Mayan or Brazilian hammock

**Stovemandan** · 05-28-2011, 08:27

The bridge I have has a distinct "hard line" along both edges which is uncomfortable when I lay my leg over the side.

I'll google the tommy hamaca XX GRANDE and see what that one looks like. Thanks for your comment.

**johnlvs2run** · 05-28-2011, 11:29

Thank you very much for all the helpful replies. I read the comments for the Hammocks.com hammock, which were interesting. I like the two below the best and almost decided on the Brazilian last night, but am now tending back towards the Mayan, so am going to consider them a bit longer.

Originally Posted by johnlvs2run

Mayan Hammock: cotton with nylon strings, 5 feet wide, 6'7" long, 13.33' in length, holds 478 pounds. The hammock looks very flexible from the photos, and the weight of the hammock is 2.5 pounds. $45-55.

Pros:
nylon cords are more durable
flexible weave should be more comfortable
seller says diamond weave is tight and strong
much better price

Originally Posted by johnlvs2run

Brazilian Hammock: 100% cotton, 5.5 feet wide, 12 feet long, holds 240 lbs (update: seller says 400 pounds). The weight of the hammock is 3.75 pounds. The weave looks very tight, which I like, and it's very nice looking based on the photos. $100-117.

Pros:
50% more material
tighter weave

Considerations:
Which of these will be the most comfortable?
Will the Brazilian likely be much warmer in the winters, or almost the same?
What type of dyes are used, is there any odor from them, and should the hammock be washed before using?

**wisenber** · 05-28-2011, 12:23

Originally Posted by johnlvs2run

This is my first post, and I'm looking for suggestions on which Mayan or Brazilian hammock to get for sleeping indoors. I've been using Ozark Trails air beds for the last few years, and have never used a hammock but am ready to move up. The hammock is to be used for sleeping every night in my house. I've been measuring and envisioning having hammock hookups in every room, including the living and dining rooms, and outside.

I'm 5'9 and 145 lbs, and want to be able to sleep diagonally, on either side or my back. I usually move to different positions quite often through the night. I'd like a warmer hammock, so a tighter weave will probably be better for me. The lowest cost quality hammock that works for me would be good, preferably $40 or less, possibly up to $100 at the most. I'd like the most comfortable hammock for different sleeping positions, for the price, that will last a long time.

So far I have found a few Mayan hammocks on Ebay that look good. If it's okay to post a few links with comments, let me know and I will do that the next post, or will just post comments about them if that's better. I've been telling everyone I know and meet about hammocks this past week, and am very excited to get one and get it hooked up right away.

Ever considered just going with a basic hammock like this? It's pretty inexpensive, and easy to maintain. The nylon will dry a lot quicker than any cotton hammock as well. With your height and weight, one of these would work just as well for 20 bucks.
I sleep in nylon and poly hammocks of the gathered end variety about 300 nights a year. I have yet to wear one out.

If you are concerned about keeping warm indoors, just sleep on any blanket inside the hammock. That should keep you comfortable down to 60 F or so without anything more.

**wisenber** · 05-28-2011, 12:30

Originally Posted by johnlvs2run

Will the Brazilian likely be much warmer in the winters, or almost the same?

What sort of temperatures are we talking about here? Most hammocks will require some form of insulation below 65 F just due to convective heat loss. Much depends on whether there is a breeze or not as well. (The less air flow, the less convective heat loss.) Conversely, hammocks are great for sleeping in hot weather if there is any form of breeze to remove the heat from under you.

**johnlvs2run** · 05-28-2011, 12:40

Originally Posted by wisenber

If you are concerned about keeping warm indoors, just sleep on any blanket inside the hammock. That should keep you comfortable down to 60 F or so without anything more.

Thanks. I didn't know that was possible in a hammock without getting wrinkles below me.

Originally Posted by wisenber

What sort of temperatures are we talking about here? Most hammocks will require some form of insulation below 65 F just due to convective heat loss. Much depends on whether there is a breeze or not as well. (The less air flow, the less convective heat loss.) Conversely, hammocks are great for sleeping in hot weather if there is any form of breeze to remove the heat from under you.

