The 10 Best Portable Hammocks
Special Honors
Wind Pouch Inflatable hammocks, like the ones offered by Wind Pouch and imitators, can present a comfortable alternative to traditional portable options, and you don't need to be next to two poles or trees to hang them up. You can even use them as a dry bag when you're not sitting on them. windpouch.com
Editor's Notes
April 14, 2020:
During this round of updates, while the Kamp Rite Kwik and Eagles Nest DoubleNest were removed due to availability issues, we also decided to eliminate the Best Choice Steel, noting that it fell a bit short of prerequisites for the category, in terms of being a reasonably portable model. Some of our new additions this time around are the Grand Trunk Ultralight Starter – a triple-stitched model that’s backed by a lifetime warranty, the Sea to Summit Ultralight – an ultralight offering that can support 300 pounds in spite of weighing less than six ounces, and the Eno SingleNest – which comes from a company that plants two trees for every hammock they sell.
A few factors to consider for this category:
Capacity: Even before you decide whether or not the color suits you, check out each hammock’s weight capacity, and be sure that it’s suitable for your needs. While large two-person models like the Live Infinitely Set and Winner Outfitters Best are often rated to support 500 pounds, some models can hold more – like the EZFull Double, which can support 660 pounds. Single-person models like the Sea to Summit Ultralight and Grand Trunk Ultralight Starter don’t need to be as strong, and are often rated to support around 300 pounds.
Canopy: If swinging in the sun isn’t your thing, and the trees your hanging from aren’t offering you much cover, perhaps you’d like to consider a deluxe option like the Mac Sports Fold Up, which has an integrated canopy that’ll always keep you in shade. Other models like the IsYoung Tree Tent and EZFull Double feature built-in mosquito netting, which provides you with shade and a nice reprieve from the winged blood suckers.
Transportation: Selections like the Grand Trunk Ultralight Starter, IsYoung Tree Tent and Mac Sports Fold Up come with transportation bags that are relatively convenient, but a superior option worth looking for is a built-in bag, like the one attached to the Eno SingleNest, Sea to Summit Ultralight and EZFull Double. These integrate bags leave you with one less thing to worry about losing, and in many cases give you a convenient place to tuck some personal items while you’re lounging.