If you need a portable hammock stand, I urge you to consider the Swiftlet by Kammok. It’s truly portable and well designed for easy assembly. You no longer need the perfect pair of trees to hang your hammock.
I purchased the hammock stand from REI to easily put up a hammock on my porch or anywhere in the back yard. I also plan to take it car camping and on trips to the beach. It’s a great addition to my outdoor gear.
Hammock Compatibility
My main concern with the stand was compatibility with my existing hammocks. I have several, so I didn’t want to purchase a new size hammock just to use with this stand. Fortunately this isn’t a concern.
The stand is designed for 10 ft hammocks such as Kammok’s Roo Jr. or Roo Double XL. Fortunately it’s very adjustable for other lengths. I tested it with both shorter and longer hammocks. The Eno Doublenest (shown in my photos) is approximately 9 ft long and it works perfectly. I also tried my 11 ft Chameleon camping hammock which also works well if I remove the ridgeline (see issues section below).
Hammock Stand Portability
The hammock stand is lightweight with a portable design. The aluminum frame makes it light and will also prevent rusting. At 15 lbs, you can move it around easily even after it’s set up. The stand breaks down and packs into a convenient padded travel bag. Unlike the inexpensive hammock stands on Amazon (which bolt together) you can put it in any vehicle easily. For car campers, the small package will save space for other gear.
I’m impressed with the versatility of this stand. You can use it anywhere – sandy beaches, soccer fields, apartment patios. It even handles uneven surfaces farily well. In addition to using it outdoors, the stand works well inside also. Set it up next to a window and enjoy a good book when it’s unbearably hot or raining outside.
Chair Mode
The swiftlet stand has the option of converting your hammock to a chair which is a unique feature. It’s comfortable, especially if you can sit with your legs folded in the hammock. Imagine using it indoors for board game nights. If you want sit with your back against the hammock side arm, be sure to tighten up the hang or it will dig into your back.
How to Assemble Hammock Stand (It’s Easy)
The stand is simple to assemble and intuitive. But the instructions are sewn into the bag if you need some help. The stand comes in 7 parts. There are 4 feet, two side arms, and a bar which connects the two arms. In the photo here, you see both a long and short bar which allow you to set up the hammock in “lounge mode” (the way you normally hang hammocks) or chair mode.
Slide the ends of the feet into each side arm and press the quick release buttons down to lock them in place. It’s possible to push them in too far – one of the silver pins should stay outside the arm. Don’t slide both push pins in or it’s harder to remove them later.
The side arms are freestanding once the feet are attached, so you can simply tilt them over to connect the bar along the bottom.
Connect your Hammock to the Stand
To connect your hammock you don’t need any straps or suspension systems. You only need two carabiners to clip the ends of the hammock to the stand loops. These adjustable points move up and down to adjust the hammock hang. It’s easiest if you slide the connection hook up to the top of the side arm so you have plenty of slack. Then slide the hook down until the hammock is positioned with the height you like. Longer hammocks will use the lower positions.
The fabric of your hammock should lay over the U shaped cradle at the top of each side arm. This setup causes the hammock to hang a little differently than normal. I find it’s nice because there is less tension in the fabric edge which makes it more comfortable to sit sideways.
Packing up the Swiftlet Hammock Stand
Most bags for camping gear are barely big enough to stuff the gear in with a lot of effort. The Swiftlet’s included travel bag is a feature to brag about. The bag has pockets and loops to hold each part and plenty of space for everything and has a comfortable shoulder strap. There are even packing instructions on the back of the assembly instructions – complete overkill but great attention to detail! Bag is cool – fits easily in bag, has holders for each section and printed packing instructions attached to bag
Swiftlet Hammock Stand Issues
While the Swiftlet is pretty awesome, it does have some issues. Most of the issues only apply to hammock camping and are not a concern for casual lounging.
Hammock Stand Cost
Let’s face it, this stand is expensive. You are paying for portability and the ease of setting it up when you are camping, visiting the beach, or moving it around. If you just want a stand for the backyard or porch, there are less expensive options.
Ridgeline Issues
The stand just doesn’t work with fixed hammock ridgelines. Because the stand changes the length of the hammock hang, the ridgeline of my camping hammock sags to the point of being worthless. If you try to move the hammock to the next adjustment setting, the ridgeline is too short to allow it. It should work with an adjustable ridgeline, but I haven’t tried it yet. Kammok brand hammocks do not have ridgelines.
Shortened Hammock Hang
The stand shortens the natural hang of all hammocks. This is fine for lounging, but if you want to lay more flat for hanging, you have less room to lay at an angle. The optional extension helps by connecting both the short and long bars to lengthen base. This gives you the perfect hang for a 10 ft hammock. Just keep in mind that longer hammocks will still have a shorter hang, and the Eno won’t fit without additional suspension.
Tarp Support
If you want a tarp for camping in your hammock, you need to purchase the Shade Kit accessory. This adds telescoping poles which will support some types of tarps. The poles feature a pin which you pass through a grommet in the end of the tarp. You can buy the kit with an optional shade tarp and it’s compatible with Kammok’s Kuhli tarps (except Kuhli XL).
The Kuhli is 144 in (12 ft) long while the Kuhli XL is a massive 16ft 6 in long. The angle of the poles rotate (it’s not clear how much) so I suspect tarps up to 12 ft are compatible if they have connection points at the end of the ridgeline. There is no information if longer tarps might work, and I haven’t purchased the kit to test it with longer lengths.
Kammok Hammock Stand Accessories
Several accessories are available for the Swiftlet hammock stand. The accessories are only available on Kammok’s website. I don’t have any currently but will update this section if I try them.
Swiftlet Cup Holder
Cup holders are nice but features, but I have my doubts about this one. It clips to the side arm of the stand which is very difficult to reach while you are lounging in the hammock. It could be nice in chair mode, but otherwise it doesn’t look useful.
Swiftlet Extension Bar
The extension bar increases the length of the hammock stand to give you the full length hang of a 10 ft hammock. I consider it essential if you want to sleep in the hammock or us it for hammock camping. Unfortunately it’s been out of stock for the last two months so I’ve been unable to try it.
Swiftlet Shade Kit
The shade kit is available with or without a shade tarp. This is another essential for hammock camping although I recommend a wider tarp for camping.
Swiftlet Hammock Stand Bundles
Kammok has several bundles available. They all include a Roo Double hammock with the stand and accessories, so they may or may not be a good deal for you depending on what hammock you already have or want.
