Elevated Movement Hammock Overview
I was invited to be among the first to purchase a pre-production model of the Elevated Movement‘s hammock. I was intrigued by the premise: a 100% recycled hammock (made from water bottles) with your choice of custom or pre-printed artwork, and 100% recycled webbing straps. Plus, it’s made in the USA (not just sewn or produced: all materials are sourced in the United States!). And wait, there’s more! The company is socially-conscious with support for planting trees, but my favorite part is the support for local artists. The owner, Matthew, has worked with a variety of artists who get 30% of the profit from their designs.
If you’re quick, there is still time to join the Kickstarter campaign and help fund a great project.
Since I have a pre-production model, I know not everything is finalized. Indeed, Matt hinted that he has other details to work out, including an integrated stuff sack (mine didn’t come with one), and refined construction. Here are the details that I have:
Hammock
Material: 1.6 oz/square yard, 100% recycled Polyester
Dimensions: 112×59 in (284×149 cm)
Weight: 10 oz (286 g)
Webbing Straps
Dimensions: 1×144 in (2.5×367 cm)
Weight: 7.3 oz (207 g)
The hammock itself is extremely light for its size. The finished dimensions put it just shy of 10×5 ft, a common “double” hammock. At only 10 oz (285 g), and packing to the size of a large grapefruit, this hammock fits great in my lightweight pack yet doesn’t sacrifice on comfort.
Speaking of comfort, I need to point out that polyester-based hammocks tend to stretch less than nylon (e.g., “parachute nylon”) versions. As with all hammock sizes, shapes, and materials, some folks will find polyester too “firm” for their liking, while others will enjoy the flatter lay. I prefer polyester hammocks on the whole because they provide more support for my lower back and have less shoulder squeeze (especially in comparison to 1.1 and 1.6 oz nylon fabrics). The Elevated Movement hammock is slightly more firm than other polyester hammocks I’ve tested, but I enjoyed it. I laid flatter in the hammock since the middle didn’t dip down where my heavier torso was laying.
My hammock came with the webbing straps tied through the channels in the hammock. Matt supplied my hammock with metal tri-glides. These are simple adjustment systems and work well with the long length of webbing strap that came with my order. While there is nothing wrong with this suspension system, it isn’t my preferred method. Removing the webbing was easily accomplished and I then added continuous loops to the end so I can play with the variety of suspension systems at my disposal.
The artwork came out better than anticipated. The inks were solid and the colors vibrant. The artwork only appears on one side, although you can see a “faded” version on the reverse side of the fabric.
Recommendations
For me, the biggest appeal for the Elevated Movement hammock is the custom artwork. The nice lay of the hammock was a great surprise, which added to the value in my estimation (the straps aren’t bad either). I ordered a custom design of my own creation because I wanted something to hang in my hammock lab. If the hammock weren’t so comfortable, I wouldn’t be stuck in the dilemma I am now, which is whether to actually use the hammock or to hang it on my wall as I originally intended.
Since the hammock turned out so well, it is likely that I’ll order a second custom design to sleep in and use this original version to frame.
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