The lowest it got in the house last winter was 53 degrees with the heat off.
Most of the year the temperature stays above 60 degrees at night.
Perhaps I could sleep in some thermal undies.

Won't the convective heat loss be much less on dry cotton then it would be on nylon?
The vinyl airbed most definitely gets cold at night, regardless how warm I am otherwise.

**wisenber** · 05-28-2011, 13:07

Originally Posted by johnlvs2run

Thanks. I didn't know that was possible in a hammock without getting wrinkles below me.

The lowest it got in the house last winter was 53 degrees with the heat off.
Most of the year the temperature stays above 60 degrees at night.
Perhaps I could sleep in some thermal undies.

Won't the convective heat loss be much less on dry cotton then it would be on nylon?
The vinyl airbed most definitely gets cold at night, regardless how warm I am otherwise.

The air-mattress was giving you convective AND conductive heat loss. It's pretty much a heat sink.

A thick cotton hammock could contribute about ten degrees of heat, but at 53 F, you'd still need a blanket. Nylon on the other hand can keep you cooler than cotton in the warmer months (and you'll still need a blanket under you when it's not hot). Nylon is much more rot and mildew resistant than cotton as well. The parachute nylon hammocks tend to be the most durable of the lot. Not to mention that if you want to take your hammock with you, the camping hammocks are much more versatile in terms of bulk and variety of methods to hang them.

The two I linked to tend to be cheaper and simpler If I had to use only one hammock, it would be nylon. There's nothing wrong with a cotton hammock per se, but they do tend to be less flexible in their application as compared to nylon.

**johnlvs2run** · 05-28-2011, 13:19

Originally Posted by wisenber

The air-mattress was giving you convective AND conductive heat loss. It's pretty much a heat sink.

A thick cotton hammock could contribute about ten degrees of heat, but at 53 F, you'd still need a blanket. Nylon on the other hand can keep you cooler than cotton in the warmer months (and you'll still need a blanket under you when it's not hot). Nylon is much more rot and mildew resistant than cotton as well.

Thank you very much for that information.
A cotton hammock should not rot or get mildew indoors though should it?
Or are you speaking of outdoor uses. This hammock will be used only indoors.

The parachute nylon hammocks tend to be the most durable of the lot. Not to mention that if you want to take your hammock with you, the camping hammocks are much more versatile in terms of bulk and variety of methods to hang them.

Yes, I agree with you 100%. I love nylon for it's flexibility and for outdoor uses.
I will probably get a nylon hammock after this one, for summers outside, and for camping and traveling.

The two I linked to tend to be cheaper and simpler If I had to use only one hammock, it would be nylon. There's nothing wrong with a cotton hammock per se, but they do tend to be less flexible in their application as compared to nylon.

Thanks. I will definitely keep these in mind for a hammock for outdoors.

**wisenber** · 05-28-2011, 14:50

Originally Posted by johnlvs2run

Thank you very much for that information.
A cotton hammock should not rot or get mildew indoors though should it?
Or are you speaking of outdoor uses. This hammock will be used only indoors.

Yes, I agree with you 100%. I love nylon for it's flexibility and for outdoor uses.
I will probably get a nylon hammock after this one, for summers outside, and for camping and traveling.

Thanks. I will definitely keep these in mind for a hammock for outdoors.

It all depends on whether you plan on laundering your hammock and how humid it is in your home.
Cotton takes longer to dry and is prone to shrinkage if placed in a dryer or stretching when loaded damp whereas nylon will dry in short order indoors or outdoors. The cords at the end of woven hammocks tends to be more prone to tangling and fraying whereas a gathered end hammock has none.

All sorts of fabrics will work for a hammock. I have hammocks made from clearance bin ripstop, parachute nylon, pu coated polyester, Pertex, Cordura, cotton, wool, netting and even habatoi silk. The wool, cotton and silk ones are more prone to stretching and not returning to the original dimensions with use. The nylon based ones will stretch when overloaded but tend to posses "memory" to return to the same shape before they were loaded, and the polyester based one tend to stretch the least. While the silk will stretch when overloaded, I'd have to say that it is the most comfortable fabric I've experienced for a hammock. The bottom line is that they all work, some just better than others.