There's an ethical hammock company based in Bali making products in all the colours of the rainbow. And they're called Ticket to the Moon for some reason. It sounds like the kind of thing many serious outdoor-folk might not take seriously. But should.
We tested the Lightest Pro Hammock, which as the name suggests is the most minimal iteration of their pro-level hammock. Yes, they make yellow and blue hammocks for travellers to lounge in at the beach. But they also make this: A really well-designed sleep system made of parachute nylon and weighing only 550 grams (without some necessary accessories - more on that below). With built-in insect protection (which is nonetheless stowable if not needed), incredibly quick setup time, and 100kg rating, this is not a surf-bum's novelty item.
The design is superb and obviously comes from years of hammocking experience which has revealed the details that make a difference; zips that glide easily, internal access to ridgeline storage pocket (for phones and other personal items) and the whole thing integrated into a single piece which makes it super-easy to hang.
The exception to that last point is the attachment system, which is bought separately. While it's slightly irritating that such an integral part isn't included, it does mean you have choice over the hanging system. Either a more common daisy-chain strap, or the superb Lightest Strap, which consists of some kind of coated polyester rope in a daisy-chain form, weighs under 100g and takes up a tiny amount of space in a pack. At £25 it's not a deal breaker, and is pleasingly minimalist.
On the other hand, the Lightest Tarp - at £120 and around 400g - does seem a little on the pricey side for something which is a fairly essential component for camping. But given its size and weight, it compares pretty favourably to the market. Equally, many campers will already have a tarp that is perfectly usable, so keeping it as an optional extra makes sense.
This isn't the cheapest hammock set-up out there, but it's among the lightest (and of course the brand offers other models). And the ethics of Ticket to the Moon include fair working conditions in their Indonesian factories - lots more info on their website.
This adds even more value to a product that deserves to be up there with the market leading products in the hammocking field.
