Lawson Hammock Blue Ridge Camping Hammock and Tent,

I'm 47. 220lbs. This is my first hammock. Preparing for one week trip to Boundary Waters; I've slept in this hammock a few times overnight to work out any issues. 1. I really need those side tie-downs. The stability is awesome with those. And, you don't need all four. Just two works fine. I'm more than happy to deal with those with the incredible comfort this product supplies. I've slept on my back, side and belly with no issues at all. 2. The space is incredible! The little rings that hang down inside can be easily tied together with some cord for a long "ridge line" to secure things to. 3. I bought a 10X10 tarp because I like the open air. I am also worried about having to set up or tear down in the rain. I still bring the Lawson Tarp in case the wind is very very bad or the rain decides to come sideways. Love the Larson Tarp, I just don't want to be so bottled up. 4. This is my under quilt: OutdoorsmanLab Lightweight Camping Sleeping Bag. I used wife's sewing machine and stitched on some webbing and shock cord. A few clips. And there you go. Its a perfect summer under quilt. I don't need my ThermoRest now. 5. Had a simple issue upon purchase and the owner of Lawson fixed it immediately without any hesitation. GREAT CUSTOMER SVC! I LOVE THIS HAMMOCK. Pics are from my backyard. UPDATE: after my trip to the Boundary Waters I learned a lot. 1. IF you like a lay flat like me, I keep the hammock tightly pulled between the trees. Needs guy lines. 2. IF you like a more traditional curved lay. It is more stable and does not need guy lines. 3. This is not an ultra light set up. The weight really added up over the miles. OK for me, not for everybody.

I've camped on several continents with this tent. It most certainly isn't for everyone, as it requires a bit of finesse when sleeping in it. However, if you want to pull up and pitch a tent in 5 minutes (realistically), and break it down again in the same timeframe, I don't know of a faster tent to pitch. Carabiners are attached to both ends for quick attachment to tree savers, which are straps with loops that go around trees as slip knots. Pitching is as fast as: 1. Finding two trees roughly 15'-20' apart. 2. Throwing the straps around tree one and then tree two 3. Unrolling the tent and clipping it to tree one 4. Hold it off the ground (yes! no dirt!) and clip it to the strap on tree 2 5. Adjust (if necessary) to level it out and stretch it tighter (if you like it tight) 6. Push 2 4ft tent poles into place (takes less than a minute). Done. It reads about as long as it takes. The hardest part is breakdown, when you have to roll the tent back up. If the ground is wet, I do this while standing (granted, I'm a little taller than most, so it may not work for everyone) and straight back into the bag. Also, if you want, you don't have to put the poles in and can use it like an ordinary hammock. The trick to sleeping, is not to lie directly inline with the hammock but to turn diagonal, so that the ends twist. This makes it much flatter and more comfortable for sleeping. I get asked if it flips. The tighter you pull the tent, the more unstable it becomes. So it's a balancing act. Getting into/out of the tent is not for everyone either. This takes some balance. You lean far back onto the tent and then let your weight get carried. Then pivot and slip into the tent. To get out again, assume a similar position from inside the tent, then extend your feet out and rotate down onto them. I clip my shoes/boots to a carabiner on the loop right outside the tent door so that bugs and other stuff doesn't get into them, plus, they are easy to put on while still in the tent. I've slept on cliff faces, with amazing views in Europe, between palm trees directly on the beach, between mangroves over the water and right off the road in more places than I can count, as I could pull off and quickly pitch the tent. If there are no trees, the tent still works on the ground, without an issue. They say it is a 2-man tent, but I haven't tried that and am skeptical it would work... Finally, hammocks are cold at night which is great in hot environments, as it works like built-in air conditioning. The bottom of the tent is always cooled off by passing air. In colder weather, a sleeping pad and/or quilt is an absolute must. You'll get cold fast if you don't take a pad out with you. For me, it is the one-size-fits-all tent that I take everywhere. it isn't light, it isn't small, but it works nearly everywhere for one person.

