5 Best Portable Hammocks for Relaxing RV Vacations!

If you’ve ever had the pleasure of reading a book or falling asleep in a hammock outside in a light summer breeze, you’ll understand why a portable hammock is a favorite piece of gear among campers everywhere.

The great thing is that you can pretty much use a hammock anywhere. They can be used tree-to-tree or with the support of a portable hammock stand.

But any way you slice it, time to relax in a hammock is one of camping’s many gifts.

So, today we’re highlighting several of the best hammocks for your next camping trip.

What Is a Portable Hammock?

Most of us are probably familiar with a hammock, and surely many of us have at least tried one out at some point.

A hammock is essentially a sling that’s stretched between two solid, heavy objects like trees or even large rocks in some cases. They’re used for lounging outside, for sleeping, and they’re even popular as alternatives to tents for campers and backpackers.

Historically, hammocks originated as outdoor sleeping quarters among the Taino people of the Bahamas. In the 1600s, they became popular as sleeping quarters on ships in wartime. Later, in the United States, hammocks were not only popular on boats, but were also used as inexpensive sleeping solutions for farmers and as outdoor lounging items for wealthy families.

We’ve typically seen hammocks attached to a tree at each end, sometimes with a heavy rope and, in more recent years, with some sort of heavy-duty strapping.

But portable hammocks are also available as stand-alone units since the availability of two perfectly-spaced trees isn’t a given at every campsite. Outdoor enthusiasts who really love their hammock time (and there are many!) want to know that wherever they camp, their hammock will be there for them.

In fact, there are a couple of camper manufacturers who have caught on to this popular trend and have decided to make hammocks with vehicle mounts available on their campers! With a vehicle or RV hammock mount, one side of the hammock is suspended from a bar attached to the RV or camper, and the other is attached to a bar with a ground stand.

TAXA and Newmar may be setting a trend of their own!

TAXA Outdoors

You may have seen our post on TAXA trailers in which we took a detailed look at the tiny travel trailers.

Well, TAXA Outdoors has jumped on the hammock craze with the Kammock Edition Wooly Bear which combines a Kammock Outpost hammock stand with TAXA’s Wooly Bear trailer, providing an outdoor sleeping space with one of Kammock’s hammocks and a mount similar to their Outpost portable hammock stand for vehicles.

Newmar

Newmar, the well-known and highly-reputed manufacturer of top-quality motorcoaches, is making the Aire Nest Deluxe Hammock available as an option on certain models of their RVs.

This move combines a Newmar motorcoach with a lightweight, portable hammock frame that attaches in a minute to an exclusive connection point on the side of the RV on one end, and to a stand on the other.

But if you’d just like to grab a quality hammock that’s lightweight and easily packable for tree-to-tree use when you’re camping or one that has a portable hammock stand for free-standing hammock use anywhere, what should you look for?

Let’s take a quick look at features to be aware of as you shop, and then we’ll point you toward 5 of the best portable hammocks on the market today!

What to Look For in a Portable Hammock

Just briefly, there are a few things you’ll want to consider as you shop for a portable hammock to enhance your camping adventures.

Weight Capacity

First, you’ll want to be sure the weight capacity of your hammock system matches up nicely with the weight of the person (or people) who’ll be using it.

You should see a specific note about weight capacity in the description of every hammock you look at. If you don’t see a weight capacity specified anywhere in the product description, we’d suggest moving on to another product.

Single or Double?

Double hammocks? Yup, they’re a thing! Two people can rest and relax in an appropriately-sized hammock. In fact, many single-person hammocks will hold two people.

But if you’re looking specifically for a hammock system that’s designed for you and another adult to enjoy together, you’ll want to shop specifically for a double hammock.

Material

This one is incredibly important. Not only do you want a hammock that’s made of strong, durable material, but you don’t want that material to gather mold or mildew if it happens to get rained on (which it will).

Some people will use their hammock as an alternative to a tent with the intention of sleeping in the hammock nightly. That’s great, but make sure you’re buying a comfortable, durable hammock. Read user reviews!

Lightweight camping hammocks are typically made of polyester or nylon. These tend to be similar to traditional hammocks used for nightly sleeping throughout Central and South America.

Some people do buy hammocks to use as a bed in a van build, and these might occasionally be permanently mounted. More often, however, even campers who sleep in a hammock in a van will mount the hammock using carabiners so they can also use the hammock outside (and free up that interior space).

So, most hammocks will need to be made of materials that will withstand the elements. You may even need to pack a wet hammock away in its carrying case on occasion, so a mold-resistant material can be a very important feature.

Attachment System/Suspension Straps

The attachment system for a hammock needs to be durable over time, and capable of holding some fairly significant weight without pulling away from the mounting structure or the hammock sling itself.

What kind of strapping is provided with the hammocks you’re checking out? This is an important feature to pay attention to as you shop.

