Product Review: Heritage Hammock Essentials Package from Brookstone

Hammocks are popular around the world as a comfortable place to relax outdoors during nice weather. They got their start as a place to sleep for native inhabitants of tropical regions. Naval ships eventually began to use them because they took up little space in the cramped sleeping quarters. If you are looking to purchase a hammock of your own, consider the Heritage Hammock Essentials Package from Brookstone. For $300, you can have your own hammock and a stand for it so you do not need to tie it between two trees.

The four piece set from Brookstone includes a hand-woven rope hammock. There is a pad with removable pillow that you can put over the rope hammock for additional comfort. The pad comes in seven different colors so you can match it to the décor in your yard. The stand is made out of steel so it can stand up to the weather outdoors. There is a wheel kid that you can attach to the stand so it can easily be moved around your yard.

The rope is made out of cotton and the speaders are oak. The pad is covered with weather resistant fabric and the stand is also weather resistant. This hammock is roomy since it was designed for two people and can hold up to 450 pounds. My husband and I weigh about 350 pounds combined and we feel comfortable and safe lying in this hammock together.

We have had our hammock for four years now and it still looks new. We do bring it inside during the winter, but it is outside for about five months a year.

The set is fairly easy to set up. There are no tools required to set up the frame as all the pieces simply click together. The only tricky part is trying to connect the ends of the hammock to the frame, but this problem is easily solved if you can get another person to hold the opposite end. I really like that the stand has wheels so we can move it into the sun or shade easily depending on our preference that day.

To lie down on the hammock, stand next to it as if you were going to sit down. Grab both sides of the hammock with your hands. Sit down slowly and then lay back and slide around so your body is going in the proper direction. This hammock is easy to get into and neither of us has been flipped onto the ground yet. We really enjoy our hammock for relaxing in the backyard during the summer months.