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  1. #1
    Senior Member Oms's Avatar
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    Mayan cotton hammocks

    So now that I can hang fast and easy in the yard what does anyone think of these cotton hammocks? http://www.hammocks.com/hammocks/han...orestgreen.cfm. I would like something soft, breathable with a good diagonal lay. I don't care for the rope style with spreader bars. They tend to dig in a little and offer no bug protection from underneath. I am not wanting anything with a bug net either. I like the feeling of natural fibers.

  2. #2
    Senior Member Cannibal's Avatar
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    Very comfy hammock and I love their description as "dangerously comfortable".
    Better off finding a polyester weave, but if you keep it out of the sun and rain, it should last many seasons.
    Trust nobody!

  3. #3
    Senior Member LostCause's Avatar
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    I have more of this style of hammock than any other. Very comfortable and have lasted me for years. Synthetic will be firmer with less stretch and cotton will be softer but can leave a packa-like hump in the middle if not stretched properly prior to heavy use. If using natural fibers you want to make sure you either treat it with some UV protectant dye or keep it away from the elements. The sun fades and wet can rot. The larger the hammock, the more comfortable it will be. Remember to post pictures!

  4. #4
    Senior Member Oms's Avatar
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    Is it possible to get a reasonable flat lay in a cotton hammock due to streching or will my butt sag? It would be stored when not in use so it should last for some time.

  5. #5
    This is similar to (if not exactly) the type of hammock that got me obsessed with hanging. I have no issues with achieving a flat lay now, but it did take me a few nights to get it right at first.

    Now let's see if I can explain this:
    As far as stretching goes....... You can stretch the hammock, pulling it, so that it is really big and you get the most "airflow"..... or you can leave the hammock close together by not stretching it and reduce that "airflow" (think no one in the hammock and all the strands are side-by-side VERY close together).
    Ex:
    Stretched:
    < >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >
    < >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >
    < >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >< >


    UnStretched:
    <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
    <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
    <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

    That being said, the stretched version has a lot of "give" in it and you may feel some sag. The un-stretched version is very rigid/taut and you will have virtually no "give".
    They are designed to lay in them across or diagonal, not length-wise as in a Pawley's Island hammock, so the very middle is going to be the most tense.
    So, what I would suggest is playing around with which area you stretch, kind of like squirming to adjust a sleeping pad in your hammock. If you stretch the legs and torso, but not the buttocks you may prevent saggy butt

  6. #6
    Senior Member LostCause's Avatar
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    Not exactly what I was talking about Legs, but a very good point that I failed to bring up.

    Oms, the stretching I was referring to is a permanent stretch of the cotton fibers similar to that of a cotton t-shirt that has been stretched out at the neck. What I would suggest you do is hang your hammock and bunch it up in your hands as if you were holding a hammock in snake skins and push down to 'pre-stretch' the majority of the fibers. If you are confident in your balance and your suspension, you can sit on the bundled hammock too.
    Back in 2000, my roommate and I each had our own cotton Mayan hammock that we slept in every night. I prestreched mine, he didn't stretch his. Mine looked the same hang after hang, but his hammock had developed an area that sagged considerably lower in the middle than the rest of the hammock. I don't know if it affected the lay much, but it certainly affected aesthetics.
    So to answer your question, yes you can get a VERY flat lay in a Mayan hammock. Just remember that a larger Mayan hammock is going to be a LOT more comfortable than a smaller one.


    What Legs was referring to is the soft vs. firm nature that is variant dependent on how you stretch the weave before you get in. It's similar to using a fabric bottom hammock, but the stretch of the weave is key to getting comfortable. Legs offered good advice there... play around with stretching the weave and see what works for you.

  7. #7
    Whoops, I guess read through the replies too quick but I didn't mean to derail the topic. Sorry about that! LostCause is right about the fibers stretching (natural vs. synthetic), and that pre-stretch technique should prevent any problems.

  8. #8
    Senior Member Oms's Avatar
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    How comfortable is the synthetic? I've read a couple of descriptions that call it soft like cotton.

  9. #9
    Senior Member LostCause's Avatar
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    Synthetic will definitely last longer in the elements and will take a bit more abuse. I find that it is still comfortable but not as soft and flexible as cotton. That being said, my favorite Mayan style hammock is synthetic. But for full time sleeping (inside) I would choose cotton, hands down.
    Last edited by LostCause; 06-02-2010 at 15:04. Reason: to prevent confusion and make myself look like less of an idiot...

  10. #10
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    Those look sweet!
    Mike

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