Note that you may need to buy suspension straps separately. This is the case for many portable hammocks. Generally, the hammock will attach to the suspension straps with either an S-hook or, (better yet), a quality carabiner.

Stand Construction

If you’re shopping for a hammock with a portable hammock stand, you’ll want to make sure the stand is constructed of a lightweight, rust-resistant material such as a coated aluminum alloy or similar.

You also want the stand to pack down easily and compactly for travel, and it should be lightweight, easy to set up, and capable of withstanding the elements without rusting.

Easy Storage

Depending on how you intend to camp, you’ll want to pay attention to how your portable hammock (and hammock stand if you’re buying one) will stow away:

• Backpackers will want a small, lightweight carry bag and a hammock that packs up into a very small package that can be tossed into the backpack.
• RVers will want a portable hammock system that stores away easily in its intended storage bay.

Carry Bag

A carry bag may not seem like an important feature, but you may want some manner of keeping your hammock packed up compactly, depending on how you intend to store it and carry it.

Price

Budget is always a consideration when we’re buying new camping gear, so bear the price of the hammocks you’re considering in mind as you shop, balancing cost with quality, as always.

Some hammocks cost a few bucks while others cost significantly more. Your particular situation and intended hammock use will drive this aspect of your search.

What Are the Best Portable Hammocks for Camping?

To give you a kickstart in that search, let’s take a look at 5 of the best hammocks on the market today!

Bear in mind that your style of camping might not match up with every hammock on this list. A backpacker doesn’t want a hammock that mounts on a portable hammock stand, for example! So, keep your typical style of camping in mind, and you’ll be sure to find a hammock that’s just right for you.

ENO SingleNest Hammock

We’re starting off here with one of the best lightweight hammocks on the market.

The ENO SingleNest is a versatile hammock that can be used in the backyard of a sticks & bricks house, in a minivan or camper van, at your campsite, or even in the backcountry in a location to where you’ve had to hike in with a pack on your back.

The SingleNest is made of 70-denier nylon taffeta, is comfortable even in the summer heat, and weighs only one pound. It’s triple-stitched at the seams and beads water nicely. (The fact that water doesn’t soak through the nylon material means less likelihood of a waterlogged, potentially moldy hammock if you have to pack it away when it’s wet.????????)

Despite its lightweight nature, it’s rated to safely hold up to 400 pounds! This combination of a portable hammock that’s light to carry but has an extraordinary weight capacity makes the SingleNest a fantastic choice.

The SingleNest has dimensions of 9’4″ x 4’7″, so a person over 6-feet tall can comfortably use it.

It’s easily packable into an included stuff sack that uses straps to compress the hammock to roughly the size of a softball (5″ x 4″). The little sack attaches to the middle of the hammock where it provides a small storage pouch for hanging small stuff.

The ENO SingleNest is available in a variety of colors.

Note that the SingleNest really is best for one person. If you’re interested in relaxing with a friend in your hammock, check out the ENO DoubleNest straight ahead.

ENO DoubleNest Hammock

ENO’s DoubleNest is designed to accommodate two adult-sized people. It’s 9.5′ in length and has the same 400-pound capacity as the SingleNest and is constructed of the same durable materials.

As with the SingleNest, this double hammock comes with specially-designed carabiners for hanging safely, and also comes with a carry bag/stuff sack.

Straps are sold separately.

Good straps for the ENO SingleNest and DoubleNest would be ENO’s Atlas or Helios straps. The Atlas straps have a 400-pound capacity, while the Helios have a 300-pound capacity.

Note that many hammocks come without straps. So you’ll want to pay attention to this because you’ll need straps unless you’re buying some other system for hanging your portable hammock.

We’ll also share a couple of other brands of excellent hammock straps that are a little more budget-friendly. Just note that hammock straps also have weight capacities and come in varying lengths.

ENO Nomad Hammock Stand

We have to include the ENO Nomad hammock stand here because it’s so compact & easily carried and allows for the use of the ENO SingleNest or DoubleNest anywhere (including at any campsite, in a backyard, or on a beach).

This portable hammock stand weighs 15 pounds all packed up and sets up quickly using a system of shock cords. It has a custom carrying case into which it packs compactly.

Important Note: Although the ENO Nomad SingleNest and DoubleNest hammocks are rated to support up to 400 pounds, this ENO Nomad hammock stand is only rated at a 300-pound weight capacity. This could be an issue for two adults depending on their combined weight.

Best Choice Products Portable Heavy-Duty 9ft Steel Hammock Stand w/Built-in Wheel

For a more budget-friendly hammock stand, take a look at this one from Best Choice. This portable hammock stand has a built-in wheel for moving from one area to another. It has a weather-resistant finish and a 450-pound weight capacity and dimensions of 115″(L) x 48″(W) x 43″(H) when set up.

