TreeLineBackpacker

Made in the USA from Grand Trunk’s own proprietary Trunk Tech Ripstop, the ONEMADE hammock promises a lighter, stronger, more compact hammock, all with a lifetime warranty. Can a hammock make those claims and still perform in such a competitive field? My review.

The Double Hammock tested is a fairly standard design. It’s slightly longer and wider than a standard one man hammock at 10′ 6 x 6’6″ to accommodate a second person or to provide extra room for one to sprawl out. This is achieved by adding additional panels of fabric to the sides of the hammock, resulting in the extra width. The hammock tips are created by webbing running through the fabric, rolled over and sewn to a terminus. This is tied into the included high quality aluminum wire gate carabiners, allowing the hammock to connect to optional tree straps, not included. It’s constructed from Gran Trunk’s own ripstop “Trunktech” fabric, which states a burly 40 lbs. of holding strength per square inch, reinforced with seat belt grade stitching, resulting in a total capacity of 400 lbs. The hammock packs down into itself via the sewn in travel pocket, weighs 15.7 oz., retails for $119 and comes in several colors. I tested with the Grand Trunk ONEMADE 14er straps which retail for $45 and weigh 9.5 oz.

What I liked

The first thing that stands out with this hammock is the incredibly soft and smooth Trunktech fabric. To the touch, the material feels more like high quality microfiber bed sheets than camping gear, which is typically polyester or nylon. Considering a hammock is basically a bed, that’s a very good thing. Unlike many  materials where you can feel the fibers or the ripstop inside, there is no presence of that here. The material simple glides across the skin without feeling plasticy or cheap. It’s a wonderful material and the quality can be instantly felt through the finger tips. An added bonus to the material is it doesn’t seem to pick up dirt, twigs and leaves as easily as some other fabrics, although it can build up some static in the right conditions.

The buttery smooth fabric certainly adds to the comfort of the hammock, which is overall top notch. The way the hammock is constructed, the extra width comes from the two extra panels of fabric, one added to each side. This not only widens the hammock, giving some spreading room, but also results in a body weight tension that is distributed across 4 ridges instead of two (the internal seams make two ridges and the edges of the extension panels make for 4). This extra width and seams better distribute the weight of the sleeper, and provides provides side lofts of fabric that can be used for resting arms, legs, or even the head when laying long ways in the hammock. It distributes the weight more evenly when sleeping at an angle too,and produces a flatter sleep surface. I loved the way this felt, and it even makes for completely functional side sleeping positions as I could lay across the gentle, flexible seams, with my lower body inside the main hammock compartment and my arms head and pillow in the side panel, resting mostly flat with no pressure points. The fabric offers plenty of flex and stretch under load, allowing it to conform to the shape of the body inside instead of feeling like a taut band or trampoline. It makes for an incredibly comfortable experience, and I couldn’t help but doze off while resting inside during the day, a typical impossibility for me. I’ve found it especially comfortable to lay a self inflating sleeping pad inside, un-inflated, for a little extra warmth and cushion on a mild day.

Set up is as simple as it gets. Using Gran Trunks 14er straps, also produced in the USA, all one needs to do is swing the bands around an unsuspecting tree, clip in the carabiners, and it’s set up. The 14er straps are incredibly long, making it easier to find trees that are space appropriately, and the huge number of connection points along the bands makes fine tuning the tension of the hammock easy as well. The straps also have a similar silky smooth consistency to them like the hammock, reducing snags, better protecting trees, and allowing them to slide into place easier, all without slipping under load. Taking the hammock down is just as simple, and the small side pocket that’s sewn into the hammock makes a great stuff sack, packing it down to a tiny ball, roughly 5″x 3″.

The overall quality of the hammock is exceptional. The carabiners are made from a surprisingly tough aluminum, making them strong despite being so light, the stitching is wonderfully consistent and robust. Throughout the fabric, I was unable to find any flaws in the the weave or loose threads, aside from a minor fray or two at the ends of the stitch, which pose no issues. While testing, I’ve not come across any fraying, stray stitches, pricks or pulls in the fabric, and certainly no tears. I’ve not yet tested it with two people, but I don’t see it being a problem.

With the hammock weighing just 15.7 oz. and the straps coming in at 9.5 oz. per set, it’s one of the lighter hammocks on the market, despite its quality. This allows for a complete sleeping system, hammock, tarp, and straps, that comes in at under 3 lbs combined. Not bad.

What I didn’t like

Premium materials and the fact that it’s made in the USA adds to the price tag, making it one of the more expensive hammocks on the market. You get what you pay for though.

The extra additional fabric on the sides of the hammock which allow it to accommodate two people also folds in and hangs above a single user when laying in the hammock lengthwise. It makes for a bit of a burrito effect that engulfs the user when resting flat. In windy conditions, I found them to be a bit flappy and bothersome when exposed to the wind directly. Having a tarp or wind break over the hammock fixes this, but the fabric still hangs down near or onto the user. It’s not an issue when used at an angle, and perhaps a couple patches of Velcro would solve this entirely, allowing one to strap them back. On the plus side, it does provide some wind  protection and shade.

Overall

It’s nice to see the occasional piece of gear designed and produced in the USA. It’s even better when that piece of gear is worth the extra cost of production, and that certainly is the case here. Grand Trunk has designed a comfortable, durable, light weight hammock that does exactly what a hammock should do. It provides excellent comfort, rest, and pairs well with practically any tarp shelter, including the All-Purpose Rainfly from Grand Trunk. I adore the texture of the fabric, and the setup and reliability is exactly what I need for camping, backpacking, or just hanging around the yard. Aside from the minor issue of having too much fabric when used solo, which is common within two man hammocks, it’s an exceptional hammock that can be used in a wide range of conditions, making it easy to recommend.

Highly Recommended

For more information on Grand Trunk and and their wide range of gear, check out their website, www.grandtrunk.com

For information on our rating system and our testing procedures, check out our About us/ Contact us page.

I want to extend a huge thanks Grand Trunk for providing this product for review. We couldn’t do it without their help. Our full disclosure can be found here.

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