Byer of Maine Moskito Hammock

Would I recommend this to a friend? My answer depends upon what that friend is looking for.

This hammock has too many flaws for me to consider using it for serious backcountry hammock camping. First major problem is the stitching is very, very poor. You have to be very gentle with it, or the stitching will unravel and you'll lose, among other things, your netting support tabs.

The strings that support either ends of the hammock is also a very poor design and they tangle very easily. Before you hang you have to untangle all the lines in order to ensure the hammock will be supported like it's designed too, or else it will be uneven in tension. At one point, I resorted to using rubber bands to keep them from tangling while in storage. What a pain!

Then there's the fact that this hammock isn't built around a no-tipping design. Meaning, when you get in it, the sides of the hammock don't envelop the hammocker in a small tub, which helps to prevent tipping while getting in and during use. I was always careful, but my brother, who tends to indulge himself in drinking now and then, has lived a world of hurt with this hammock! It's very easy to fall over the other side while getting in or climbing out of it.

After all this negativity, I do have something positive to say about this hammock, and this leads to why I would ever recommend this hammock to a friend.

If you're completely new to the concept of hammock camping and are not sure if you would like it, then this hammock is a great inexpensive way to try it out. Just don't judge all hammocks based upon this very limited design. All hammocks will completely support your body and spread your weight throughout the fabric, but not all hammocks are created equal!

If you decide to purchase this hammock and like how it feels, you should definitely consider buying, or even making (as I do now), another hammock made for more serious outdoor camping.

The wider and longer the hammock is, for example, the more comfortable you're going to be since there will be a lot more wiggle room. Hammocks are designed so that you sleep on the diagonal, with your feet in one corner, your back sprawled over the imaginary center line, and your head in the opposite corner. The Byer hammock is narrow and short so, while you can hang on the diagonal, there are far better models on the market today.

Hammock camping is, in my opinion, one of the best things to happen to us back country campers since the portable stove! It is the most comfortable sleep you will ever have in the backcountry and, for me, even at home! My hammock has replaced my Sleep Number bed at home!

There's just no comparison! Plus, think about the weight you can eliminate, even if the hammock ends up weighing a little more than the Byer. You don't need an expensive camping pad anymore, you can ditch the tent too since the ability to sleep anywhere leaves any tent in the dust!

I brought this hammock along for our first Kayak Camping trip of the season with pretty high expectations. Yes two of my friends had eno racks, but mine had a mosquito net, so there! Or so I thought. Construction was far less durable than anticipated, but I guess you get what you pay for. If the net didn't rip from the para-material the first time I got into it, thus rendering the insect protection useless, I would have loved it. I still gave it two stars for the idea of this hammock, but the implementation left something to be desired. I will give it this, Even though the net ripped, what net I could hold together kept a surprising amount of dew out come morning. Again for the second star just for the idea of this hammock.

HoKay,My first hammock purchase. Went with the Byer Moskito due to it's features and price.Mine arrived with-out an owner's manual. Serious oversite IHMO.FYI: This afternoon I attempted to rig for the first time and guess what ... the rope I used to secure to the trees broke and I landed in a clump on the ground. Hope I'm not lame from my fall and lack of hammock experience. Stay Tuned as my shoulder is aching right now. I have no idea how to rig and get under the bug netting.

The bottom part of this hammock is no barrier to mosquitoes. Spent many horrid nights getting exsanguinated through my back and legs. The material is so thin that it is no barrier at all but more like a landing pad for a mosquito feeder: just insert human.

I took this camping in Costa Rica. On my return, I returned it to the store even though I no longer had the receipt just so that they could dispose of it.

first time use cheap screen ripped .product is junk, was stuck on the wapak trail with no shelter thanks to this . i suggest you go to and buy a tarp, you would be better off.

This hammock does not hold up. I haven't even had it out on a camping trip yet and the zipper is broken, there are too many cords, it is not easy to set up.

