If you’re in a rush and want to find out what the best collapsible hammock stand is, we recommend the Tranquillo Universal Hammock Stand.
When it comes to relaxation, there are few things that beat swinging in a hammock while soaking up the sun. But if you’re like me, you’ve probably looked out over the desert, a barren mountain top, or even your own patio and thought, “It’s a shame I can’t put a hammock here.”
Thankfully, hammocking doesn’t need to stay confined to forests or other locations where there are two trees in close proximity. A collapsible hammock stand is a great option for relaxing in style wherever your adventures may take you.
In this article, we’ll be reviewing the following collapsible hammock stands:
- Amazon Basics Heavy Duty Hammock Stand
- ENO Nomad Hammock Stand – Best Lightweight Stand
- Tranquillo Universal Hammock Stand – Best Overall
- Best Home Fashion Portable Hammock Stand
- VITA5 Double Hammock Stand – Best Hammock with Stand
- ENO SoloPod XL Hammock Stand – Editor’s Choice
Why Get a Collapsible Hammock Stand?
When buying a hammock, you probably have a list of places in mind where you want to string it up, sit back, and enjoy the views and the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves. Or, if you’re like my best friend, perhaps you bring your hammock with you every time you go on a hike in hopes of finding that perfect spot to set up camp for a few hours.
Whatever the case, when you think of hammocking, you probably imagine swinging between two trees. But honestly, since hammocks are so comfortable, why would you limit such a relaxing pastime to that specific environment? You might find yourself in a location that doesn’t have any trees, or maybe you want to create a cozy rest area in your home.
A collapsible hammock stand can solve these problems by providing a durable, yet portable, apparatus for you to attach your hammock to. It’s certainly not the same as doing it out in the forest, but for hammocking in a pinch, there’s nothing better to have.
Materials
Hammock stands can be made from a variety of materials. You’ll often find quaint wooden hammock stands on people’s porches, or in their backyard, acting as their own form of decoration in addition to their functionality. This style does tend to be more expensive, though, and isn’t the sort of item that’s very easy to move from one place to the next. Aesthetically, it can’t be beat, but that’s about the only thing going for it, in my opinion.
You’ll also find collapsible hammock stands that are made out of metal poles. These often cost about half the price of a wooden hammock stand, are easier to transport, and are more durable against the elements. You have to remember that hammocks are traditionally used for lounging outdoors, which means the collapsible hammock stand needs to be made from a material that’s capable of withstanding rough weather and intense sunlight.
Ease of Setup
If you’re looking for a collapsible hammock stand, that means you’ll likely need to put it together and take it apart frequently. As part of your considerations, you’ll need to take the weight of the hammock stand into account, as they can often be in excess of 200 pounds. Don’t worry, though, not all of them are that heavy. In the review below, we’ll talk about plenty of options that fall in the 20-50 pound range instead, making it easier for you to transport your setup wherever it needs to go. They can be fairly minimalistic, but if you value portability over style, then I think you’ll find a few that will meet your requirements.
In addition to weight, it’s also important to stay conscious of the hammock stand’s joints. The places where individual pieces connect to each other are the weakest, so it’s crucial that you make sure the poles have actually locked into position and the clips are secure. After all, crashing to the ground after hopping onto your hammock is the opposite of relaxing!
Storage
The downside about hammocking is that it isn’t as easy to store your extra gear in a safe, protected location. With a tent, you can either keep you belongings inside the shelter or covered by the vestibule, but hammocks don’t really provide convenient nooks like these.
One option you can consider is attaching a smaller hammock underneath the one you’ll be reclining in. This is a popular setup for hammock campers, but it works well even if you aren’t looking to go off the beaten path too much. Some collapsible hammock stands are able to accommodate this extra storage space better than others, while a few options actually have a tarp built in for this purpose. You’ll want to avoid the type that has a tarp built in if you value portability, though, as that style tends to be significantly heavier.
