Chameleon Owners: What are your likes & dislikes?

[schillke]

Another thing is that the peak loft is great! and is helping ease my withdrawal from having a shelf...

If you are coming from a WBBB like me it is worth getting

[100 Ton]

Pros:
1) REALLY comfortable! I have the Hexon 1.6, and it is just an excellent feeling fabric, and makes for THE best sleep I've ever had in a hammock.
2) Straps/suspension. Love it! Really quick set up, easy adjustment (once you know how to work the Beetles), and long enough that you're not likely to have a problem with trees too far apart or too big around (at least compared to other hammock suspensions that are commonly included with a hammock). I like straps anyway since there is no extra step involved with "tree hugger" straps.
3) Peak shelf. Super convenient. I use mine to throw my top quilt in when getting out of the hammock, and store it there when I'm in camp, but not in the hammock. At night, I store my water bottle, hat, rain gear, sandals, etc. in there. The peak shelf can be crammed full of stuff and still be shoved up into the peak completely out of the way, but still in easy reach.
4) Quilt hooks and other rings. Really handy...especially the quilt hooks where you can snap your quilt suspension in.
5) Zippered bug net / top cover. Awesome. I really prefer an integrated bug net over an "add-on" net (fronkey style, or otherwise). It's just more convenient for me, and super easy in/out. Add-on nets like the fronkey are effective and a great way to add protection to hammocks without an integrated net, but more hassle to me, more set up time, more take down time. The zippered net is the way to go for me.

Room for improvement:
1) I would like to see the bug net just a little more robust. So far so good, but seems a bit fragile.
2) I also think the ridgeline and continuous loops could be just a bit heavier. In fact, I ordered a couple of spare continuous loops in 1/8" Amsteel (one grey, one red) "just in case". I'm sure they are fine, I just like a little extra insurance on stuff like that.
3) Would also like to see at least a ridgeline pocket included standard.

It is far and away my favorite hammock. Comfort, set up, weight, bug net / top cover, quilt hooks and attachment rings, suspension system...all fantastic. Even the the items I list as having room for improvement are good as-is, and some people would disagree with me because my suggestions would add weight where it is likely not needed. It is a really an outstanding hammock! I would buy it again in a heartbeat.

[heyduff]

Question to anyone--did you get the hammock standard width or wide? Plusses and minuses in your mind?


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[mychal]

Question to anyone--did you get the hammock standard width or wide? Plusses and minuses in your mind?


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I'm interested in this, too. I have a wide hammock (Envy-S) that I'm going to have to replace eventually. At some point, after I bought it, someone was thinking of buying the same hammock, also in a wide size, so they PM'd me to ask my thoughts. Until that point, I didn't realize it, but it made me think I would have liked a wider top cover... Later, David confirmed that he had used the same size covers that he used on his non-wide models, with the theory that if both the hammock and the TC are wide, your head will be more likely to make contact with the TC/bug net, because the father away from the ridgeline the TC and hammock meet, the narrower the space where they meet.

I would have liked a wider TC, but Dutch said his wide Chameleons were going to use the same TC's as the normal width Chameleons, and I'm thinking that's not for me... I'd love to hear some feedback about that.

On my Envy-S, I just don't feel like I can make full use of the width, because of the TC size.

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[drsolarmolar]

What I didn't like about the Chameleon I think had more to do with the general design of a gathered end hammock rather than the Chameleon itself. I didn't like the heel pressure. I felt like my head, shoulders, back, and butt were well supported, but not so much my legs until my heels which felt like they were carrying most all the weight down there. I woke up one morning with heel pain that lasted for two days! I know some people use padding under their knees to carry some of that weight and that might have helped. I have the same thing happen in the XLC.

The other thing that I didn't like, and again not really the Chameleon's fault, was feeling the underquilt suspension (HG 20* full-length Incubator) with my feet. I'm 6'2" so my feet were up against the side. Maybe just a personal thing, and maybe I have sensitive feet, but I didn't like feeling the shockcord. It hit my toes weird. (And I tried using and not using the pac hooks to hold the suspension, etc.) I tried both full-length (Incubator) and 3/4 (Phoenix) underquilts (and a pad with the Phoenix), but couldn't find a happy foot place.

Ended up selling the Chameleon, the Incubator, and Phoenix. (Was going to use the proceeds by buy a Lynx but somehow detoured into a Spindrift and UGQ Winter Dream because of some good Spring/Memorial Day sales.) Still think the Chameleon is totally awesome, just not my cup of tea.

[Shug]

I dislike getting out of mine.
I like getting into mine.
The Beetle Buckles are nice but I went to whoopie slings on mine.
Shug

[ufdigga]

I was getting frustrated with the beetle buckles, but it turned out to be operator error. I re-watched Dutch's video, got the grip right (think 2-seam fastball grip), and now my one complaint has been solved.

[catastrophedude]

I took my wide chameleon out to the park today and as someone who is also 6'2 I'm really glad I went with the wide option. I love the peak shelf as it will make storing my jacket/hats/fleece etc really easy and keep them in easy reach if I need them in the night while keeping them out of my way. Excellent craftsman ship and I love the feel of the 1.6 fabric. It has an excellent hand and just feels great against the skin. Plus it's got just a tiny bit of stretch which makes the hammock conform to you, but gives a ton of support. I thought I might miss having the knotty mod, but honestly I haven't missed it at all. I had no problems getting a flat lay without a bunch of extra floppy fabric.

My only issue so far has been with the zippers. When you're not in the hammock and you're trying to zip them back up again they can bind since there's not enough tension on the zipper to hold it straight. This would be like if you were zipping it back up after leaving the hammock. The only other suggestion I would have for Dutch is to make one of the continuous loops red. This way I would know what end my peak shelf is at every time as I like having it at the foot end of my hammock. This is a minor thing and one I'll fix as soon as I whip up another continuous loop.

[Hangandy]

Seriously can't find and dislikes. Likes for me are;

1. Versatility (can use the same hammock for summer or winter without carrying unneeded weight.
2. Peak shelf
3. Perfect size
4. Clips for my quilt
5. Double sided zipper (exit any side)
6. Comfortable fabric
7. Dutch quality (stitching is perfect)
8. Awesome color selection
9. Delicious maple syrup and chocolate flavors

[jms53]

I really like:
- how small it packs down
- the double ended stuff sack
- comfort (2.4 hexon)

I wish it:
- came with whoopies instead of CLs for the suspension
- came with color coded stuff sack (2 colors of cord)
- had a larger window on the top cover.



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