What could be better than lying back in a hammock on a nice summer day with a cold drink in one hand and a good book in the other? Try and think of something – I’ll wait… With the cold weather that comes with the late winter months and the stresses of looming work and school project deadlines ever present, I’ve found myself daydreaming about warmer weather and relaxation. There’s nothing I’d rather do right now than shut off my computer, grab some reading material that isn’t a textbook, and kick back in my hammock.
While I was day dreaming the other day, I remembered how difficult it was to set up my hammock near my house last summer when I moved into my new neighborhood. There are lots of trees around my house, but they’re all spread out far enough that I can’t hook up my hammock between any two trees. Of course it would be ideal to go out into the mountains and set up my hammock in peaceful nature everyday rather than by my house, but in reality with a full time engineering job and limited day light at the end of a work day, it’s difficult to get out to other areas more conducive to hamming during the week. This project seems like the perfect opportunity to come up with a method to more easily set up my hammock at home.
Still in the early concept phase of this project, I’m considering a few different design options for a hammock stand. I could make a full “U”-shaped stand to attach either side of the hammock to, which would enable me to essentially set up my hammock anywhere the stand can fit. Doing an online search, there are a lot of different hammock stand designs, though a majority of them have the same standard shape with perturbing vertical poles on either side of a long horizontal bar that sits on the ground. Off of this horizontal bar, there are feet to keep the stand upright and stable.
Another more permanent option involves staking two poles in the ground at a set distance apart and attaching the hammock to either pole. This is a somewhat easier solution that can be made with less material, but it will prevent me from moving the hammock around as I please, and it will damage the landscaping where I set the poles into the earth, which will probably make my landlord mad.
With a desire to be able to easily move the stand around as desired, I want it to be light weight and easy to carry around. I also enjoy hanging out under a tree, so being able to hook my hammock up to a tree on one side and a portable stand on the other might provide the hamming experience that I desire. With the other two design options being bulkier and more permanently located, this third hybrid tree-portable stand option is likely the design route I’ll choose to go down.
Aesthetically, I do not want the hammock stand to distract too much from the natural surroundings; I want it to blend in to the environment if possible. I also want it to be clean and well-crafted so it can serve an aesthetic purpose in my backyard when not in use. Ideally the stand will serve an additional, decorative purpose while not being used for hammocking, but this will require further thought and planning. We’ll see if my daydreams become a reality.
Images:
U Stand: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/350154939779276657/
Poles Stand: https://h2obungalow.com/diy-hammock-stand/
Hammock Daydreaming: https://www.istockphoto.com/video/relaxing-and-daydreaming-in-a-hammock-in-springtime-gm697183978-131067111
Hammock Between Trees: https://www.trees.com/gardening-and-landscaping/best-backyard-hammocks
Hammock in Nature: https://www.countryliving.com/shopping/g30983323/best-hammocks/
Hammock Reading: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/296393219230384655/
4 Comments. Leave new
This sounds like a really cool idea to have a mobile hammock that doesn’t require trees. I often find myself struggling to find a suitable spot to set up my hammock. Out of all your design ideas, I like the single pole idea that utilizes a tree that already stands in the area the most. It would definitely be the most lightweight and therefore the most portable. It could be tricky to design something that would be sturdy enough to hold a hammock while also being light enough to carry around. Maybe you could use a large base with a spike on the bottom to make it as stable as possible. Overall this sounds really neat and I am excited to see what you do with it.
Thanks! My goal is to definitely make the stand lightweight while also being sturdy enough to support me while lying in the hammock. I haven’t started sketching out plans yet, but I’ve been envisioning something with stakes or other features that can dig into the ground a bit to prevent the 1/2 stand from moving or sliding during use. I’ll have to be very careful with my material choices to ensure the final stand meets my portability, strength, and aesthetic needs.
Hi Natalie,
as a response to your question, I think I would take a cold drink and a handheld fan on a hot Colorado summer day. Jokes aside, I am very excited to see where this project goes. I grew up in Venezuela and hammocks are as common as couches down there; we all have one and we all enjoy them. Personally, I set up a couple of screw eyes with chains into the trees in my backyard and adapted my Venezuelan woven hammock with some carabiners. I have a 2 hammock seat and 1 double hammock set-up in my backyard; my girlfriend says it looks like a gorilla’s playground. As a hammock aficionado, I really want to see what you come up with for stands. When I was in the market for one, I was mostly concerned about weight, how easy and compact it is to be stored, and the overall aesthetic appeal. Which one of these, or other characteristics are you MOST focused on? I will keep a close eye on your project, as I mentioned, I am eager to see where it goes. Best of luck!
-Gary
It’s great to get some advice from another big time hammocker! I want to find a good balance between portability, strength, and pleasant aesthetic in the final design. My main focus initially will be to create a structure that can successfully support me while lying in my hammock. Once the overall structure is set, my focus will transition towards making a really nice aesthetic piece that somewhat blends into nature during use, while also acting as a nice decorative piece in my patio when not in use. Thanks for your input!