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We’re a traveling and road tripping family. And when we go on vacation, we don’t mess around. For example? This summer, we made our way up through Maine and Acadia National Park and then on through Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. And even though our days are typically filled with hiking, kayaking, hiking, and exploring, we do sometimes find time to just take it easy and relax. Usually around a campfire or cabin. We’re not big on lying on a beach all day, but hanging from a tree in the woods? Yeah, that’s doable. Do any research online about hammocks, and ENO (Eagles Nest Outfitters) will invariably pop up and rise to the top. There’s no shortage of hammock manufacturers out there, but ENO seems to have set the bar everyone else is trying to reach. The DoubleNest hammock is their standard design – ENO’s “bread and butter,” as it were – and it’s the DoubleNest that went with us to Acadia and Atlantic Canada. How durable is it? This is a “parachute-style” hammock, so the material is ultrathin and lightweight. According to ENO, it’s made with 70-denier high-tenacity nylon taffeta and has triple-stitched seams. I found the hammock to be extremely durable, but if you forget about a sharp tool in your back pocket when you get in, I can’t guarantee it won’t rip. The hammock is rated to hold 400 lbs (181 kg), but that also certainly depends on the trees your hanging it from. Make sure the trees can also sustain 400 pounds if you’re going to test that limit. Still, it’s important to have a high weight limit if you’re going to market this as a “double-capacity” hammock able to support two adults. Will it really hold two people? Theoretically, sure. Will it be comfortable? Meh. The dimensions are a bit more than 9′ x 6′, so it’s definitely spacious enough to accommodate two people on paper. But once your weight is inside the hammock, that 54 square feet doesn’t seem like a whole heck of a lot. Plus, gravity will pull you down and together, so I hope you’re on VERY friendly terms with your hammock-mate. You’ll literally be on top of each other. We found the DoubleNest to be great for a single adult. It’s more fabric than one person might necessarily need, but it allows you to wrap yourself up like a mummy – which can be convenient if you’re trying to stay warm or escape mosquitoes. For shorter or smaller people (e.g., kids), then yeah, two people can absolutely fit without a problem. How hard is it to hang? It couldn’t be easier. Use one of ENO’s suspension systems (we used the Atlas suspension system), and you can be inside the hammock in seconds. No lie. There are no knots or specialized knowledge required at all. Basically, you just throw the rope around the tree, pass one end through a loop on the other end, connect the hammock, and you’re ready to relax! It couldn’t be easier. I’m not gonna lie – that it has such a minimal impact on the trees is a huge draw. And the fact that it’s so easy and quick to hang means you’re more likely to use it. You might not want to spend a lot of time assembling a tent or other temporary shelter if you’re just stopping mid-hike for lunch or a quick breather, but you can be hanging from the trees in about 30 seconds with the DoubleNest hammock, so it’s perfect for both quick stops and overnights. How comfortable is it? Very. We stayed in an incredibly simple, basic cabin at the extreme northern tip of Nova Scotia (Meat Cove), and I opted to spend the night outside in the hammock rather pass an uncomfortable night sharing a lumpy twin bed. I hung the hammock from support beams on the porch and climbed inside. It held me, my sleeping bag, and a pillow with room to spare, and it was one of the best nights of sleep I had the entire trip. I awoke in the morning, completely rested without any aches or pains. Highly recommended experience! What about the weight? The hammock is a surprisingly feathery 19 ounces. It completely packs into an attached stuff sack that’s integrated into the design of the hammock. (In other words, you can’t lose the stuff sack.) The suspension system will add a bit more weight (11 oz), but that’s not much – especially since it’s so easy to use and you don’t have to carry around bulky carabiners or anything else. All told, you won’t even notice this weight in your pack, but you’ll be incredibly glad you have it once you reach your campsite or resting spot. And if you’re road tripping or driving to a picnic? No brainer. Throw it in the car and be the envy of everyone else. Anything else? ENO has partnered with the nonprofit organization Trees for the Future to help transform degraded farmlands into thriving forest gardens by planting two trees for every hammock sold. They’ve also committed to giving 1% of their annual sales to support nonprofit organizations focused on the environment. Corporate responsibility and respect for the environment should be applauded at every level, so it’s nice to see an outdoor company living up to the ideals so many of its customers hold. (Disclosure: ENO provided me with a review sample of the DoubleNest hammock. All opinions remain my own.) You Might Also Like...
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