Jeff Pfeffer for NYT WirecutterTop pickThis 11-foot hammock is the lightest and longest we tested, and it supports the most weight. The nylon fabric is durable and water-repellent, but some testers thought it felt overly synthetic.For a lightweight, roomy hammock that you can lounge or nap in anywhere, we recommend the Grand Trunk Trunktech Hammock (single).It’s comfortable for a wide range of bodies. Of all the hammocks we tested, the Trunktech was the most comfortable for the most people in our testing cohort. This boils down to its dimensions: At 11 feet, it’s the longest single hammock we tested, but it was also one of the narrowest (4 feet 10 inches). The length made it easy for all of our testers to find a sweet spot in the hammock; even our 6-foot-plus testers could lie flat without feeling cramped. Its relatively narrow width, meanwhile, allowed our testers to feel cradled, but without the nuisance of extra fabric or overly high walls.Hammocks with a similar width but shorter length, like the ENO SingleNest, were more bowl-shaped, and they left our taller testers feeling constrained. The double version of this hammock (which has the same length but measures 6 feet 6 inches wide) was fairly comfortable for two people, but felt too wide when I lounged in it alone. Grand Trunk’s 11-foot Trunktech hammock is a comfortable all-around lounger. Jeff Pfeffer for NYT WirecutterIt weighs just under 12 ounces. The Trunktech was the lightest hammock we tested, which is impressive considering it’s also the longest. Our runner-up, ENO’s SingleNest Hammock, weighs a full pound, but it’s 18 inches shorter than the Trunktech hammock.It holds up to 500 pounds. While most of the hammocks we tested can hold only 300 to 400 pounds, the Trunktech can support up to 500 pounds. As long as your straps have the same weight rating (the ones we recommend do), the Trunktech is a better option for communal hanging. We tested this hammock with up to 400 pounds without a problem; however, more weight equals more stretch, so we learned to hang the hammock a little higher to achieve that optimal chair-height sag.In its stuff sack, this lightweight hammock is shorter than a 21-ounce water bottle. Claire Wilcox/NYT WirecutterIt’s made from soft, durable fabric. The Trunktech is made out of a 40-denier ripstop nylon (denier measures the thickness of a fabric’s individual fibers). Although its thread is technically thinner than the ENO hammock’s 70-denier parachute nylon, its tighter weave makes it more dense and durable. It dried quickly during tests and never snagged during use. At the same time, the fabric was soft and breathable enough that we could comfortably relax in the hammock — wearing just a bathing suit — on the hottest summer days, and beach sand slid right off.It’s packable. When it’s not in use, the Trunktech packs into a small, sewn-in stuff sack and compresses to a grapefruit-sized ball, so it’s easy to store and transport. When the hammock is set up, the stuff sack doubles as a pocket that’s large enough to store a book and a water bottle.It’s easy to set up. Like all of the hammocks we recommend, the Trunktech is simple to set up. After you’ve situated your straps (which you must purchase separately), you just remove the hammock from its stuff sack and clip into the straps using the hammock’s carabiners. During testing, this process took us a couple of minutes tops. If it’s your first time using a hammock (or if you need a refresher), check out our Camping hammock setup section.It comes with sturdy hardware. The Trunktech’s aluminum carabiners were noticeably light and easy to handle, especially compared with some of the heavier stainless steel carabiners we tested. After three months of use, they showed no signs of wear or corrosion. Aluminum wire-gate carabiners make it easy to set up and adjust this hammock. Claire Wilcox/NYT WirecutterIt has a lifetime warranty. Grand Trunk offers a Lifetime Guarantee, which covers manufacturing defects for the lifetime of the product. But you must register your hammock for it to be eligible.Flaws but not dealbreakersSome users complained that the fabric felt plasticky. Most testers said the Trunktech’s fabric was soft and breathable enough, but some thought it felt unpleasantly synthetic compared to our runner-up and budget picks’ fabric. (Those picks are both made from airier and silkier — but less strong and durable — parachute nylon.)Grand Trunk’s fabric isn’t bluesign-approved. Unlike the fabric of our runner-up pick, the Trunktech’s nylon lacks this third-party certification, which vets materials for labor practices, environmental impacts, and the use of certain chemicals.It comes in fewer colors than our runner-up pick. The colors and patterns do vary by year and season. In general, however, our runner-up pick comes in a wider range.
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