Did you know there is a Happy Hammock Day?  Seriously?  The other week I was having fun posting videos on YouTube and I decided to make a video from my new hammock.  I titled the video "Happy Hammock Day" because of the ordeal I went through to get mine.  Once the video was uploaded and I went to preview it I saw several videos entitled "Happy Hammock Day" and one was an adorable little girl giving the history of the hammock, different styles, etc.  Well, she could be writing this review.

I grew up with hammocks.  It seemed all my friends had hammocks in their backyards.   My adult hammock adventure started three years ago at the beach.  I was on vacation and for several years I had been wanting a hammock but there was one small problem that stood in my way.  I live in the country, in the middle of a beautiful wooded area but I don't have any trees in my yard area. 

At my former home I had a tree crash on top of my house and put a hole in the roof over the master bathroom.  When I purchased my new home 9 years ago I deliberately positioned it away from the trees.  The property has some pecan and pear trees but they aren't in my "yard" area and they aren't close enough together to hang a hammock.   Then the forest area dense with trees is on the flipside of the fenceline, which was put up to keep the wildlife out of the main yard area.  So, I had a predicament.

Well, while at the beach we made a trip to Pawley's Island and I so desperately wanted a hammock.  One of my brothers told me that if I got a hammock he would come out and set it up.  We would either get a hammock stand or my thought was to drop large wooden posts into the ground to serve as "trees."

3 years came and went and every year we went to the beach I would remind my brother that he still hadn't set my hammock up.  So this year my best friend's husband welded me some nice steel posts, came out and dropped each post in 160 lbs of concrete and I was able to set my hammock up.  But I didn't like it because it didn't have the wooden spreader bars.  So, I donated it to some friends that like using that style on their boat and I went to Walmart's website and found the Stansport "Bahamas" --Single Cotton Hammock for about $23 and there is no shipping fee if you order Site-To-Store, which I always do.

Features of the hammock as described on the box:
Cool cotton
Bright Caribbean colors
Hardwood spreader bars
Size: 78"L x 37" W
Wt. Limit: 240 lbs.

The cotton is a thicker quality that gives the appeal of laying on a towel.  I wanted a fabric hammock because I was going to take a book, MP3 player, etc. out with me and I didn't want to try to keep up with everything if I wanted to sleep.  With a fabric hammock I could lay the items beside me when not using them.  Well, for the convenience of having a resting place for your things you have to sacrifice a little comfort.  Because the hammock is fabric there is no way for air to circulate beneath you like with the traditional rope hammock.  So, in the heat of the day with temperatures peaking at 98 it got just a little too warm to enjoy.  I am a very cold-natured person so the heat itself didn't bother me but I could feel the warmth beneath my back and that wasn't comfortable.   It was like laying on a heating pad.

Another minor flaw because it's a fabric not rope hammock is that it tends to want to envelope you like a blanket.  That could be a problem specific to smaller people because you don't take up much room on the hammock.

It appears to be constructed really well.  the ropes that go from the fabric to the spreader bars and then up to the hooks are woven really tight and appear to be of good cotton quality.  The website said the fabric could withstand the elements but there aren't stitched seams so if it gets wet too many times it will probably start to unravel and fall apart.  I have been bringing mine in each evening when I'm done for the day.

The Caribbean colors are rich and vibrant.  This specific model came in 3 color schemes and I really wanted the ocean blue scheme but it was sold out so my hyperimpulsive self settled on the Caribbean which is a blend of colors that sort of remind me of Jamaica.

I have been enjoying my hammock because it's nice to get outside and just swing in the breeze and if you want to kick back and take a nap then you can.  I think I will enjoy this more in the early fall and early spring when it's not that hot.  Next year I may have a Pawley's Island rope hammock because my big "sis" is wanting to replace hers and I asked if she would let me have the other one.  We'll see...

Recommended: Yes