This hammock stand includes a carrying case for storage and easy portability.

Note that this stand weighs around 26 pounds. And be aware that this stand is appropriate for up to 9-foot hammocks, so if you choose a hammock longer than 9 feet, you may want to consider a different stand, although we’ll share with you a review we read pertaining to how one reviewer uses this stand with an ENO DoubleNest:

“I’ve used it with an eno doublenest – it doesn’t reach to the hooks when they’re in the top slot, but I was able to get it to work by adding a loop of paracord to each carabiner on the hammock to add a few inches at either end.”

Wise Owl Outfitters Camping Hammock

This portable hammock from Wise Owl Outfitters comes in a single or double style. While these hammocks are considerably less expensive than the ENO hammocks, we want to note that they’ve got well over 45,000 user reviews on Amazon, and the majority of them are very good.

These are lightweight hammocks that measure 9′ x 4.5′ in the single version (medium) and 10′ x 6.5′ in the double version (large). They weigh in at 24 oz and pack up into a package the size of an eggplant.

Made of strong parachute nylon with triple interlocking stitching, the single hammock has a weight capacity of up to 400 pounds while the double version can hold up to 500 pounds.

These portable hammocks come with carabiners and two 9′ long tree straps with 5 loops for easy height adjustments. Also included is a storage bag that doubles as a pocket for small gear while the hammock is in use.

Wise Owl hammocks are machine washable (gentle cycle, cold water, alone) and should be hung to dry. They come in a variety of colors.

And here’s an interesting deal…

Wise Owl Outfitters sells a “camping bundle” that includes one single adult hammock and one smaller child’s hammock.

The child’s hammock, which can also be ordered individually but for some reason costs more that way ????, is constructed of the same material as the adult versions but is 6′ x 3.5′, weighs only 13 oz, and packs down to the size of an orange.

The child’s hammock also comes with straps, carabiners, and a storage bag that doubles as a pocket when the hammock is in use.

We’ll link to both the camping package and the child’s hammock individually.

Bear Butt Camping Hammock

This is a very popular 2-person hammock from Bear Butt (yep, that’s the name ????) that has a weight capacity of 5oo pounds. The hammock itself is 10′ long and 6′ wide and weighs only 1.5 pounds. It stuffs into an included carry bag to a size of 7″ x 4″ x 4″.

Constructed of 75D nylon taffeta with 210 thread count for softness (which the company claims is unique in the hammock market), it has reinforced triple stitching for durability.

Reviews on this hammock are excellent, though we do want to note a couple of things.

First, although this hammock is advertised as being appropriate for one or two people, we did find some reviewers who feel this double version is just too large. (We couldn’t find a single version and the company notes that this is their all-time bestseller, so maybe they’re not selling a single version at present.)

Other reviewers loved the size for a single user and noted that one needs to understand how to properly lay or sit in a hammock so they don’t feel “swallowed up” by a large hammock.

The other thing we want to note is that while this hammock comes with ropes to attach it to trees, some reviewers noted that it’s well worth the additional cost to buy Bear Butt’s higher-end (1000-pound weight capacity) straps & carabiners, so we’ll link to those below as well.

And if you happen to be interested in a bug net, Bear Butt (yeah, that’s still the name ????), has one to offer. It gets good reviews and does fit the Bear Butt double hammie! Sweet dreams!

Grand Trunk Skeeter Beeter Pro Mosquito Hammock

Speaking of bug nets, meet the Grand Trunk Skeeter Teeter Pro. They call it a “mosquito hammock”, but it’s actually not a hammock for mosquitos. Instead, it’s a portable hammock with built-in mosquito and no-see-um netting that hangs over the lounger. Grand Trunk notes that their bug netting hangs far enough overhead that you can read a book or sip a drink without feeling claustrophobic.

This hammock is made of 210T 70D parachute nylon, weighs 35 oz, and has a weight capacity of 400 pounds. Both the mesh and hammock fabric are triple-stitched and reinforced.

If you don’t happen to need to bug protection at times, simply flip the hammock over and recline as you would on any hammock.

This hammock has a couple of interior storage pockets to hold small gear. It comes with a starter rope kit, suspension cord, two nautical-grade carabiners, and a stuff sack.

The starter rope kit consists of a couple of 10-foot pieces of pre-knotted cord, so you may want to also grab an upgraded strapping system. We’ll link to another here for your convenience.

If you’re planning to sleep outside in the Grand Truck Skeeter Beater Pro and would like to have a waterproof rain fly hovering over you, this is one that’s recommended, well-reviewed, and budget friendly:

Do You Enjoy a Portable Hammock When You’re Camping?

If you’re a camper who enjoys using a hammock to relax or to sleep at night, we’d like to hear about which hammock you’ve got and how you like it! Drop us a comment below.

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