Amok's flat-bed hammock copes with twists and turns

For generations, the hammock has served as one of the more comfortable ways to relax and sleep outdoors. Though comfy, it's not perfect for everyone. Over the past few years, we've seen a number of tweaks and twists on the classic design, including the Exped Ergo Combi and Hammock Bliss Sky Bed. Amok Equipment presents the latest in its first product – a side-roped hammock that sleeps you flat and lets you sit up.

Hammocks can provide a super-cozy night of sleep far superior to sleeping in a tent on the cold, rocky ground. However, if you're the type that repositions a lot in your sleep, you might find that the cocoon-like space of a hammock restricts, contorts and otherwise makes getting a restful night of shut-eye impossible.

Norwegian start-up Amok Equipment spent much of last year working to solve this problem, and it's nearly ready to release its solution to consumers. The company set out to create a hammock that allows all types of folks to sleep comfortably, whether lying on their backs, sides or stomachs.

Amok's Draumr design uses side straps to make for a wide interior that accommodates an inflatable sleeping pad in a dedicated sleeve. Once tightened and tweaked, the pad lays flat, allowing you to roll around and sleep comfortably in all your normal positions. The Draumr requires the sleeping pad to work as designed, and the pad also offers insulation from the cold air below.

The Draumr can sleep you in the open air, zip out bugs with the included netting and/or shelter you from the elements with the included tarp. The netting can be pulled out and zipped up from inside the hammock, but the tarp requires guy lines and stakes, so you'll have to get out to set it up.

Besides its flat, multi-position sleeping quarters, the Draumr offers a few other advantages. A foot box provides a snug, cozy place to rest your feet, and an integrated cup holder stows your drink of choice. Other interior pockets offer space for small items like your smartphone.

Perhaps the Draumr's coolest feature is the simple adjustment that allows turns into a recliner. With a few tugs of the straps you can go from lying flat, to a relaxed, recliner-like position, to sitting up straight for eating, drinking, etc. So not only is the Draumr a relaxing hammock and suspended tent, it's a camp chair as well.

The Draumr is still a prototype nearing finalization, so certain specs might change. As of now, the full hammock, straps, netting, tarp and stakes package weighs 4.37 lb (2 kg). When you use just the hammock, straps and netting, the weight drops just below 3 lb (1.4 kg). The one-person hammock supports up to 265 lb (120 kg) and is designed to accommodate persons 6.5 ft (2 m) tall.

The Draumr is available for preorder until July 1 for US$379. Deliveries will begin later in July. The package includes the hammock, straps, bug net, stakes and tarp, but not the inflatable mattress, which you'll have to supply separately. Amok says that a large (approx. 77.5 x 25 x 3.5-in/197 x 65 x 9-cm) sleeping pad works best, but a medium (approx. 72 x 20.5 x 2.8-in/183 x 52 x 7-cm) model will also work.

The Draumr is not the cheapest way to camp in the trees, but it does look like a versatile solution for sleeping and hanging out around camp. The two-minute clip below shows the hammock's highlights.

Source: Amok via The GearCaster