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Hi everyone,
We are new to the Hammock Forums and a newer vendor to the hammock community. We are looking forward to learning more about hammock hanging places, needs in the marketplace, ideas for improvement, and anything else you care to share with us.
We are offering a hammock and hanging straps giveaway on our website at http://www.infinityoutfitter.com/giveaway.html\
Happy to answer any questions you may have!
Nice website...welcome to the forum from Indiana.
What are your hanging straps made from? It looks like your hammock is pretty small at 55"x108" compared to most of the hammocks that are DIY made or available from other vendors here. So I wouldn't try and fit two people in that size hammock despite its weight rating.
Cheers
Brian
Welcome to the forums. You suspension straps look similar to the slap straps ENO sells. Those are not to preferable around here since they are nylon. I hope yours do not stretch the way the ENO straps do. Good luck!
I entered to win a free Infinity Outfitter Hammock, and will be glad to review it here at HF, should that work out.
Seems like you have a much better chance at winning one, if you are already an owner, from the way the thing is set up. Greatly so, it would seem.
As already suggested, Suspensions and Length dimensions already might be a point of some contention. Diagonal lays are also instrumental in the quality of hang. I'm short but some width adjustments could well be in order, for the larger hangers, as well.
Flexibilty, and ability to customize orders is a huge advantage, and will make you stand apart.
Materials, concepts, engineering, are changing rapidly, in this field. Avoid being a provider of cookie cutter imports, or risk being stuck with an inventory equivalent to the common big box store offerings.
Welcome to HF! We can be very opinionated, cause we HYOH! :lol:
Your sweepstakes entry system is not so good. I don't use Facebook. There's no way for me to enter, even though the "log in using an email" implies that there is.
I managed to get +2 with my e-mail....I think.
To me it seemed, you almost need to own one to win one, according to the odds anyway. Facebook most certainly helps as well.
Give em a break though. They are just starting out and openly asking for input.
That is good.
Welcome. I agree about the straps. I would only need the 1" ...but Im a "gram enthusiast". The size wouldnt work for me. It would be a bit narrow and short. I have my doubts about any two people. Things grow and change with time. Best of luck.
Hi, the straps are nylon. And yes they do stretch. The nature of the beast so to speak with the material. We have looked at and tested several types of material. We started with poly, but we had a lot of issues with heat rub melting the material as the strap tightened up. Always looking for the perfect material... any help?
Sorry that you are having trouble with getting an entry due to facebook like. Obviously, we are trying to build a customer base that we can market it to we went with Facebook Likes as a method.
But, I want anyone to get a chance that is an hammock lover.... send me your name and email via pm and I will manually enter you for +2 entries!
Random.org picks the winners. Yes, your odds are increased if you enter daily, do the Youtube video, etc.
As for size... Tammy's quote is "I love my hammock because it lets me snuggle up close to my guy when we are hanging in it."
So what would be the idea "double size" and what is a reasonable price point?
Most tree straps are made from polyester. Just take a look at the vendors that sell hammock suspensions and they will have the correct stuff. Strapworks is also another vendor that sells the proper webbing for tree straps.Quote:
Originally Posted by Infinity Outfitter
Cheers
Brian
Nylon straps will be the first thing switched out, for most. You asked for advice...Its Poly.
Doesn't take much to sew a couple loops. Outside of possibly heat treating the ends, you shouldn't need or use heat to bond them. If the suspension hardware is "melting" them It's not right either. Nylon straps will lower the value of your product. Just look to Eno. They still sell lots of hammocks, but few run their suspensions, because you end up on the ground.
Two people in ANY hammock will get that snuggled up feeling. This is not really an accomplishment.
We have a couple members who pull it off, at home, but for hikers planning on sleeping in one night after night, we consider them mostly one person rigs.
Up to 60" in width and 10' to 11' seem to be where most individuals, are finding their sweet spots. Its a little different for each person, but adjustable Ridge lines, and Whoopie sling adjustments, will allow most to find it, at those lengths and widths. I also see weight as being somewhat of a problem. Its not like it's massively overweight, at 17.6 oz, but that is where most of the cheaper imports weight in, and could through a flag up, to the well advised.
As for pricing, proper set up, and possibly, even business model, I would encourage you to take a look at someone like Butt in a Sling (BIAS) Hammocks. There are many others, but they have been the last group to hit this forum and really take it by storm. They did much the same as you have, Introducing themselves to this forum, and asking for input.
They gave us what we asked for, and then some, and are getting rewarded accordingly, with plenty of business.
Maybe I'm missing the point on the contest marketing. Sure if you own an Infinity, then you will HAVE a video and a review possible for extra entry points. However those people already have your product, and you should already have all the info necessary to properly market them. Even if you have a Facebook account, already marketed individuals have the best chance to win another unit.
How is this attractive to new customers? Why should anyone have to purchase something, for a better chance to obtain a free sample of the same?
I looked at your web site and was impressed. I then looked at the size of your hammocks and knew I wasn't interested.