Cost
Collapsible hammock stands come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and prices. It’s pretty easy to find stands that cost several hundred dollars, simply because they come from a well known brand, have interesting features of designs, or claim to be longer lasting than their competitors. The old adage of “you get what you pay for” certainly applies, but there are plenty of cheap options out there that still get the job done wonderfully. So don’t feel like you need to break the bank in order to get a decent product – you’ll find it’s surprisingly easy to purchase a good hammock stand for under $100.
Best Collapsible Hammock Stand Reviews
Amazon Basics Heavy Duty Hammock Stand
- Material: Steel
- Weight: 24.5 Pounds
- Weight Capacity: 400 Pounds
We’ll start off with the bare bones, cost effective option from Amazon. There’s really not too much to say about it overall – the steel tubing is sturdy, and the black coating gives it a sleek finish. It is worth noting that there is a 400 pound weight limit, so be careful about how many people you pile onto it at one time.
It is quite sturdy, however, and the adjustable sockets make it easy to extend or retract the poles to fit the perfect length to accommodate your hammock. You’ll notice that there isn’t much substance to this collapsible hammock stand altogether, but this can be quite nice if you’re planning on lugging it from place to place and you don’t want all the extra frills and features. Its marketed weight is about 25 pounds (though I’ve found that it’s actually a bit heavier than that), and comes with a convenient carry bag for easy travelling.
Pros:
– Simple and straightforward design
– Fairly lightweight
– 400 pound weight limit
– Portable
– Adjustable poles
Cons:
– Manufacturing errors seem common. Sometimes the poles are too fat to slide where they need to go.
ENO Nomad Hammock Stand
- Material: Steel
- Weight: 18 Pounds
- Weight Capacity: 300 Pounds
As arguably one of the most popular hammock brands out there, it’s only fitting that ENO would have a few stand options. While they have many different products to choose from, including an apparatus that can accommodate up to 3 hammocks, the Nomad is one of the better choices for someone on the go.
It might look pretty large when it’s all set up, but you might be surprised to know that it only weighs a meager 15 pounds. For a high quality collapsible hammock stand, I don’t think you’re going to find anything lighter than this. You can thank the durable aluminum poles for the reduction in weight, in addition to the shock resistant plastic and shock cords.
As you might have guessed, an ENO hammock stand isn’t going to be the cheapest option out there. However, for a well made, lightweight product from a brand known for doing quality work, I’d say the price is worth it – especially knowing that you’ll probably never need to buy another stand again.
Pros:
– Exceptionally lightweight
– Portable design with custom carry case
– Durable materials
– Easy to put together
– Can withstand 300 pounds of weight
Cons:
– It’s a large design that takes up a lot of space
Tranquillo Universal Hammock Stand
- Material: Steel
- Weight: 27.9 Pounds
- Weight Capacity: 550 Pounds
“Durable” may be an understatement when referring to this collapsible hammock stand by Tranquillo. Made from powder electro static coated steel, it’s an incredibly sturdy product that can comfortably hold any weight up to 550 pounds. However, despite using steel as the primary material, you might be surprised to discover that this hammock stand only weighs about 30 pounds, so you can easily slide it around the yard or transport it to some other location.
The rubber feet help to stabilize the contraption, and the ball bearings make for smooth swinging. When you’re rocking back and forth in the hammock, you won’t hear any obnoxious squeaking, helping you to focus on the other, natural sounds around you.
If you don’t have your own hammock yet, this is a great “all in one” option for you. The stand comes with its own polyester hammock net that can accommodate 2 people with a fair amount of comfort, but don’t worry, you don’t need to use it if you don’t want to. You can easily unclip the attached hammock and add your own for a more personalized approach.
Pros:
– Incredibly sturdy
– Fairly lightweight
– Easy to transport
– Comes with its own hammock net
– Noiseless design
Cons:
– Though it comes with notches that allow you to raise and lower the height of the hammock, sometimes these haven’t been punctured all the way through, making them useless
Best Home Fashion Portable Hammock Stand
- Material: Steel
- Weight: 19.3 Pounds
- Weight Capacity: 300 Pounds
Another collapsible hammock stand that comes with its own hammock, this product by Best Home Fashion has many of the same features as the one by Tranquillo – but for a fraction of the cost. It doesn’t hold as much weight, and it’s not quite as durable, but for almost half the price, it’s not a bad entry level hammock stand.
