Hammock camping is growing in popularity, but not everyone is comfortable with the cocoon-like feel of a traditional two-point hammock. Those folks who want to shed the tent and sleep suspended should look at this alternative hammock from Troika Outdoors. The Troika uses a three-point attachment system that gets you off the ground while providing a flat, comfortable surface on which to sleep. It’s still a hammock, but it feels like your bed — a quality that belly and side sleepers will love.
When you see the Troika Outdoors Hammock, you can’t help but think of the Tentstile tree tent. The Tentstile takes a standard tent and suspends it in the area like a hammock using a multi-point attachment system. It’s a great concept, but these tree tents tend to be heavy, weighing between 7 and 60 pounds depending on the number of people that the tent can support.
The Troika hammock lightens the load of a tree tent by removing the tent part and leaving you with a very comfortable, flat-laying hammock. The Troika hammock alone is a very lightweight 15 ounces. Even when you throw in three straps for suspension, the hammock weighs less than 4 pounds and packs down to a size that is smaller than a football.
The Troika hammock has a triangular cut with a metal ring on each corner. These rings serve as the attachment point for the straps as well as a convenient place to hang your gear. To hang the hammock, you need three fixed objects within 30 feet of each other to correct tension on the platform. And because you have tension pulling in three directions, you don’t have to be too picky about what where you hang your hammock. You can use a smooth bark tree or even metal poles, and the hammock won’t slip down.
The Troika Outdoors Hammock is available for pre-order via a Kickstarter campaign. The stand-alone hammock without straps (you supply your own) costs $69, while a version with straps will set you back $84. The hammock is expected to ship in June 2017.
