On an adventure to Mexico about a year ago, I stopped in the city of Merida. The city is often proclaimed as “the hammock city” by various hammock vendors. You see, hammocks are the way to sleep when you’re trekking across the Mayan routes.
Thus, I bought my first hammock in Merida. Since then, I’ve packed it on a few trips. Unfortunately, this amazing, hand-woven, hanging bed of happy consumes a ton of space in my pack. I’ve since stopped carrying it with me only because of weight and space.
Recently, I ran across a company called Trek Light and one of their key products: extremely lightweight hammocks. These hammocks are made from parachute nylon. The “single” measure 5′ by 10′, holds 400lbs, and adds a single pound in your pack. If you want a snuggle buddy, the “double” stretches 6.5′ wide. An additional aspect of this very smart design - the “bag” for the hammock is part of the hammock itself.
The products aren’t cheap. The single comes in at $54.95 and the double at $64.95. However, this seems to be the kind of backpacking item you only purchase once. After just a couple of trips with my traditional hammock, I would gladly put a few more bills on the table to gain back all that space in my pack, not to mention the weight.
Find out more (or order) from Trek Light’s website.