**UPDATE** I have used it suspended now, as well as staked to the ground, and it worked well both ways. Attached an image. I took this backpacking and was satisfied with it. Plenty of room for me (5'10 169 lbs) plus all of my gear to be inside with me, but I would not recommend trying to cram another person in here unless you are both very thin side sleepers who plan to house gear outside the tent. I've only used it on the ground so far and have yet to suspend it between trees. If you plan to use this on a solid surface where you can't stake it in, then you will still need to bring tree straps to wrap around something at each end because the tent part won't stay up if you don't have tension. There is a thin cord where the spreader bars are located that you hook to the arch poles to keep the tent up, and obviously that won't work without the ends anchored down somehow. It's no 1.5 lb backpacking tent, but it's a hell of a lot cheaper, more versatile and still fit on my 55L pack fine with all other gear inside. I hiked 9 miles, some of it pretty damn rugged, just fine with this thing on my pack. I'm just an average 33 year old mom and not a super athlete, so I think this would work as a decent backpacking tent for most people if you don't want to part with another $200 to save a few pounds of weight. I laid mine on a stone pad under an open shelter and wrapped one strap around a stone pillar and the other around the bottom of a heavy bench made out of logs and it worked fine, but I feel those thin cords that hold the tent up need to be a bit more heavy duty. Set up was quick and easy. Just be sure to buy a couple good tent stakes and tree straps or you'll be screwed for the reason listed above. The spot that you wrap the tree straps or rope through did not have a metal ring as I was expecting (the item description never indicated that was the case; it was just my expectation). The cord leading from the spreader bars is looped and knotted where you attach and suspend it. I'm sure it's safe, but I couldn't fully trust it and wouldn't suspend this thing too high off the ground personally. I was overall happy with the hammock and like the versatility of it which allows me to camp on various terrain. I felt for the price, it would have been nice if it came with tent stakes, tree straps and carabiners, but I am still happy with the product as long as it holds up over time. I'll update the review if I encounter any issues during future trips.

This is a top of the line piece of outdoor equipment. Anyone claiming that it's "overpriced" has had zero experience with the cheap versions that abound on Amazon. You get what you pay for and this hammock is prime example of that. I'm not one for lengthy reviews but I will say this, just look at the images and make note of the design. Do you see how this hammock just isn't a nylon bag strung between two points, but has a bar-rope system on each end to maintain it's structure and shape? It's the difference between sleeping on a comfortable semi-flat, stable surface, as opposed to a sagging, swaying, u-shaped sleeve. In the poorly designed hammocks you can forget about rolling over or switching sides during the night as you are basically stuck in sack. This hammock is more like a bed that allows you to move and change position the way you normally would on your regular mattress. One more rad thing about this hammock is that it can be set up on the ground, in a tent like fashion, if there are no suitable hanging options available. Try doing that with one of the $30 dollar nylon bags :)

I make multiple week-long canoe camping trips and this is the tent that I use. I like the versatility of being able to use it as a ground tent if I need to. The Lawson was the most comfortable, after using it, I sold my expensive traditional style hammock tent. It does take a little practice, which I would recommend at home. Here are a few tips: Find 2 trees 12 to 15 feet apart. I use straps and carbiners to attach. 1. Don't hang it too high... you should be able to sit in the middle of it and have your feet flat on the ground. 2. Tie guy lines on 3 or 4 corners of the tent to stakes or something solid to keep the hammock from tipping in the night. 3. Lay in it a few times and adjust. 4. Use an insulated pad and spread your extra close under it in less than 60f. In less than 40f, use an underquilt. 5. Personally, I like using a 10x12 hex tarp rather than the rainfly that comes with it, like the pictures above. In 7 years, I have stayed dry and warm.

This hammock was returned due to seams not holding up along with the stabilizers. My friend got one that was half the price of this and with a higher weight capacity. I was 100lbs under the limit on this. Maybe I got a defective one. Who knows. But also. The opening to the hammock is very small. Making it difficult to get in and out of. Very disappointed. I’ll stick to my old school Hennessy Hammock!!

I like the Lawson as a hammock but NOT as a tent I like the way that it sets up and packs up. The overall weight is fine. I don’t see it as a backpacking solution although that’s mostly a personal bias. My interest is for motorcycle camping and for that it’s ideal. I like the roominess in comparison to my Hennessey Explorer Deluxe Asym. And I like that it’s a flatter lay than gathered-end hammocks. Some reviewers have complained of tippiness but I haven’t found that to be the case once inside. Ingress is a bit awkward, but I find once I get my butt in the center it’s all good from there. For those who still feel too precarious there are loops at each corner that can be guyed to pegs for rock-solid stability. I much prefer the soothing, baby-in-a-cradle swing as I drift off to sleep. In terms of sleep I tend to change positions a few times during the night, but I’m mostly a side sleeper. Even though I sleep great in my Hennessey, I find it easier to get comfy in the Lawson. The two pockets are handy but a couple more wouldn’t hurt - especially a bottle holder. The bug mesh is good quality as are all the materials and the zippers. The aluminum hoops at each end seem strong and are easy to install. The bungee at each end to pull the hoops apart are pretty wimpy, which becomes more of an issue in tent mode. Speaking of which, here is where it all goes pear-shaped from my perspective. First of all, full disclosure: I’m 6’2”, 230lbs. I used to be what people considered “athletic” although having just turned 70 that’s a bit of hyperbole these days. I love hammock camping because I no longer enjoy crawling around on the ground like a five year-old in a cardboard “fort”. I love being able to swing my legs around and drop right into my camp shoes when nature calls at 3am. I love waking up in the morning not having aches and pains from laying on rocks or sticks I missed in cleaning up the area before pitching my tent. In short, I love comfort, therefore I love hammocks. Having said that, hammocks have one inherent drawback - they require two shoulder-high anchor points from which to suspend. In many places this is not an option. So what to do then? Do I take a tent along just in case I’m forced to camp in an area devoid of anchor spots? Do I just use the tarp as the shelter and leave the hammock in its bag? Well the ideal solution is a shelter that is BOTH a hammock and a tent, which is what the Lawson purports to be. However, here are my issues with that claim. When set up on the ground, the door is so small and low that you, literally, must get on your belly to crawl into it. At my age, not a very elegant process and absolutely no fun. Once in, what was a spacious interior in hammock mode, has become very cramped and claustrophobic. That sag in the floor when hanging turns out to be critical to the perception of roominess. The wimpy bungees also contribute to the problem because they’re not strong enough to keep the bug screen from sagging down near your face. What was open, airy comfort has suddenly morphed into a straight-jacket nightmare even a contortionist would avoid. This could be remedied by making the bug screen much taller and the aluminum poles more A-shaped than half hoops. This might not look as pleasing to the eye as the Conestoga wagon shape, but give me function over form any day. Anyway, as the title says ‘Great hammock, crappy tent’.

