Top 5 compared
The best hammocks
Somewhere to stretch out off the ground, for an afternoon nap at the cottage, a book in the yard or a night outdoors.
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The top 5 at a glance
A hammock is a length of fabric slung between two trees, two posts or a frame, and you lie in the dip it makes. Camping hammocks are made of thin nylon that’s light, dries quickly and folds into a small sack for a backpack. Cotton hammocks feel softer and suit the yard, and some come on their own steel stand for a deck or lawn with no trees.
Hang one in a curve rather than pulled tight: it’s more comfortable that way and puts less strain on the trees. Wide tree straps are kinder to bark than thin rope. For a night out, air moving underneath draws the warmth away quickly, so add a sleeping pad, or an underquilt that hangs beneath the hammock.
What matters
- A weight limit well above yours, with room to spare.
- Packed weight, if it’s going in a backpack rather than the car.
- A wide one, so you can lie flatter on the diagonal.
#1ENO TravelNest Hammock and Straps Combo
$75–$100
Hammock, tree straps and stainless-steel carabiners in one set, with ten adjustment points across the two straps and no knots to tie. Vivere’s stand hammock carries a higher score but needs its 2.8 m (110 in) steel frame, while this set packs down small and hangs from any two trees.
What owners say: Easy to hang, compact once packed and light enough to carry on a hike or a camping trip, owners say, and good value.
A closer look: Wrap each strap around a trunk at least 1.5 m (5 ft) up, feed the end through its own loop and clip the carabiner to the loop that angles the strap at about 30 degrees, as ENO suggests. The straps roll up into the attached stuff sack with the hammock, so the whole set travels as one bundle at the bottom of a pack.
- Strap loops set the height
- No knots to tie
- Stainless-steel carabiners
Best for: Solo hikers and campers
- Fabric
- Nylon
- Size
- 2.7 × 1.5 m (108 × 60 in)
- Max load
- 181 kg (400 lb)
- Weight
- 794 g (28 oz) with straps
- Hangs from
- Tree straps (included)
#2Vivere Double Cotton Hammock with Steel Stand
$150–$200
A cotton double hammock on a powder-coated steel stand that slides together without tools, so it can go on a deck, a patio or a lawn with no trees at all. Vivere began in a home office in Guelph, Ontario.
What owners say: Owners call it very sturdy and comfortable, straightforward to put together and a size they’re happy with. No complaint recurs.
A closer look: Leave a space about 2.8 by 1.2 m (110 by 47 in) for the stand. Cotton is slow to dry, so lift the hammock off its hooks and into the carry bag when rain is coming, while the powder-coated frame, its legs zinc-coated against rust, can stay out.
- Stand assembles without tools
- Carry bag included
- Rust-resistant zinc-coated legs
Best for: Decks and lawns without trees
- Fabric
- Cotton
- Size
- 2.2 × 1.6 m (87 × 63 in), hammock only
- Max load
- 204 kg (450 lb)
- Weight
- 12.5 kg (27.6 lb) with stand
- Hangs from
- Its own steel stand
#3ENO DoubleNest Hammock
$100–$150
Room for two, or for one to lie flat across it, in breathable nylon with triple-stitched seams that folds into its own attached sack, small enough for a daypack. The TravelNest above is the ENO set that comes with straps.
What owners say: People who own one praise the comfort, the sturdy build, the easy setup, the light fabric and the colour choices, though some find it pricey.
Heads up: Tree straps aren’t in the box, only the carabiners, so add a set of hammock straps (ENO sells its own Atlas straps) before the first hang.
A closer look: The stash pocket inside the attached sack holds a phone and keys while you lie in it, and the sack turns inside out to swallow the hammock again when you’re done. Straps are sold separately: it clips onto any of ENO’s own, or onto an ENO stand where there are no trees.
- Folds into its own sack
- Stash pocket for keys
- Triple-stitched seams
Best for: Camp naps, alone or in pairs
- Fabric
- Nylon
- Size
- 2.9 × 1.9 m (114 × 76 in)
- Max load
- 181 kg (400 lb)
- Weight
- 538 g (19 oz), hammock only
- Hangs from
- Carabiners only (straps sold separately)
#4PHYSEN Single Camping Hammock with Tree Straps
$20–$30
A single parachute-nylon hammock with tree straps and two D-shaped carabiners in the box, light enough to keep in a backpack or the car for whenever two good trees turn up. It folds into a sack sewn onto the hammock, so the bag can’t go missing.
What owners say: Owners describe it as solid and steady for something so light, simple to get hanging and fun to use on a camping trip.
A closer look: Each 3 m (9.8 ft) strap has five loops and an end loop, so the hammock can hang lower or higher without retying anything. Aim for the middle of the sag at about chair height, easy to sit into and climb out of. Made as a single, it’s comfortable for one adult and a squeeze for two.
- Sewn-on stuff sack
- Five loops on each strap
- Two D-shaped carabiners
Best for: Day hikes and road trips
- Fabric
- Nylon
- Size
- 2.7 × 1.4 m (106 × 55 in)
- Max load
- 200 kg (440 lb)
- Weight
- 610 g (21.5 oz)
- Hangs from
- Tree straps (included)
#5HGYI Camping Hammock with Mosquito Net
$30–$50
A fine-mesh mosquito net wraps the whole hammock, so mosquitoes and other biting bugs stay outside on a night in the bush or an evening at the cottage, and elastic cords hold the net up off your face.
What owners say: Owners sleep in it overnight, say the net keeps the bugs off and find it easy to set up and take down. The fabric’s thickness gets mixed reports.
A closer look: Push the two stakes in to pin the sides out on a breezy night. HGYI puts the net at about 380 holes per square inch, so air still moves through, and the straps, cords and stakes go back into its storage bag afterwards.
- Packs into one storage bag
- Elastic cords lift the net
- Two ground stakes included
Best for: Sleeping out without the bugs
- Fabric
- Nylon
- Size
- 2.9 × 1.4 m (114 × 55 in)
- Max load
- 272 kg (600 lb)
- Weight
- 998 g (35 oz) with net
- Hangs from
- Tree straps (included)
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1ENO TravelNest combo | #2Vivere double with stand | #3ENO DoubleNest | #4PHYSEN single | #5HGYI net hammock |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best with a stand | Widest | Best budget | Best with a bug net | |
| Picked Rating | 9.5 | 9.6 | 9.4 | 9.2 | 9.2 |
| Price | $75–$100 | $150–$200 | $100–$150 | $20–$30 | $30–$50 |
| Fabric | Nylon | Cotton | Nylon | Nylon | Nylon |
| Size | 2.7 × 1.5 m (108 × 60 in) | 2.2 × 1.6 m (87 × 63 in), hammock only | 2.9 × 1.9 m (114 × 76 in) | 2.7 × 1.4 m (106 × 55 in) | 2.9 × 1.4 m (114 × 55 in) |
| Max load | 181 kg (400 lb) | 204 kg (450 lb) | 181 kg (400 lb) | 200 kg (440 lb) | 272 kg (600 lb) |
| Weight | 794 g (28 oz) with straps | 12.5 kg (27.6 lb) with stand | 538 g (19 oz), hammock only | 610 g (21.5 oz) | 998 g (35 oz) with net |
| Hangs from | Tree straps (included) | Its own steel stand | Carabiners only (straps sold separately) | Tree straps (included) | Tree straps (included) |
| Best for | Solo hikers and campers | Decks and lawns without trees | Camp naps, alone or in pairs | Day hikes and road trips | Sleeping out without the bugs |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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