How to Choose a Hammock | Match It to Your Use

Before you buy, think about where this hammock will live. A backyard lounger that never moves has different needs than one you’ll strap between trees on a camping trip. The good news is that once you match the hammock to your use, the rest of the decision gets simpler fast.

What Matters Most When Choosing a Hammock

REI’s expert advice boils the decision down to four things: size, materials, intended uses, and required hardware. DutchWare adds purpose, weather, your height and weight, and whether the hammock works with your existing suspension technology.

Start with the use case. A camping hammock needs weather resistance and packability. A porch hammock can prioritize comfort and looks. A hammock for indoor hanging needs hardware that protects your walls. Answering “where will this hang?” settles half your material and hardware questions.

What Size Hammock Do You Need?

Size matters more for width than length, though both count. REI says a good rule of thumb is to pick a hammock at least 2 feet longer than your height, but adds that you can usually ignore length unless you’re unusually tall.

For gathered-end hammocks, GearLab calls 11 feet the commonly recommended starting length. Anything over 9 feet long and 5 feet wide is generally spacious for daytime relaxing. Public Lands suggests at least 8.5 feet long and 4 to 5 feet wide for a single, and greater than 6 feet wide for a double.

A note on single versus double: REI and GearLab both emphasize that this is a comfort choice, not a true two-person decision. Many people pick a double for the extra room to spread out.

Materials, Weight Capacity, and Suspension

Your fabric choice should track your climate. DutchWare recommends polyester or nylon if the hammock may get wet, and cotton for occasional use in mild climates. REI notes that denier is a useful spec when listed — higher denier generally means heavier-duty fabric. For outdoor use, Yellow Leaf Hammocks recommends weather-resistant materials that handle sun, rain, and wind.

Weight capacity matters more than you might think. PatioLiving notes that hammock bed support weights commonly range from 150–500 lbs, and that rating refers to static weight — jumping into a hammock should be avoided. DutchWare advises choosing a hammock with a higher weight rating than you need, and Public Lands says to always check the manufacturer’s listed capacity. If you’re using a stand, don’t exceed its rating either; PatioLiving’s guidance suggests most stands top out around 450 lbs.

Your suspension is the other half of the setup. GearLab recommends 1-inch wide webbing straps at least 8 feet long each, with at least ten sets of loops spread over 5 feet or more. For pitching, REI advises aiming for a 30-degree strap angle, and lying at a 10- to 15-degree angle off the centerline. That diagonal lie reduces back bend and is the key to a comfortable night’s sleep.

If you’re after a flatter, bedlike feel, Sierra suggests a hammock with wood spreader bars. If you’d rather have a cocoon-like wrap, a gathered-end camping hammock is the better fit.

One caution from REI worth remembering: hammocks run colder than tents, since more of your body is exposed to cold air. Plan for an underquilt, tarp, or bug net if you’re camping — these accessories are common add-ons for a reason.

Placement, Common Mistakes, and the Final Pick

Before you commit, check your installation space. Public Lands and Hammock Universe both say to measure before buying a permanent hammock or stand, and to prefer a shaded spot. PatioLiving suggests leaving 18–24 inches between the lowest point of an unoccupied hammock and the ground, and recommends a stand 2 feet longer than the hammock’s full length — a 12-foot hammock needs a 14-foot stand.

The most common mistakes come down to a few patterns: choosing by price alone, ignoring weight capacity, buying something too short or narrow, forgetting accessories, and not confirming the hammock fits your stand or anchor spacing. Avoid those five and you’re most of the way there.

If you’re still weighing fabric options for your specific climate, our tested roundup of hammock fabric picks for outdoor use breaks down the trade-offs in more detail.