A hammock is a great item to take with you on your trip. All you really need to set it up is two trees or posts, a few hammock straps, and five minutes of elbow grease. The end result is a comfortable place to take a load off your feet and maybe read that book that you’ve been putting off for a while now.
If that sounds like something that interests you, then we might be able to help you pick out the best travel hammock for your needs.
The main differences between most types of hammocks are the size of the hammock itself and the material they’re made out of.
Hammocks are also divided into singles and doubles, which discern the number of people they’re meant for as well as their weight capacity. Keep in mind that the weight capacity is also dependent on the hammock straps and the carabiners, and while the hammock itself won’t rip, these items might give out and snap while you’re suspended in the air.
As for the materials, there are plenty of different materials that can be used when making a hammock, and Kammok Roo hammocks, in particular, are known for being made out of more comfortable materials as opposed to a lot of other hammocks.
However, since our article is about the best travel hammocks, all of the hammocks that we list will be made out of different types of nylon due to it being more water-resistant, durable, and easier to fold and transport.
Setting up a hammock takes less than five minutes, and it can easily be taken down in a fraction of that time. This means that you can simply pack it up and go back in the house or into your camping tents if it starts raining.
Alternatively, you could pick up a Rainfly rain tarp and simply lounge in any weather. As the name suggests, the rain tarp is set up just above the hammock by its very own suspension system made up of high-quality, durable guy lines.
The best camping hammocks even come with an all-in-one hammock tent, which just means that they’re equipped with both a rain tarp and a built-in mosquito net that zips up over the hammock. You’ll come across these heavy-duty camping hammocks when you get to our list, but it’s important to mention that they also have a few drawbacks as well.
While these can be considered the best travel hammocks due to their protection, all of this extra gear essentially doubles the weight of the hammock. Additionally, while it can be comfortable to hide from the elements in a giant cocoon, you’ll usually prefer to have the bug net unzipped and the tarp down so that you can move more freely.
The following items are what we consider to be five of the best travel hammocks that you can currently find on the market. They aren’t arranged in any particular order, and they all have their strengths and weaknesses. However, one of them stands out for being a great product at a great price, and we’ll make sure to point it out to you when you get to it.
The Eno Doublenest is pretty much your standard super lightweight hammock that’s a perfect inclusion for just about any camping trip. While it might seem small, it falls under the category of two-person hammocks, and it can comfortably support both you and a partner.
Similar to a lot of parachute hammocks, this item is made out of 70D High Tenacity Nylon Taffeta, which means that it has a weight capacity of up to 400 pounds, and it can easily be compacted into its tiny stuff sack and be placed with the rest of your camping gear.
The good news is that you can get this travel hammock for just under $70. The bad news is that both the Amazon version of the product, as well as the Rei shop version, don’t come with any hammock suspension straps. This might not seem like much, but these items will cost you an additional $20 to $40.
If you’re looking for a versatile single hammock that can be used either in your backyard or on backpacking trips, then the Leaf Lounger Hennesy Hammock is pretty much made for you.
This is one of the best ultralight hammocks that are currently on the market, largely thanks to the parachute nylon material that it’s made out of, which will comfortably hold up to 250 pounds of weight without ripping.
Since this is the lightest and most portable hammock on our list, there isn’t much extra space in the hammock itself, and it can only hold one person. However, this item has a very easy setup, it has an asymmetrical design that conforms to your anatomy, and it even comes with a little holding pocket for a book that’s suspended on a small rope over the hammock itself.
The Grand Trunk Skeeter Beeter XT Mosquito Hammock is one of the more heavy-duty camping hammocks that we mentioned near the beginning of our article. While it doesn't come equipped with a rain tarp, it does have a mosquito net with a double-sided zipper for easy exit and entry.
It also comes with two spreader bars so that the net can maintain its shape right above you rather than get stuck to your face, two nautical-grade carabiners, and triple lock stitching that can hold up to 400 pounds before it rips. It even has a little pocket at the side for your belongings.
The thing that separates this hammock from most other bug hammocks that come with bug nets is the simple option to flip it over and use it as a regular hammock. This way, you have both a standard lounge hammock for sunny days and a bug deterrent.
While the Kinfayv Camping Hammock comes fully equipped with a mosquito net and even Rain Fly water-resistant tarp, it’s actually very reasonably priced at around $90. Technically this still makes it the most expensive item on our list, but considering the amount of gear that you’re actually getting, we’d say that this is actually a bargain.
In addition to the standard items like the tree straps and the spacing rods, this product also comes with a few additional items like a survival bracelet, an inflatable travel pillow, a sleeping mask, and pretty much everything you need for a camping trip aside from a sleeping bag.
A lot of camping hammocks are a bit heavier to carry due to all of the extra items, but they’re very useful in the rainy season, and this item is no exception. As long as you have this hammock with you, you won’t have to switch to car camping if it starts to rain. All you’ll need to do is put on your tarp, maybe add an underquilt if it gets chilly, and enjoy yourself.
Wise Owl Outfitters are known to have top picks for both single and double camping hammocks. The single hammocks are usually 9 feet long by 4.5 feet wide, with a price of around $20, and the double hammocks are 10 feet long by 6.5 feet wide and cost a little more than $30.
These prices are frankly criminally low, especially when you consider that, unlike the Eno Doublenest, both the straps and the stuff bag are included in the initial cost, and the product even comes with a lifetime warranty.
As if that weren’t enough, the hammocks are also made out of ripstop nylon, come with durable carabiners and straps, and while the singles can support a weight of up to 400 pounds, the double hammocks can manage a staggering 500 pounds.
While these products might not be as famous as the Warbonnet Blackbird, or the Sea to Summit ultralight backpacking hammocks (which are honestly overpriced for what they are), they are our pick for the best travel hammocks due to their quality and price being top tier.
There are plenty of hammocks that you can find ideal for pretty much any outdoor activity and any weather conditions, but we think that we pinpointed the ones that are a step above the rest.
Moreover, all of the items on our list are pretty inexpensive, so if you wanted, you could probably get yourself two types of hammocks: a light one to carry for a bit of lounging in the sun and a heavy-duty camping hammock with the full equipment load. Why not have the best of both worlds?