Mental Floss

Create Your Own Backyard Oasis With This $35 Hammock

By Alvin Ward

Relax in style.
Relax in style. / Jordan Siemens, Stone Collection, Getty Images
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Few people can resist the allure of a well-placed hammock, those free-swinging cradles for adults that allow you to kick back and relax in the shade. On stands, during camping, or at the beach, the hammock is an all-purpose vessel for laziness.

If the warmer months have got you wondering about getting a hammock, now would be a good time to act, because Amazon’s bestselling Wise Owl Outfitters hammocks are available starting at just $35.

Couple in a red Wise Owl Outfitters camping hammock.
This double hammock can hold up to 500 pounds. / Wise Owl Outfitters / Amazon

These hammocks are made of parachute-quality nylon, which is resistant to rips and tears and durable in all kinds of weather. Each one comes with a storage bag, a set of two 9-feet tree straps with five loops to adjust the hammock’s height, and two O-shaped carabiners to make set-up quick and easy. All you need are some sturdy trees or other support structures and you’re in business.

You can get a Wise Owl Outfitters hammock in one- or two-person sizing, and in 15 different color combinations. The single hammocks measure 9 feet long and 4.5 feet wide and can hold up to 400 pounds; the double hammocks are 10 feet long and 6.5 feet wide, and built to hold up to 500 pounds. 

With nearly 50,000 reviews and an almost perfect 4.8-star rating, this lounge-friendly item is a clear crowdpleaser when it comes to camping gear. Most customers were happy with how easy the hammock was to use and set up. One shopper, a fisherman, said it gave them the “best sleep” they ever had outdoors, and also noted: “This hammock really surprised me. The material seems thin, but it’s surprisingly strong!” Another user raved, “I’m not a camper, [but] I put this bad boy up in the backyard to enjoy a few cold ones after a hard days work. It’s absolutely phenomenal and super comfortable. Strong as well, I’m [6-feet and 3 inches] and 230 [pounds] and I have zero doubt in my mind this thing couldn’t hold [two] of me.”

Get the Wise Owl Outfitters hammock on Amazon and get your summer off to a great start.

This story was originally published in 2020; it has been updated for 2023.

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