Part chair, part hammock, the SkyFloat adventure chair could be your ultimate travel companion. It packs up small, carries anywhere and strings up easily into a zero-gravity-style hammock chair wherever you are. Hang it from a single point and while away the minutes and hours in a cozy suspended lounge. Just don't get stuck standing when you could be floating.
Designed by Munich-based startup Element5, the SkyFloat debuts to be a more convenient, portable breed of hammock chair. With inspiration clearly linked to the lightweight tent market, the SkyFloat relies on a multi-segment pole to spread the ends of the fabric into a welcoming seat.
Not only does the light, simple design allow for easy set-up and comfy lounging, it also makes for a portable package that you can take on virtually any everyday trip or all-out adventure. After the initial construction, which takes five minutes or so, all the pieces are connected together into a functional seat. During travel, the collapsible aluminum pole, nylon stretch seat fabric and webbing pack down into a stuff sack, measuring in at 23 x 4 in (58 x 10 cm) and weighing around 2 lb (900 g).
In-field set-up is designed to be quick and simple, taking as little as 30 seconds once you've found an appropriate support, like a tree branch. Unlike a regular hammock, which requires a dual-point set-up, the SkyFloat hangs from a single point. The carabiner clips to the 15-foot (4.5-m) daisy chain that you heave over the support. A separate ceiling mount brings the fun indoors.
Element5 says the key to its comfortable design is the specific shape of its stretchable nylon fabric, which is 75 in long by 39 in wide (190 x 100 cm). You drop into the fabric, and it supports both your back and head. Moreover, the company says the design supports a variety of sitting positions, all without any type of additional frame or adjustment system.
The SkyFloat certainly looks like an intriguing way to sit on the go, and Kickstarter seems to agree. The new hammock chair has soared past its goal multiple times over, raising more than US$65,000. Early bird pledge levels start at €59 (roughly $68), and deliveries will begin in September if everything keeps chugging along as planned. The campaign has just over a week left to go.
Source: Element5
