Help me find a hammock
June 24, 2015 10:22 PM Subscribe
As Chicago gets warmer, it's getting noticeably harder to sleep without being extremely warm. I've considered buying a hammock to overcome this problem, partly because there's no mattress and partly because I think it'd be comfortable to lounge in. Questions below the fold.
Before I get one, I do want to make sure it's the right thing for me to get. Is it easy to sleep well in a hammock? Will it keep me from getting too warm at night?
If the answers to those are "yes" and "yes", any specific brand recommendations? I'd prefer something that comes with a mount or otherwise works in a bedroom setting; the easier the setup, the better!
Before I get one, I do want to make sure it's the right thing for me to get. Is it easy to sleep well in a hammock? Will it keep me from getting too warm at night?
If the answers to those are "yes" and "yes", any specific brand recommendations? I'd prefer something that comes with a mount or otherwise works in a bedroom setting; the easier the setup, the better!
I'm not sure what you mean by a mount. It's quite easy to put one up with a piece of rope through each end so you can adjust the height. A free-standing frame for a hammock takes up a lot of space. In the Amazon there are often hooks everywhere you look in a house so that you can string up a hammock wherever you want. If you don't own your place, it might be hard to put in these hooks. Bike hooks should do it. Hammocks are quite comfortable and cool, once you get the hang of lying diagonally. I would go for a cloth one over a net, even a sturdy cotton will be much cooler than a mattress.
posted by stinker at 11:55 PM on June 24, 2015
posted by stinker at 11:55 PM on June 24, 2015
Best answer: I favorited this comment by Scientist some time ago; you may find it helpful.
posted by spelunkingplato at 12:39 AM on June 25, 2015
posted by spelunkingplato at 12:39 AM on June 25, 2015
Scientist's linked comments above are excellent. Finding a way to mount a hammock securely is the biggest headache: in parts of the world where hammock use is common houses abound with conveniently spaced pillars, exposed joists, conveniently located trees and so on. Nevertheless here is a video showing you how to mount eye bolts for a hammock into a wall stud - I would class that kind of mounting as being less reliable than some of the others mentioned (remember that any outward pull the hammock puts on the mount is going to be more likely to make it come out than a downward pull - so it is better to put the mounts a little higher up and then have more rope making a U shape than it is to have them lower down with the ropes making a more tight --- shape).
Yes you can bypass all of that with a hammock stand - but they take up a lot of the space in my experience.
posted by rongorongo at 1:57 AM on June 25, 2015
Yes you can bypass all of that with a hammock stand - but they take up a lot of the space in my experience.
posted by rongorongo at 1:57 AM on June 25, 2015
What are the ambient conditions in your bedroom? Do you have air conditioning?
Chicago has been insanely humid this season with some very warm overnights. You might benefit from A/C, or at least a box fan moving air in and out of your bedroom. The fan would be cheaper than a hammock and probably more effective.
posted by JoeZydeco at 5:39 AM on June 25, 2015
Chicago has been insanely humid this season with some very warm overnights. You might benefit from A/C, or at least a box fan moving air in and out of your bedroom. The fan would be cheaper than a hammock and probably more effective.
posted by JoeZydeco at 5:39 AM on June 25, 2015
Best answer: I have a hammock in the living room and it's so easy to fall asleep in. I've never slept the whole night in it, but I have fallen asleep reading or watching TV and stayed there for the first couple hours of the night. It's like sleep just sneaks up on you. Maybe it's because swinging is like being craddled in your mothers arms.
Hammocks do keep you cooler because air is moving under you, whereas a mattress holds your heat against you.
To mount it I use a hitching ring. It squeaked a bit though but a little bit of waterproof bike grease solved that for good.
posted by beau jackson at 6:50 AM on June 25, 2015
Hammocks do keep you cooler because air is moving under you, whereas a mattress holds your heat against you.
To mount it I use a hitching ring. It squeaked a bit though but a little bit of waterproof bike grease solved that for good.
posted by beau jackson at 6:50 AM on June 25, 2015
Best answer: I bought my sister and brother-in-law a hammock with stand for Christmas. That thing is amazing!!!! Got it from Amazon with free shipping. I have tested it several times when I've been at their house, and it's so easy to fall asleep in. Doesn't make me a great guest, does it?
This is the link to Amazon
posted by fresh-rn at 9:37 AM on June 25, 2015
This is the link to Amazon
posted by fresh-rn at 9:37 AM on June 25, 2015
Hammocks are great in hot weather. Once you know you have to lie diagonally, the fabric sort of hugs you and rocks you to sleep. I was able to sleep soundly on the very first night. However, some people find they still need a small pillow (as little as a rolled-up towel) to avoid neck pain.
It's easy to improvise anchors if your walls are either masonry or drywall over studs. Some old Chicago apartments have plaster and lath walls, though, and I don't know about those.
When I hung a hammock in my bedroom, I used two 1/4"x2" hex head lag screws to fasten a light-duty tie-down anchor. I used an electronic stud finder to make sure I was going into wood, and I pre-drilled the holes with a 3/16" bit to avoid splitting the stud. I used the Ultimate Hang website to calculate the heights for my anchors.
posted by d. z. wang at 6:21 PM on June 25, 2015
It's easy to improvise anchors if your walls are either masonry or drywall over studs. Some old Chicago apartments have plaster and lath walls, though, and I don't know about those.
When I hung a hammock in my bedroom, I used two 1/4"x2" hex head lag screws to fasten a light-duty tie-down anchor. I used an electronic stud finder to make sure I was going into wood, and I pre-drilled the holes with a 3/16" bit to avoid splitting the stud. I used the Ultimate Hang website to calculate the heights for my anchors.
posted by d. z. wang at 6:21 PM on June 25, 2015
Have you considered an air mattress? I find them much cooler than a regular mattress, no mounting worries, and they're comfortable if you have an electric pump to get them good and firm.
posted by momus_window at 8:20 PM on June 25, 2015
posted by momus_window at 8:20 PM on June 25, 2015
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No suggestions on brand, sorry. Between netted hammock and fabric hammock I'd choose fabric as slightly more comfortable (netting tends to tangle and pull).
posted by anadem at 10:44 PM on June 24, 2015