Product Description : The Roo is the camping hammock, or as the cool kids say "kammok", built for the individual adventurer. Made of a lightweight, tear resistant, and breathable LunarWave fabric, the Roo is designed for those no longer wanting to be bound to the ground. Of course, if you really desire to set up the quickest and most efficient way possible, then you will want to get your hands on the Python Straps. The Roo packs up into its' attached water-resistant pouch, and when compressed, shrinks down to the size of an angry blowfish. Multiple attachment points allow the Roo to easily hang on a backpack, saving the adventurer valuable space while on a kammoking trip. With every Roo purchased, Kammok gives a treated mosquito net or health education to a family in Africa to fight malaria through our partnership with Malaria No More! Kammok is also a 1% For The Planet partner and donates 1% of sales to environmental and sustainable initiatives. VIDEO 1: http://youtu.be/jRVQRCpMGx8?hd=1 VIDEO 2: http://youtu.be/B8HeHQ4Rrxw?hd=1 I have 5 of these now. They're a larger hammock than my GT Parachute Double or ENO Double. The carabiners are a step up from those supplied with either of the other two hammocks. The material is a unique cross-weave ripstop, which is very supple. The stitching is of a better quality than either of the others, too. A great addition to this is their Python Straps, which do not stretch like the ENO Slap Straps. The red is more like a rusty orange. The yellow is a little more faded yellow than the photos.Overall, I think that you'll find this hammock is of a higher quality than the other two. I don't write many reviews, but I am extremely happy with my Kammok and so here I am raving.First off, I love Kammok's corporate values - working to make our planet a better place to live while making a great product.First impressions:This thing is extremely well built. The fabric is soft and the stitching makes it feel high-end. And let's face it, in the hammock camping world, Kammok is a little higher priced than similar competitors, so it *should* feel this nice. Fortunately, it does!First impressions upon using the Roo:My first hang was in my backyard. I'm a fairly experienced camper but I've never used a hammock except for when I was a kid and my parents had one of those old flip-you-over-if-you-lean-too-far-off-center hammocks. So I wasn't quite sure what to expect.After properly hanging my Kammock, I sat down, and I felt like gravity had lessened its pull on me. Once I arranged myself to lay down, I didn't want to get out - the soft fabric, the gentle cradling, the rocking, why don't we sleep in these at night!?Things to keep in mind:The colors of the Roo in the product photos (the one with the guy in the Roo) are not totally accurate. For a better taste of the actual colors, look at the labels on the photos of the stuff sack.The stuff sack:Oh yeah, that reminds me, the Roo is very light and packs nicely in its stuff sack. However, that is the one (minor) annoyance - the double layered stuff sack takes a little getting used to and some "technique." It helps to roll the top down and even buckle it to keep it out of the way. But keep the straps fairly loose or you get a shorter sack (logical, right?) When you pack, put the first half in, then stuff the second but try to keep the biners toward the top. This makes it easier to set up next time. It's also a good idea to mark the ends in some fashion if you have a preference for which is your head and which is for your feet. A small string or little mark with a sharpie works well.Suggested "upgrades" once you get hanging:First off, join hammockforums.net and enjoy the good advice on camping in a hammock. That's where I've learned about things like adjustable ridge lines, which make it easier to get a consistent setup of your Roo as well as giving you a place to hang goodies like lights, a stuff sack with your phone, etc.You'll also probably eventually want a bug net and a rain tarp. There are tons of them on the market and lots of patterns on Hammock Forums if you want to make your own.Things I would change about the Roo:I understand why they use thicker rope for the Roo, but that is also where the Roo is bulkiest. A continuous loop of Amsteel is just as strong (or more) but much less bulky. It also looks really thin, so some people might not feel as safe if it was "standard" on the Roo.The second change I would make - and this is more of a design change Kammok should consider - is to move the stuff sack to the end and turn it into a "Bishop Bag." Basically, a Bishop Bag (named after an HF member) is a stuff sack with a hole on one end that hammock suspension can stick out of. One can then hang the hammock by connecting that end to the tree straps, then simply pulling on the other end's suspension unpack the hammock and connect it. It's simple and brilliant and takes much less time to pack up.Overall I highly recommend Kammok products. When I had one small flaw on my Python Straps and contacted customer service, my response was from the CEO, who fixed the problem promptly. It was awesome!If you are on the fence about hammocks - maybe because you are heavy or just unsure you'll enjoy it - jump in with both feet! Well, not literally, that would be difficult. But buy a hammock and get hanging! Easy to set up. Comfortable. Nice and big. I use this around the city in parks and it is great. Packs up small into its bag and comes with nice carabiners for attaching to webbing around trees.
No comments:
Post a Comment