[leadin]Here’s a hammock with ample room for one person to spread out, or it can hold the entire family — at least in weight![/leadin]
Obviously, that depends on the family. But with a capacity of 800 pounds, the awesomely-named Bear Taco hammock is one strong place to get your sway on.
It was designed in North Carolina and is manufactured in the USA of mostly domestically-sourced material.
Bear Taco Hammock
The 14.1-ounce Bear Taco hammock is made of diamond-weave ripstop nylon and purported to hold a whopping 800 pounds. That’s more than most competitors we know of, and probably overkill for the vast majority of people.
The brand claims it comfortably holds two people, but you can probably fit in the whole family if the kids are small.
How does it hold so much weight? One key is the Amsteel rope used in the ends to gather the hammock. The stuff is magical, holding a whopping 4,900 pounds at just 3/16″ diameter.
The hammock packs into a side pouch that doubles as a gear storage pocket. It has five gear loops to hang items using carabiners. It’s for sale at $150 on Kickstarter now.
Tree Straps
The tree strap is 1 inch wide to distribute weight on a tree’s bark without damage. Two sewn loops allow for quick and easy attachment with carabiners or knots.
Each set consists of a 6-foot and a 7-foot orange strap to give flexibility in the woods. They hold 700 pounds.
Whoopie Slings Set
This add-on includes two end whoopies and one ridgeline whoopie in orange. The whoopie is an adjustable rope that makes it easy to choose the height of your hammock. It has a fixed loop on one end and an adjustable loop on the other and made with synthetic rope the company claims is as “strong as a steel cable.”
The whoopies handle both short and long hangs from a minimum length of about 18 inches to about 70 inches. Once set, the suspension will hold strong with over 500 pounds of staying power each — the threaded rope will not slip until at least 500 pounds of weight is experienced.
Get a complete suspension system, including straps, whoopie slings, and ridgeline for $75 on Kickstarter.
Future Developments
If the brand’s fund-raiser is successful (they hope to raise $10,000), it will begin selling the hammocks on the retail market. The brand aims to finish beta testing on an underquilt, rain fly, overquilt, and bug net. Ultimately, it hopes to start selling hammocks and accessories direct to consumer online.
