Kammok - Where is the love?

[sargevining]

I bought a pair of the dyneema racer slings to use on my DIY hammock b/c I suck at splicing. I larksheaded a cinch buckle on each one then ran it through the end channel and ran the buckle through the loop. I imagine that's the way they do it. Does the same thing as an Amsteel continuous loop. Works like a charm.

But that's kinda the problem. The slings are hyped on the website as something akin to a Wonder of Science, but all it is is doing something exactly the same thing as most other hammocks but with a similar material.

The thing of it is, hammocks don't require a degree in rocket surgery to figure out. Most of the hard work has been done a long time ago: ridgeline 83% of length, 30* hangle, yadda yadda. The number crunchers have crunched and all we need to do is look it up.

Its a parachute cloth hammock with a top notch marketing department behind it, but they're really not marketing to HF members, they're marketing to first time hangers who are eventually going to find out that you can get the same hammock from ENO for half the price, or a better one from Hennessey for a few dollars more, and that Warbonnet makes some really cool stuf that makes Kammock, Byers, TTTM, and ENO look to you the same way your bicycle did the day after you got your driver's license. Either that or they are buying a hammock for completley different uses than what we here use them for, like hanging on the patio, at the beach, or in the back yard.

True innovation is what Dutch has done with teeny tiny widgets and do-dads that do amazing things, show that a lot of thought went into developing them, and that they were developed from personal experience.

[AC8MJ]

The whole setup sounds like a car-camping setup to me - which is fine if that's what you want. They just don't seem to be marketing or designing their products to appeal to HF members - they're trying to go for the ENO crowd. It's a noob setup, basically.

OOPS....My Blackbird and Superfly are my noob setup. What do I do next??? Oh yeah, kick back and relax! Rookie hanging done right the first time.

[Rolloff]

OOPS....My Blackbird and Superfly are my noob setup. What do I do next??? Oh yeah, kick back and relax! Rookie hanging done right the first time.

Well done young Padewan

[HappyHiker]

So what's the deal? What has kept any of you away from the line? Brand loyalty? Stuck in a rut? DIY only?

None of the above. I have tried several different "brands" of hammocks including DIY and have found what works for me. I'm content with my current system(s)

As has been pointed out, it's not rocket science or brain surgery. IMO a lot of the innovations are solutions for problems I don't have. But companies will always tout their wares as the newest and best in the attempt to get your purchasing dollar. And in that vein, you can't purchase expertise either - it only comes through experience. BUT there are a ton of helpful individuals here on the forums that are willing to lend expertise for free!

In the end if what you have works for you, use it and enjoy it. HYOH!

[FLRider]

For me, it was cost/perceived value and weight.

I've gone over to DIY to get the most bang for my buck (also to test ideas on how to, possibly, do this thing better for my style of hiking and camping) and to lighten my load.

Sure, I could buy one of their hammocks at 24 oz. and $99.00. Or, I could spend ~$50.00 and make one that weighs 12 oz with suspension. Plus, mine comes with a bug net (pushing the weight up, but so would one on theirs)--which is not optional ~10 months out of the year here.

It's a matter of my priorities: less money spent on gear means more spare cash to cover gas to go to the trail head. Less weight on my back means being able to see more trail in the time I have before I have to head back to work on Tuesday. That's all.

I think it's great that they're doing the whole social responsibility thing and donating to various non-profits that (theoretically, at least; I've not done any research on 'em) are helping to eliminate various social ills (literally an illness in the case of the malaria charity). But, that's not going to be my primary metric in spending money on gear; my primary metric is going to be its usefulness versus its cost.

YMMV, though.

[WillieCash]

Ouch. Well I got beat up pretty good.

Thanks for the advice, I will further research.

[Cannibal]

Not beat-up; maybe just a little harsh informing.
You stepped out on a limb and got pushed off. Now you are looking for another tree to climb. That makes you OK in my book.

Nothing at all wrong with having a favorite brand, even if others trash it. Stick with what works for you since you are the one using it. Yours is the only opinion that matters concerning your favorite hammock. I think you got a little dusted here only because you started bringing other vendors into the discussion, which means you're going to hit a nerve. Nerves are fine to hit (sometimes fun), just make sure you've got your facts straight before picking the next fight.

[outdooraddict]

OOPS....My Blackbird and Superfly are my noob setup. What do I do next??? Oh yeah, kick back and relax! Rookie hanging done right the first time.

hey, I've got the same noob setup

[Bubba]

Ouch. Well I got beat up pretty good.

Thanks for the advice, I will further research.

Don't sweat it. I think some people's negative opinions on the product in question carried over into their posts. Nothing personal on you although it's hard not to take things personally if people are saying something negative about something you like. Feel free to like and use what you want IMO. HYOH (Hang your own hang) is a strong feeling around here that sometimes conflicts with the desire to pass along good information on potentially better or cost saving options.

[rustyshack11]

Bunch of hippies that seem to be more focused on "carbon credits" and such rather than the products they sell.