It works fantastic, easy set up, completely surrounded by mosquito net, no bugs made it through. Rainfly fits well & gives full coverage. Comfortable through the night, & I slept very well. Would recommend. Great for kayak camping. Lightweight & durable.

L'amaca è comodissima e impermeabile al 100%. Ci ho dormito dentro quando fuori diluviava. Peccato solo che il telo impermeabile si sia strappato al secondo uso

Vraiment trés bon produit. Fait le bonheur des enfants. Solide et facile a utiliser. Très bonne qualité. Juste pensé a acheter des sangles.

Ok, der Preis mag erst mal abschrecken, aber das Produkt hält was es verspricht: kompaktes Packmaß, durchdacht (die Stangen sind z.B. in der Mitte teilbar, werden zusammengesteckt), sehr schnell zu montieren und die Qualität stimmt. Ich habe bei ca. 3 Grad eine Nacht in der Hängematte verbracht und eine weitere Nacht bei 0 Grad auf dem Boden als Biwak-Zelt. In beiden Fällen hatte ich eine leichte leichte Alu-Isomatte mit reingelegt. Weil man in der Hängematte natürlich doch ganz leicht durchhängt (aber wirklich nur leicht, nicht vergleichbar mit klassischen Hängematten), wirkte der Innenraum, insbesondere die Höhe, erstaunlich groß. Genügend Platz auch für längere oder breitere Menschen. Wem es zu sehr schaukelt, der kann mit Zusatzseilen (nicht enthalten) rechts und links für mehr Stablität sorgen, Ösen vorhanden. Die Durchlüftung war sehr gut, es gab kein Kondenswasser. Die Nacht auf dem Boden als Biwak war etwas weniger komfortabel. Weil man nicht durchhängt, wirkt der Innenraum deutlich niedriger, wird schlechter belüftet, Kondenswasser war so nicht zu vermeiden. Zur Not und bei wärmeren Temperaturen aber voll in Ordnung. Bitte beachten, dass die Seile zur Montage am Baum nicht enthalten sind, muss man extra kaufen. Davon abgesehen klare Kaufempfehlung.

I had a few practice sleeps in the garden first.... glad I did! A bridge hammock is very different than sleeping in a regular gathered end hammock. I fell out the first time! But.. you quickly get the hang of it (no pun intended!) The issue being the centre of gravity. Adding a guy line to the tabs provided really helped though. Last weekend I took it out to the jungle and we actually had a tropical thunderstorm break out on us just as we were setting up! I just about got the rain fly fitted in time and believe me - this hammock performed great! I was dry as a bone even though I'd fitted it rather hastily. A little spray came in with the wind for the first few minutes, due to my loose fitting, but after a quick adjustment I was sorted. I love how roomy the thing feels. Again, very different to my other other hammocks. Of course, you lie almost completely flat too which makes getting in the morning rather hard... cos it's so flipping comfy! For added comfort I strung up a tarp over the whole thing too and fitted a roomy gear sling underneath, which made for a great set-up in my opinion. I feel like this hammock is a great addition to my kit, especially the fact that if trees are in short supply this has to be the best hammock to set up on the ground. Very easy to do. Not quite as much room as when suspended, because the floor is much closer to the mosi net but still really good. Again, if you add a tarp, using your trekking poles you have a fantastic ground option.

Great Hammock. Excellent Customer service, prompt reply and very helpful. I would recommend this product over and over again. Get a good nights sleep while helping to preserve the earth. (don't forget your tree straps)