Review: Grand Trunk Double Hammock
Have you tried camping in a hammock? Neither had I, so I was happy to give it a try. In conjunction with National Hammock Day (pretty sure I didn’t get the day off), Grand Trunk offered to let me take their Double Hammock for a test ride. We took it with us on our recent trek to the Aspen Grove in the San Gorgonio Wilderness — an idyllic spot for laying back and gazing at the Universe.
The hammock comes in its own stuff sack that compresses the entire package down to about 9″ high by 5″ in diameter.
I loved that the stuff sack was sewn-into the hammock, becoming a handy side pocket when the hammock was hung. And you’ll never lose it.
Hanging the hammock was easy. I had to identify two load-worthy trees spaced far enough apart to allow the hammock to span between them. Proper hammock technique suggest that you should not hang a hammock over pointy rocks, branches or other objects that may cause injury if you were to somehow roll out (virtually impossible when you’re laying in the hammock, but potentially possible when getting in or out).
The nylon cord wrapped around the tree trunks, attaching to the hammock with a carabiner. It was my first time ever hanging a hammock, and it went up with no problems at all.
Once you’ve hung the hammock and tested the support, it’s time to climb in. Basically you back butt-first into a sitting position, then swing your legs up into the hammock. Piece of cake… for one person. Trickier for two adults (or maybe it was just these two).
Once you’re in, it’s like your own little cocoon. We really enjoyed looking up through the aspen trees at the sky. I’m looking forward to using this for a well-earned post-hike nap with a view.
The Pros
- Super construction. It’s made of parachute nylon and nautical-grade carabiners
- Great design, including a sewn-in stuff sack (so you’ll never lose it)
- Good for the environment. Unlike a tent, you really do “leave only footprints.”
- Small and portable. When stuffed, the hammock compressed to about 9″ x 5″ in the sack and fit easily in my daypack.
The Cons
- Insulation could be an issue on cold nights. On the ground, a sleeping pad helps keep a warm barrier between you and the cold ground. You don’t need a sleeping pad in the hammock, but as your bag compresses with your body weight, you will notice the cold more readily.
- Not suitable in areas without trees. In some desert areas or above the tree-line, this is not a practical option. If you can’t count on using it in lieu of a tent, it defeats the purpose.
- Doesn’t sleep two. Although the Grand Trunk Double Hammock can hold up to 400 lbs, when both Joan and I lay down in it, we were pretty uncomfortable. The nature of the hammock is that we were drawn the center. Not at all bad for a short spell of snuggling, but I wouldn’t be able to sleep the night that way. It worked well when we sat side-by-side in the hammock (feet perpendicular to the direction the hammock hangs).
Note that depending on the weather, you may still want a tarp for rain protection or a bug net. Both are also available as accessories from Grand Trunk.
The Bottom Line?
The Grand Trunk Double Hammock retails for about $65. It weights about 20 oz, it’s portable and very well built. Will I ditch my tent and become a hammock convert? Not quite yet. But we had a blast in it, and we will definitely bring it along for picnics, day hikes and car camping.
Thanks to Grand Trunk for providing the hammock for this review. I hadn’t heard of the company before, but now they are definitely on my radar, and hopefully yours, too.
Jeff,
Great article!
I am getting into hammock camping myself and there are some great resources out there, but I have comments on 2 of your cons.
Need 2 trees
First of all, if you are car camping, you can hang without 2 trees. Last time I went beach camping, I tied one side to a safe place on my family van to hold my weight and another on a tree. There is also a link that I can share if you are interested where he shows how to use a metal fence post, and anchor, and a small chain to secure to the ground without a tree.
Insulation
You can buy underquilts, which pull under the hammock and add a down comforter on the top. There are some great DIY videos for down or insulation to sew below where you sleep. I can share them as well. Some people have claimed to use thermal sleeping pads, though I didn’t like them. I slept in my winter sleeping bag before and it was ok, though an underquilt will allow you to stretch out more. I also secure a tarp above mine. I got caught in the rain before and the tarp allowed me to listen to the rain all around me (once it woke me up) without getting wet.
Keep up the good work!
Brian,
Good point about the trees thing, although I still content that it’s an issue you have to think about. I would be interested in the link to the metal fence post option.
I didn’t know about “underquilts.” Seems like there’s a whole world of gear that goes along with hammocks! The tarp however, seems like a must.
Thanks for the reply and the good intel.
Hey Jeff,
I’ve also been looking into hammocking recently. I read that the ropes grand trunk gives you are actually not a good practice. The ropes harm the trees and you should be using something like webbing to spread the weight.
I was shopping around for hammocks and webbing and came across the serac brand hammock. I was wondering if you’ve tried this before and how you felt about it? It seems solid and at around $40 for the whole package.