Ripped mosquito net after only 2 nights out. I'll be stiching my own patch, let's see how it goes.
Otherwise, easy to use and comfortable for me and I'm 6'2" and 220 lbs

I weigh 190 pounds, and the first time I carefully climbed into this hammock, it ripped, and I fell out. I would only recommend this hammock for people under 100 pounds.

I don't get it, it doesn't protect me from the rain at all. It is probably a 2 or 3 season thing. It's all right.

This is not my first hammock, but it is my first camping hammock with a mosquito net, and really the first that I've attempted to sleep in regularly. I love hammocks for three reasons: they're comfortable, lightweight, and they keep you cool. I was just so tired of leaking tents, rocks poking me in the back, and stifling heat when the sun started beating down on my tent in the morning.

I am 6'2" and weigh about 260lbs. I am definitely on the edge (if not past it) of being too big to use this hammock. I believe it might be rated for somebody slightly smaller than me but at such a low price compared to other hammocks, I was willing to take a chance on it. I am not certain that it will last for too long, but it's held up fairly well so far, and I expect it will survive the summer.

The construction is about what you might expect for a low-price hammock. The lower fabric is very thin nylon. It seems to hold up, and is very light. The bug netting is also very thin and light. That being said, they are not heavy duty and I feel like any kind of point stress will rip a hole through either one. If you are careful you don't need to worry about this too much. The zipper closing works fairly well, and fairly convenient.

There are a few drawbacks with this hammock. First it does not come with hanging ropes. The hammock itself has rope rings on either end. You must find rope and hardware to tie it with. I used some parachute cord (400lb test) wrapped around a tree so that each end was supported by two strands. I grabbed some cheap rope hardware from the hardware store, but caribiners would work great. Give some serious thought to how you tie your knots, though. The first time I used this, I made some bad choices and spent almost an hour trying to untie very tight knots. Also make sure you hang the hammock at least 2-3 feet off the ground. The height will depend on your weight. It does come with string for holding up the bug net.

You absolutely must hang this as close to level as possible or you will be very uncomfortable. If one end is elevated you will naturally slide to the opposite end of the hammock. If you are small this might not be a problem but for me it was critical. Once I leveled both end, I had one of the best nights sleep of my entire camping career. You also should make sure you sleep diagonally. This will allow your body to flatten out. If you are a back sleeper (like me) you will be very happy. Side sleepers will probably be okay. I imagine stomach sleepers might be unhappy.

The mosquito netting means there is much less airflow than you might like in hot weather. I am hoping to put together a small fan system for my hammock to keep some air circulating. Also, you'd be best to buy some detachable hooks for holding up the netting. In order to use the hammock without netting, you have to flip it upside down. Without some sort of removable hook, you will have to de-rig the string holding up the netting to flip it over.

It does not come with any rainfly. There are other manufacturers that make special hammock rainflies. However, I'd be reluctant to spend more money on the rainfly than I did on the hammock. I went out and purchased your standard large blue tarp. I haven't quite settled on the best way to rig it up, yet. Two methods come to mind. One is to just keep the tarp close by and to drape it over the hammock only when it rains or you are not in it. However, if you want it covering you constantly, you can not just drape it over the hammock, or else you lose all air-flow. What I'm planning on doing is running another rope about a foot above and parallel to the line that holds up the bug net. I will then stake/tie the corners of the tarp, thus creating a roof a ~3 feet above the hammock. I am hoping this keep things dry while still affording some airflow. Since hammocks are almost always under trees and often in the woods, horizontal rain is not as much of a problem, so I imagine the sides being open is fine. If you are camping somewhere where high winds and horizontal rain are an issue, you may need something a little more robust than what I've described.

Hammocks in general are a warm weather affair. The nylon is very thin and provides no insulation. With so much airflow under you, any heat you have is wicked away pretty quickly. This is great in summer weather when night-time temps can be above 75 degrees. I've been sleeping with nothing but a thin blanket. However, once the temp starts dropping below 70, you are absolutely going to want to have a sleeping bag and/or liner. I imagine you could use this in cold weather with the right lining, but I don't think I'd try it.

