Considering off brand hammock

[Knotty]

...The netting is fragile, and tears easily. its sewn together with single row stitching instead of the sturdier zig-zag. I'll have to get out the zinger sewing thingy and reinforce that. And add pockets to put a spreader bar in so it won't hang in my face. Or maybe not. Thats how the first one got ripped up-- the spreader bar tore the netting. Just slight modifications. Whadaya want for 25 clams? Decently made for the money is my verdict. Hard to believe they have any left with all these orders going out.

I got in mine the other day and like an idiot flipped the thing. There I was hanging in the netting on my left and the hammock like a wall on my right. The exit was so high up I couldn't get out. The netting and zipper had begun to tear when I first flipped, so I decided there was nothing to lose so I just went for it and did manage to escape. Over the weekend I used a seam ripper to remove the netting and zipper. Oh well, at least the hammock still works.

[Sweetpea]

So I bought one of these last month and I finally took it out for a test run in the GSMNP for a 2 day backpack trip. I switched out the suspension for my own, and I have to say, it was one of the best nights sleep I have had.

Now let me preface by saying that on Friday night I had to spend the night, in the hard floored, mouse infested, Mt. Collins shelter. Where I got MAYBE 2-3 hours of sleep.

We started our actual 18 mile section the next day. Now I don't know if it was the tiring 9 miles to camp or the horrible previous night's sleep, but Saturday night, I slept like a rock in the hammock.

I'm taking it out on another test run this weekend just to make sure. So far so good for a beginners hammock.