Could I get your opinion on my hammock?

[Ursule]

Hey all,

For a while I thought I had a hammock of a certain brand but I now found my actual one online:

http://www.outdoorgb.com/p/amazonas_...eller_hammock/

Believe it or not, at the time I bought it I thought that was a pretty high price to pay for a hammock.

Anyhow, after all the reading and so on, I still haven't gotten used to all the materials used, what is hype and what not.

Could I ask you, to perhaps have a look at the characteristics of my hammock, and see what the general improvements I would get from a more expensive hammock?

I upgraded mine to have whoopies now, it's an entirely different animal. But Anyhow, I would truly appreciate your thoughts on this, it would help me decide which hammock I'll eventually upgrade to (this one is just fine for summer for the moment, I think I'll use it till it is broken).

[MikeN]

Hi Ursule - what things do you like and not like about the Byer?

That will drive the search for a new hammock more than anything else - and, if there's nothing wrong with the Byer, why upgrade?

[Ursule]

I'll only switch when it breaks, but I'm mostly trying to understand all the price differences and the cheerleading for certain hammocks and so on.

I like its size, how compact it is (it is simply always in my backpack because of this). I wouldn't mind a double bottom to be able to manage pads better, and a more roomy hammock if at all possible would be a great plus, if I could I' d like to live in a hammock :P When I was little I loved reading these comic books, I guess that's where it started:

[MikeN]

I'll only switch when it breaks, but I'm mostly trying to understand all the price differences and the cheerleading for certain hammocks and so on.

Good man - hang your own hammock (HYOH) - and why 'fix' something that's working, right?

I think the 'cheerleading' for certain hammocks is due to customer satisfaction and build quality. There's certain things that make the hammock more desirable for certain people. Double layer, or single? Bug net or not? Footbox? Shelf? Whoopie suspension? Strap suspension? Structural ridgeline or not? Catenary cut tarp, or straight cut? Hex? Diamond? Silnylon, Spinn or Cuben? Down quilt or synthetic?

We're lucky in that we have a lot to choose from, and our gear makers not only provide quality products but they stand behind them.

As for price? The hammock industry is not a large one - it is difficult to buy materials in sufficient quantities to get the best discounts. Profits are small, and every 'test piece' you make cuts into that, and your materials on-hand.

Companies like Byer, Hennessy and Grand Trunk have an advantage in that they have a 'corner' on the commercial market - you don't see Claytors or Warbonnets advertised on Amazon, for example. That said, "our guys" are putting out GREAT stuff, and word of mouth is SPREADING.

I like its size, how compact it is (it is simply always in my backpack because of this). I wouldn't mind a double bottom to be able to manage pads better, and a more roomy hammock if at all possible would be a great plus, if I could I' d like to live in a hammock :P

I'm hoping that my hammock (once I move into different quarters in a couple weeks and can actually HANG it) will help solve some back problems I've been having. As the quarters are pretty small, being able to sling it against a wall and clear some floor space is a plus, too.

[sandykayak]

I have two of the Byer's of Maine Moskito Traveller. Got them when C&C Outdoors had them for, hold your breath, $20!!! (I'm fairly sure I posted that deal on this forum a couple of years ago (or more) and someone else jumped to it. Shortly afterward, the price went to $40 on CampMor and most other places.

I like the fact that it's very small (weighs 16 oz with integrated bugnet and zipper along one side). The "problem" is that if you hang around here long enough, you can feel as if you're hanging in the hammock equivalent of a Yugo. On the down side, I think it has a lot of stretch/sag.

I eventually bought a "real" hammock, the Switchback (1.7 double) and it is HUGE inside...it's also a lot heavier and bulkier...but for kayak camping, it's OK. I really like the spreader bars that keep the net way up there and makes the hammock feel larger. I'd like to rig something similar for the Traveller.

I've been pondering whether a hammock with rope ends is lighter and less bulky and spreads out more/better than a gathered end hammock? Anyone have an opinion on this?

Ursule, go to the sub forums and you will see that Byer's has a sub-forum of its own. Someone recently sent me pix of his Traveller in the "go-to-ground" position. He rigged it quite nicely.

[AduroNox]

I have the parachute traveller, which is essentially an orange, netless version of the moskito (sold by Byer as well), and I am very pleased with it. I don't suggest making many irreversible changes to your hammock, mostly because such modifications tend to cause more problems than they solve. I personally like minimalism; no bug net, underquilt (I use a mildly ancient wool poncho as a pad/coat/rain protection), or tarp (unless it looks like rain) for me, so I'm partial to simpler hammocks over those such as the wb blackbird which are somewhat more complicated (requiring shock cord tie-outs and such)

-Aduro