I like long hammocks close to 11 ft. My Lite Owl is 58" wide and very comfortable, but it's also 11 ft. long. I don't sleep in my Black Bird much anymore because it is 65" wide X 10 ft. long and not as comfortable. I think the longer lengths is what works for me.
Hope this helps.
Keith
If you figure out how two people can sleep comfortably all night in a hammock, you'll have figured something out that nobody on this forum seems to have figured out. While there is a miniscule minority who try to make it work, the consensus would seem to be that it doesn't work.
The Clark Vertex is the closest thing I've seen to a two-person hammock that works, but it looks neither practical (requires three trees), nor intimate (storage area separates the sleepers). So Clark has figured out comfortable, but they're stumped on intimate and practical. This seems to be the nature of the quest for a two-person hammock.
The stretchiness of nylon straps will be a non-starter for most people - only the greenest noob would buy them. Also, you might consider lighter hammock suspension options like Amsteel whoopie slings, as most all hammock vendors who are popular on this forum do.
The hammocks that you offer are heavy, not particularly popular with the hikers (and especially ultralite hikers). You hammocks weigh in at near 18 oz., and for that weight I could get a Warbonnet Blackbird 1.1 single layer with integrated bugnet.
You hammocks are also pretty short at 9 ft., unlikely to be comfortable for anyone over 5'10" and I can't imagine how they would be comfortable for two people.
Another vendor, Anna's Hammocks, introduced themselves to the forums in the last year. Their products were obviously not made with the intention of gaining HF members as customers, and your products are similar in that respect.
Most of the focus of this forum appears to be on hiking and camping with hammocks. However, your products seem more focused on casual backyard hammockers. If that's the niche you want to focus on, that's fine.
Welcome to the forum and best of luck. You'll find a great resource here and lots of advice and information, but take it with a measuring stick based on your business goals and objectives. A lot, if not most of the members here LOVE their hammocks and use them beyond recreational lounging. Some even sleep full-time at home in hammocks, preferring them to traditional western mattresses. We toy and tinker to the point of ad nauseam.
Thanks to the tinkering, there has been a lot of innovation arise in regards to hammock camping (e.g., integrating bug netting, insulation, and weather protection). There also seems to be a trend with longer hammocks, as we have found a relationship between longer being more comfortable. That's not to say a smaller hammock can't be cozy, but all things being equal, a longer hammock will eliminate leg hyperextension more easily, provide a flatter diagonal lay, etc.
There are also a lot of vendors out there selling "parachute nylon" hammocks, so the market is getting thick. Oft times when we see these style of hammocks we are looking for something unique about them that will differentiate you from the competition.
For a good comparison chart, check out my parachute nylon hammock list. For a comprehensive list of hammock manufacturers, check out my blog.
Last two posts probably sum it up, as well as providing enough hard data to get a good grasp.
This community is one of the most laid back....and informed. Not to ring our bell, but......At HF you'll find the cutting edge, of Hammock use and camping to it's extreme, and someone is always threatening to crush the envelope, let alone push it, on almost a daily basis.
It's also pretty reserved.
As a new vendor entering the market, this is the place to go...Before you purchase that first shipping container of items, and are basically locked into the product you have.
If you come looking for info and advice on how to choose that product, for future successful sales, you may indeed do very well. Especially within this community itself. Many members own more than just a single hammock, from a single vendor. Several, many more than that!
However if you come in here with a set product similar to, or no better than, current mass produced offerings, it will be a roll of the dice.
Infinity is close, but right now, no closer than the same products, that drove most of our members, to the cottage vendors, that can and will produce what is needed for the best performance, durability, weight vs cost.
Suspensions, Dimensions, Weight, and Materials are where the problem exist currently, with these hammocks. FOR OUR APPLICATIONS. Doesn't mean there aren't a few other tweaks to be made, or that you can't sell the heck out of Infinity hammocks, as is.
We do look at it as pitching a product out to a good sized consumer pool, and hoping it floats, under the guise of asking us how to "improve" it, when sales are obviously the primary purpose.
When vendors come in here to find out what will sell, instead of just seeing if they have something that will sell. It usually works out wonderfully and profitably all around. We have a term for it. It's called being "Roched" :laugh:
Here's an impressive introduction of a product on our forum, soliciting input from HF members on design. I don't know if their product will be highly successful, but their approach certainly is:
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=56909
Many seasoned hammock campers started with the ENO brand which is very similar to your product. Although some still use them in the back country, many usually switch to the cottage vendors here because their products are better suited to their outdoor endeavours where materials and design really come into play. I think your product will sell to the backyard/lounging crowd if you can compete with the numerous other brands that sell similar hammocks. Good luck with your venture.
Two person hammocks could possibly lead to a new market: baby hammocks.
Thank you for the input everyone. Already I am learning alot.
Looks like we have some great items to look forward to improving or adding a pro series hammock for the HF crowd.
We will make changes as money allows. Infinity Outfitter started as a personal challenge of what kind of company could I build on only $100 investment of my own money. We do reinvest all the profits back into building inventory, products, and of course advertising. I really appreciate the input and the support.
+1 well saidQuote:
Originally Posted by Rolloff