When you picture a hammock you probably imagine a stretch of fabric strung up between two trees, but lately we're seeing some imaginative ways to let them stand on their own. The aptly named Hang Solo is the latest of these to cross our desk, and uses a lightweight frame to suspend one's existing hammock in just about any location.
The Hang Solo is made by Thunder Domes, a startup that specializes in larger geodesic domes that allow groups of hammocks to hang together. This time around it has fine tuned its approach to produce a smaller version for single-person hammocks and turned to crowdfunding, with environments like music festivals, the beach, balconies and sporting events in mind.
To that end, the Hang Solo is relatively light at 12 lb (5.4 kg), thanks largely due to the 14 aluminum struts that make up the core of the frame. These are joined together by way of seven urethane connector hubs and quick release pins, which apparently allow the frame to be assembled in under five minutes without any tools.
The Hang Solo has a maximum capacity of 250 lb (113 kg) and spans 10 ft (3 m), which Thunder Domes says is enough space to accommodate the majority of nylon and fabric hammocks. These can be hooked up through built-in eye loops with carabiners at either end.
Additional components like a rain fly and bug net can also be latched onto the Hang Solo if some extra protection from the elements is needed. And when it comes time to pack it all down, the various components making up the Hang Solo can be stuffed into a carry bag measuring a manageable 10 x 10 x 32 in (25 x 25 x 81 cm).
Currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign, Thunder Domes is offering the Hang Solo for early pledges of US$165, a price that includes the frame and carry case. A "Glamping" version is available at $265, which will have a rain fly, hammock and bug net thrown in too. The company hopes to begin shipping in May if everything goes to plan.
You can check out the pitch video below.
Source: Thunder Domes
