Camping Tips: Hammock Stand DIY

Spending some time outdoors can relieve the stress brought by the urban environment - waking up early in the morning to the noise pollution brought by the cars stuck in heavy traffic. Not only that, but you have to deal with other problems such as air pollutants and solid waste. Escaping from these things for a short time may help your body recover from being burned out. Camping over the weekend can make a difference in how you will face the coming week ahead. 

When going camping, you should have all the necessary things helpful on your trip. One of the must-have items that you should bring is a hammock. Hammocks are usually made with fabric or woven thick ropes. It can provide comfort, especially when taking a rest. Considering the composition and the installation, it enables the air to flow freely, giving you a cooling effect when sleeping. For those who like to cocoon themselves, a hammock is the best way to do it outdoors.

Things to Consider When Using A Hammock

Hammocks come in different sizes that depend on the weight of the person who will use it. It is a question of how much it can support rather than how big it will be. Another thing to consider is the use of spreader bars. Spreader bars stretch them for a more tight fabric, which can make getting in and out easier. 

The most important thing to consider is where to hang your hammock. Usually, it is tied in between two trees on both ends. It will not be a problem finding two trees facing each other when you are in the woods. Yet, there are camping sites where you do not have anything to attach them on. In some cases, the place where you can put up your hammocks is far from your camping set up. With this, having a hammock stand will be ideal.

DIY Hammock Stand

If you have some time to spare, you can build your stand. With a few materials and skills, you will never have to find a tree to strap your hammock on. It is much cheaper compared to the portable stands available for purchasing. Although buying one is not a bad idea, doing it yourself will save you more money. Here are three DIY hammock stands that you can make on your own. 

#1 Foldable Wood Hammock Stand

It is the most common DIY hammock stand that you will see on the internet. You will only need a few pairs of wood, bolts, and wood glue to make this stand. However, it will be a little tricky to transform it into a foldable one. There are only a few tutorials that can make it travel-friendly. Most of them are fixed and bulky though they are perfect for a backyard hammock.

#2 Turtledog Hammock Stand

The structure of this stand is similar to a swing that you see on a playground. It has a pole in between two tripods. It is less time consuming to construct. Some campers do not bring their rods and tripods because they use readily available materials like bamboo. If you are a group of campers, a hammock village will be a good idea. You can extend it by attaching one stand to another. 

For example, a single stand has one pole and two tripods. If you add another pole and tripod on one end, you can hang another hammock. You can also do it on the other end, creating a series of turtledog hammock stands.

#3 Anchored Pole Stand

There are multiple ways to use an anchored pole as a hammock stand. You can have it as a substitute if you only have one tree available for attachment. Reliable anchoring is the key to assembling this kind of stand. By using this principle, you can build different stands using the anchored pole. You can have a typical two-pole stand or a three-person hammock stand. It may require a little knowledge about physics to have the maximum support that you will need.

Hanging Your Hammock

There are some safety concerns regarding the use of hammocks. There are instances where it collapses, and the person falls out. It is good to know some precautions, especially if you are setting up a DIY hammock stand. 

#1 Do not engage in hammock stacking. It is common when creating hammock villages on tall trees. Hammock stacking is when you set it up one over the other.  It can have a chain reaction once the upper hammocks loosen their grip. It is safer to align them horizontally rather than vertically.

#2 You cannot avoid falling from a hammock since it is suspended from the ground. To prevent harm and injuries, do not hang it higher than 3 feet. Also, be mindful of what are the things under it. Aside from sharp objects, you might want to keep it away from cliffs and bodies of water. 

#3 Some people raise health concerns because they are being squeezed in when sleeping on a hammock, making them uncomfortable and causing body pains. To address this concern, you need to loosen or tighten the strings a little bit. Too tight or too loose is not good. You need to let it subside a little bit to make it comfortable.

The reason why most people go camping is because of relaxation. It is different from the physical relaxation you get when going into a spa. It is more of inner peace. They say that the mood of a person depends on the environment that he or she lives in. Being able to breathe some fresh air, doing some exercise, and having a good amount of meditation can uplift their spirit. For some, it is a form of reset from a busy work schedule. It helps them to recover from sleep deprivation. Thus, a good night's sleep on a hammock will surely help.