.floatingbed.com/ http://www.floatingbed.com/ They are rediculously expensive, but I've thought of making one with a trampoline, which would leave more of a dip in the middle like the chimp bed. I haven't actually tried it, though.
  - nickpsecurity 10y ago
    re hammocks. Thanks for tips. re floating bed. That's interesting. Might have useful input on your idea of cloning it with the trampoline. I had to sleep on an army cot that uses similar material in small, square form. I layered egg shells and other padding on it about 2-4 ft high. Still sucked to sleep on. It's like the firmness or lack of give somehow propagates up into the feel on the back. Now, a full trampoline has more give but usually with a large amount of weight or impact on a specific spot. I remember that laying on them barely moved them. It was just hard material that slightly wrapped around me. Did you have a way to deal with that in mind or a better type of trampoline that lacks those issues?

by kawera 10y ago

To avoid both problems, the hammock needs to be really large and made of high quality, heavy, natural fabric. Small, rustic hammocks are only ok for recreation, not sleeping.

nickpsecurity 10y ago

Appreciate the tip. You got a specific brand of those to recommend that's comfy and cost-effective?

kawera 10y ago
We have two brazilian hand-made hammocks like this one - they are great. The trick to a good sleep is to lay your body diagonally, leaving it almost strait, not parallel or perpendicular to the hooks. http://dfohome.com/Large-Cotton-Brazilian-Sunshine-Stripe-Hammock-with-FREE-Matching-Storage-Bag/BG-HAMXXRS http://dfohome.com/Large-Cotton-Brazilian-Sunshine-Stripe-Ha...
- bambax 10y ago
  Looks nice, very similar to what I have.
cema 10y ago
I have had good results with more expensive hammocks which are intended for backpacking. They include (1) a netting attached to the lower portion which forms a cocoon of sorts and prevents against bugs and mosquitoes and (2) a rainfly which hangs from the same cable but is not attached to the rest of the hammock and can be taken out of the way in good weather. The brand I have had good results with is Hennessy (http://hennessyhammock.com/ http://hennessyhammock.com/). I have not done hammock shopping in a few years, so maybe there are better, and certainly cheaper, options. For example, you are unlikely to need a bug protection or rainfly if you intend to use a hammock indoors. Good luck!
- nickpsecurity 10y ago
  I appreciate all the comments but the Hennessy demo was some brilliant stuff! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqg4x443RmM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqg4x443RmM I like how the entry/exit works along with built-in skeeter protection. Just wonder if the entry mechanism would let bugs in. Another is how much rain protection you get. Still need a rain tent or something? Or is it bearable humidity with what it stops?
  - cema 10y ago
    No bugs get in, in my experience, but I do not live in a very bug-infested place. Rain protection with the provided rainfly is somewhat inadequate, in my opinion: I would get a larger sized fly, maybe from a larger hammock (Expedition?) or simply cut from a large piece of material. The way it is attached is fine, in my opinion.
w-ll 10y ago
I have a biased opinion because I grew up in PI, but these really are the best home style hammocks. http://pawleysislandhammocks.com/ http://pawleysislandhammocks.com/
joveian 10y ago
The particular brand I used for a couple of years seems to no longer be in business, but one good option is Mayan hammocks where you sleep perpendicular to how it is hung. Usually they are not fabric, but the threads are thin and close together so I never had a problem with it digging in to my skin even when laying on it directly (I usually layed on a blanket). I did have a problem snagging some of the threads with buttons and such, so I recommend a blanket or sheet even if you don't otherwise need it. Do not use a pillow with that style hammock since it will mess up your back. It took me a couple of months to fully adjust, but after that it was very comfortable. I mostly turned from side to side and sometimes slept on my back that I don't otherwise do. The main challenge I had with it is using it is that in cold weather you need to redo the bankets every night for decent warmth. You can put a second hammock below to hold less compressed blankets for additional warmth; for the coldest weather (I sleep cold and was outside some of the time I used it down to 0 F) diagonal sleeping works best. They take up quite a bit of space, but indoors if you use hooks that are curved enough that it won't come out accidently you can very easily leave it off to the side during the day. Make sure what you attach it to is sufficiently sturdy. Sleeping with someone else in a Mayan hammock seems comfortable when your weights are somewhat close, but with large enough weight difference it doesn't work that well (for me at least, I also move quite a lot at night). Another style of bed that looks really interesting to me is the "floating bed": http://www.floatingbed.com/ http://www.floatingbed.com/ They are rediculously expensive, but I've thought of making one with a trampoline, which would leave more of a dip in the middle like the chimp bed. I haven't actually tried it, though.
- nickpsecurity 10y ago
  re hammocks. Thanks for tips. re floating bed. That's interesting. Might have useful input on your idea of cloning it with the trampoline. I had to sleep on an army cot that uses similar material in small, square form. I layered egg shells and other padding on it about 2-4 ft high. Still sucked to sleep on. It's like the firmness or lack of give somehow propagates up into the feel on the back. Now, a full trampoline has more give but usually with a large amount of weight or impact on a specific spot. I remember that laying on them barely moved them. It was just hard material that slightly wrapped around me. Did you have a way to deal with that in mind or a better type of trampoline that lacks those issues?