Also like the Tranquillo, this product also comes with its own hammock net, if you don’t happen to have your own already. It’s a polyester mesh that’s incredibly breathable, so you can leave it outside in bad weather without worrying about water pooling inside of it. The material is pretty sturdy, and doesn’t have as much give as what you might normally find in a hammock, but it’s comfortable nonetheless. And if it’s not your style, you can easily switch out the hammock net with your own, for that more personalized feel.
It might not be the highest quality hammock stand that we’ve talked about in this review, but for an affordable option that gets the job done, it’s hard to do better. At only 20 pounds, it’s fairly lightweight as well, making it easy enough to carry from place to place.
Pros:
– Affordable
– Lightweight
– Comes with it’s own hammock
– Sturdy material
– Portable carry case
Cons:
– The hammock net is a bit stiff
– Tends to hang a bit low to the ground
VITA5 Hammock Stand
- Material: Steel
- Weight: 44.2 Pounds
- Weight Capacity: 450 Pounds
The perfect balance of comfort, affordability, and convenience, this hammock stand by VITA5 is a well rounded product. To start, it comes with it’s own table, as you may have noticed in the picture, which is the height of luxury when you’re in a hammock. No more needing to slip in and out of your comfy cocoon every time you want a drink!
The hammock that comes with the stand is also made entirely from cotton, which tends to be a bit more comfortable to snuggle into than polyester. Again, like all the stands I’ve mentioned, you’re more than welcome to switch out your own hammock in place of the one that comes included.
The length of the stand is adjustable, and the steel poles are sturdy and durable. It does weigh a bit more than some of the other items mentioned above, coming it at about 35 pounds, but it’s still not too bad. Once you pack it into its carry case, it shouldn’t be too much of a struggle to get this collapsible hammock stand where you want to go.
Pros:
– Comes with its own small table
– Sturdy and durable construction
– Comfortable cotton hammock is included
– Easy to assemble and disassemble
– Double hammock stand design
Cons:
– A bit heavy
– Weatherproofing could be better
ENO SoloPod XL Hammock Stand
- Material: Steel
- Weight: 89 Pounds
- Weight Capacity: 400 Pounds
It’s big and it’s heavy, but the ENO SoloPod XL hammock stand sure is sturdy. Made entirely out of steel, the SoloPod can withstand up to 400 pounds of weight, and more than a little harassment from weather systems passing through. Nothing short of a tornado would budge it, due to the 89 pound weight, but that also means that you might have a hard time moving it too. I’d definitely recommend enlisting the help of a friend when you’re ready to find a permanent home for this stand.
The stand itself is also easy to put together, and it doesn’t require any tools to do so. You can put any ENO hammock on it, in addition to any other hammock that’s less than 14.5 feet long, providing a great deal of versatility. Much of this is thanks to the chain links that give you the ability to accommodate hammocks of various lengths.
While it is a pain to put together, I do believe that the SoloPod is an excellent choice for a hammock stand that you want to set up permanently. Just make sure you have enough space for it in your backyard (or in your house, if you want). Since it comes in at a whopping 15.5 feet long, it would be a bummer if you got it, just to realize that it won’t fit anywhere on your property.
Pros:
– Highly durable
– Big and spacious
– Can accommodate a wide range of hammocks
– Looks nice
– Tool-free construction
Cons:
– A little tricky to put together
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Final Thoughts
While most hammocking is done between two trees, sometimes you just want a little more variety in the locations where you can relax. Collapsible hammock stands give you the flexibility to bring your hammock to some outdoor venues that wouldn’t otherwise be possible – or to just swing gently inside the comfort of your own home.
Regardless of your dream setup, a good hammock stand should be sturdy and durable enough to keep you comfortably suspended off the ground. You also need it to weigh as little as possible, so that you can have an easier time transporting it from one location to the next. With these requirements in mind, the Tranquillo Universal hammock stand took the cake for me. Strong and lightweight, it also takes care of some of the finer details that other products missed, such as rubber feet for added stability, and a design that promotes noise free swinging.
