Outdoors

Multifunctional hammock moonlights as a tent or awning

Multifunctional hammock moonlights as a tent or awning
The Walden hammock is designed to transform into several types of shelter
The Walden hammock is designed to transform into several types of shelter
View 7 Images
The Walden hammock is currently seeking funding on Kickstarter, with pledges starting at US$79
1/7
The Walden hammock is currently seeking funding on Kickstarter, with pledges starting at US$79
The Walden has six tie-down points, with 9 ft (2.7 m) of rope attached to each and built-in pockets to store them
2/7
The Walden has six tie-down points, with 9 ft (2.7 m) of rope attached to each and built-in pockets to store them
The Walden hammock is designed to transform into several types of shelter
3/7
The Walden hammock is designed to transform into several types of shelter
The Walden hammock squashes down into a compression sack for easy transport and storage
4/7
The Walden hammock squashes down into a compression sack for easy transport and storage
Hoisted up, the Walden can be used as a fly line roof or a dining fly
5/7
Hoisted up, the Walden can be used as a fly line roof or a dining fly
The Walden can be hung sideways to act as a sunshade or wind break
6/7
The Walden can be hung sideways to act as a sunshade or wind break
Laid out flat, the Walden hammock measures 10 ft (3 m) long and 6.6 ft (2 m) wide
7/7
Laid out flat, the Walden hammock measures 10 ft (3 m) long and 6.6 ft (2 m) wide
View gallery - 7 images

A tent, a hammock, a rain tarp, and a lean-to are all variations on one theme, but they don't normally stand in well for each other. Rather than packing a whole bunch of different kinds of tarps on your travels, Church Outdoor Gear has now unwrapped the Walden Hammock, with a unique shape that lets it transform into several types of shelter as quick as the weather changes.

As the name suggests, the Walden's primary function is a hammock. Laid out flat it measures 10 ft (3 m) long and 6.6 ft (2 m) wide, and it's made of 70D ripstop nylon with a polyurethane coating, to make it strong and waterproof. When strung up it can support over 500 lb (227 kg), and it's designed with a wide middle panel so you don't have a seam pressing into your back.

But the clever part is the transforming design. Shaped kind of like a stretched kite, the Walden has six tie-down points and a system of channels that let you hang or prop it up in a range of configurations. It sounds a lot like the Treeo, but seems a bit more flexible.

Hoisted up, the Walden can be used as a fly line roof or a dining fly
Hoisted up, the Walden can be used as a fly line roof or a dining fly

Along with the hammock, the Walden can be hoisted up as a fly line roof, provide more shelter as a triangular dining fly or hung up sideways as a sunshade or wind break. On the ground, it can be pitched as a breezy A-frame tent or battened down as a plow point. The team even says it can make for a camping blanket, but we can't see it being too comfy in that role.

True to the spirit of packing lightly, the Walden's tie-down points can be secured with most standard tent or hiking poles and stakes, and each point has 9 ft (2.7 m) of paracord attached that neatly stashes away into a built-in pocket. When it's time to return to the real world, the whole kit and kaboodle crams into a compression sack that weighs just 2 lb (0.9 kg), and has room for straps and stakes.

Church Outdoor Gear is currently funding the Walden hammock on Kickstarter, where it's already passed its US$5,000 goal and raised $8,700, with eight days remaining on the campaign. Pledges currently start at $79 for the hammock alone, while higher tiers add T6 aluminum stakes, kayak straps and trekking poles. If all goes to plan, the Walden is said to ship in August this year.

Check it out in the video below.

Source: Church Outdoor Gear

Walden Hammocks: 3-in-1 Hammock, Shelter, Camping Blanket

View gallery - 7 images
2 comments
2 comments
Doodah
So...it's a tarp?
Lardo
Yea, it's a tarp. But at least it's expensive.