I will confess that I tend to camp out of my car and not a backpack. As a result I can afford to bring a tent and other extra gear, or just pass out in my car if the weather or environment turns really bad. If you are backpack camper you will absolutely need to run this hammock through it's paces to make sure you are comfortable with it. I suspect you might end up going for a nicer hammock.

All of these issues aren't too bothersome. There are two that really bugged me though. First this hammock is just barely large enough for me. After a couple nights I found the right position, but it's still pretty close. I slept with a thin sheet over my feet/knees in case they ended up against the bug net. Also the strings at either end of the hammock can be easily tangled. In my case the strings were tangled when I opened it up. This wouldn't bother me too much except that the strings are very precise lengths as to avoid putting uneven stresses on the hammock stitching. I am almost certain that if this hammock fails on me, it will be where the strings are stitched to the nylon on either end.

Bottom line is that I'd definitely recommend this hammock to anyone who wants to try hammock camping (and everyone should). For the price, I'd say it's fairly well made and you have nothing to lose. There are some drawbacks to this hammock, but for the casual camper (<20 nights/summer) this would be completely adequate. It is a great beginner hammock. If you are an experienced hammock camper, you might consider something better. However, I plan to keep this one until it's worn out.

Bug netting is complete manure! First night I used the product, the net ripped from it's attachment points, and then all along the non-zippered side. Thank God I had the wit to simply flip it over; you can use the other side if you don't want to use the netting. The attachment point lines tend to get twisted very easily, so does the ridgeline. I think perhaps better material selection might help this.
I bought this hammock when I decided I wanted to try tree hugging. Not knowing what it was all about, I decided to get this one over a more expensive hammock & net setup. Took it out one afternoon and practised setting it up, everything went smooth, other than the fact that the ridgeline twists into a million knots if you look at it wrong! Get her out on the trail, and what do you know, the netting rips! I am 5'9", 130 btw, so I don't think that was a factor. Perhaps it was a fluke, who knows. I have used the hammock twice since on 2-4 night trips, and no problems. I continue to use it upside down and use an additional net from another company.

I would recommend this to someone experimenting with hammocking, or a cheapo like me! But I would warn that you really are getting what you pay for in terms of quality.

I just got back from a week on the JMT. I was very interested in trying this concept out to minimize my solo weight.

I have never tried to sleep in a hammock, but found with a bit of adjustment I had no problem. I really like the concept and could see using this item as both a hammock or ground tent if I added a rainfly, ropes and a few stakes.

Concept aside, however, I can't see this item standing up to my demands on the trail. The bugscreen was ripping in two sections on the first night of use. Nothing against the manufacturer, at this retail price I'm not sure I should expect more.

I wound up returning the hammock after my trip. While I really like the concept, when I consider the added weight of a rainfly, stakes, and rope required, I think I am going to have to go back to a traditional solo tent. I also realize that the weather on my trip was perfect. I could see rain and wind being a real problem, and can see using this hammock as a one season option.

Ok, so I love the idea, and the overall comfort is quite nice. HOWEVER; the thing stretches a ton during the first few uses, and not that I know from experience, but be sure you alternate the diagnals you are laying on, or you may find your self upside down stuck in a mesquito net in need of some assistance. Basically one side stretched, the other didn't and I flipped over like a top heavy iceberg. Once I got it equally stretched out, it works fine, save the small hole I put in the screen during my adventure.

Its a good hammock for the price I have used it a few times but if you are going to us it for a extended camping trip you will see what I don't like about it its to short I am 5'9" and had problems with having to sleep in one position no stretching out in this one and the net will fall down in to your face on the sides but for a one two day trip it would be fine anything after that it would be a pain but for the price its pretty good

It is good for backpacking, when you don't want to carry a tent. It had mosquito netting and it was light, but it's hard to sleep in a sling when you're over a certain age. But my teenager was ok with it.

It feels cheap, but I think that's just the lightweight fabric. Used it for a week backpacking trip and I have no complaints. Well worth the price.

Not a bad hammock for the price, but the net is a worthless option. I just turn it over and avoid the net altogether.

Wonderful when working; doomed to break.