Help me pick a hammock

[andrewphil]

Hello! I’m new here and trying to pick a hammock. Gathered‑end seems family‑friendly, ultralight is good for hiking, and bridge adds comfort. Which do you prefer?

 

[Hammock k1ng]

my family loves the ENO DoubleNest. it's really good for backyard or casual use, easy setup, even my teen brother can set it up.

 

[SaturdayNight87]

Bridge hammocks shine for side‑sleepers because they keep things flatter, while a gathered‑end gives you that cozy diagonal lay with less hardware to fuss with. If you’re hiking in warmer weather, an ultralight setup also dumps heat better since there’s less fabric around you.
Do you tend to sleep on your back or on your side, since that usually makes the choice a whole lot easier.

 

[cougarmeat]

Although the question of sleeping on one's back or side may indicate a choice direction, gathered-end or bridge, note that usually the way someone sleeps on a bed does not always (or maybe not often), translate to how they will sleep in a hammock. In a bed, pressure points are built up around the hips and shoulders. It is a different environment from the support given when in a hammock.

I assume that side sleepers gravitate to a bridge hammock because it is more familiar, more bed-like. It's too bad there aren't more opportunities for someone to try both, or try hammocks that are in their preferred size range.

One occurring issue with a hammock, GE, or Bridge is called shoulder squeeze. If a person has wide-ish shoulders, and the GE or Bridge isn't wide enough, this squeeze might be felt. If I were a big fella or gal, I'd pay attention to the width of a GE or the width at the head end of a bridge hammock. One vendor who has a unique design - the spreader bars aren't at the very ends of his bridge hammocks, is Bill Townsand - see https://thisgearsforyou.com

His design requires a bit more setup time for the first few times. However, after gaining some experience, an easy routine is established.

 

[Hammock k1ng]

Hello! I’m new here and trying to pick a hammock. Gathered‑end seems family‑friendly, ultralight is good for hiking, and bridge adds comfort. Which do you prefer?

a gathered-end is great for a first hammock. they’re basically indestructible, easy to set up, and perfect for lounging with the kids
if you’re worried about comfort, just look into a double or an 11ft version