About this Review: This review is my own honest opinion of the hammock, which I bought with my own money in June 2019.

My take

The Grand Trunk Double Hammock is a great hammock for bringing on a day hike or to use as an alternative to a tent on shorter backpacking/camping trips. It’s really durable, roomy, easy to set up, and comes with straps.

About the gear

• Product Model: Grand Trunk Double Hammock - Prints
• Size: 2 people, or one person and a big dog
• Comes with straps: Yes

About me

• Height: 5’3”
• Weight: 115 lb
• Experience: 25+ years

Test conditions

• When I bought the hammock: June 2019
• Days tested: 40
• Number of occupants: 2
• Pack: 2016 Osprey Talon 22L pack
• Used for: Day hikes, hanging out at lakes, fishing, hanging out while climbing
• Where I’ve used it: Joe’s Valley, UT; other random trails and hikes around Utah, CO
• Types of areas I’ve used it in: Mountains, lakes
• Seasons I’ve used it in: Summer

How it performs

What I was looking for

I was looking for a hammock just because I thought it would be a fun thing to set up when I was cragging with a big group or on camping trips. I didn’t care too much about weight because I wasn’t anticipating I would use it for backpacking or anything like that. I wanted something spacious that could seat two people because most of the time I was going to use it was in social situations. I also wanted it to be big enough that my medium sized border collie might not mind sitting in it with me. Since it wasn’t a super-technical purchase, I didn’t want to spend a ton of money either.

Why I chose this gear

I bought this product because it was a double-wide hammock, seemed like sturdy material when I felt it, and I liked the fish pattern. It wasn’t too expensive and it came with easy-to-use straps so I knew I wouldn’t need to buy those separately. It packs down pretty well and I liked that feature, too, since I knew I would be tossing it in my daypack usually.

What I love about it

• Ease of setup: This is super easy to set up. There are carabiners on either end of the hammock, and it comes with straps with built-in knots to adjust the height.
• Comfort: This hammock is super comfortable and roomy. It can fit two people or one person and a dog really well, and I didn’t feel like anyone was going to fall out. It also has enough material to wrap the top around two people or one and a dog to keep them sheltered from the sun/bugs.
• Sleeping: I only slept in it one night because I usually use my tent, but I slept in it alone on a summer night, and it was pretty comfortable. I think if it was colder or windy, I might have had a hard time sleeping since there is no insulation from the ground in hammocks, but it worked great for a summertime sleeping option. I liked that there was enough material to wrap the top around me so that I was protected from the bugs and kind of cocooned in.
• Sleeping pad compatibility: I used my Sea to Summit Ultralight Insulated sleeping pad, which has small silicone squares on the bottom so that it doesn’t slide around. If I was going to use this as a full-time tent replacement, I would get a pad that’s very thick and insulating so that I could manage a few colder nights. I like the silicone squares on my pad because it prevents the pad from sliding around in the hammock.
• Packability: It folds into itself and packs down to about the size of a Nalgene water bottle (including the straps). This makes it easy to toss in a day-hiking pack or a climbing pack without taking up much room.
• Durability: I have used this with plenty of dogs that have sharp nails wondering if they would put a hole in it, but so far nothing. I have also sat and laid in it with more than one person several times and never felt like it was going to fail.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Weight: At 20 oz it’s not quite an ultralight hammock so if I was looking for something for backpacking I would go with a different, lighter option.
• Performance in weather: I have used it in wind and some lightweight rain. There is a bit of a durable water repellent (DWR) finish on it so it repels light rain, but anything more than very light precipitation will soak through. It’s also not the best in wind since it’s made of parachute nylon which is a pretty thin material, and because I’m lighter and the fact that it’s a hammock, it’s caused me to swing around a lot when there is wind.
• Versatility: This is a fun thing to have and it’s awesome for hanging out at the crag or camp, but overall I don’t think hammocks are that versatile, at least not this one. It’s not quite light enough to be a viable replacement for a tent on most backpacking trips, and it’s not compatible with bug nets like some camping hammocks are. I think it’s awesome for hanging out in, but not super versatile.

Favorite moment with this gear

My favorite moment with this gear was on a climbing trip to Joe’s Valley in Utah. I set it up over a drop off so it was a really cool view of the valley. It was also a perfect place to watch my friends while they were climbing! I wasn’t able to climb during that trip so I mostly hung out in it alone, but whenever someone took a break, they would come sit in it with me. It was a really cool scenic and more portable alternative to bringing chairs along!

Value for the money vs. other options

At around $70, this is a pretty good deal for a durable, roomy hammock. Anything lightweight would be closer to the $100 range, and the fancy Warbonnet Blackbird hammocks that are intended for ultralight backpacking are closer to $200. The Warbonnet also also has compatibility with a lot of accessories, such as a zip-in bug net or a sleeping pad, which are awesome for those looking for something to use instead of a tent, but for me, the Grand Trunk Double is perfect. It will last a long time, it’s comfortable for what I wanted to use it for, and it’s easy to set up.

Final verdict

The Grand Trunk Double Hammock is a fun thing to bring along on day hikes or to the crag while climbing. It is easy to use, can withstand some sharp dog nails and two people’s weight, and is big enough to feel roomy and protect from bugs and the sun! It’s not much bigger than a Nalgene water bottle so it’s an easy fun accessory to bring along without taking up much room!