I’m a budget camper, who also happens to be a bit tight at times. It goes without saying then that cost was one of the biggest factors for me when searching for a hammock. I wanted something that didn’t break the bank. Much searching online ended up with me purchasing The Covacure camping hammock. I’ve owned it for five months now and I’m still a very happy customer like many others. I do indeed believe this must be one of the best budget camping hammocks you can buy and I hope to explain why. Let’s do it.
The Price
The Covacure camping hammock cost £21.99 from Amazon. To make a comparison and put that into perspective, the cheapest option at Go Outdoors ( my usual shop of choice ) was just shy of £50.00. This might be a drop in the ocean for some, but for me it was too expensive, when I didn’t know how much I would be using it.
A price of just over £20.00 for a hammock that came with straps, carry bag and mosquito net seemed excellent value for money. I even figured it wouldn’t matter too much if it broke easily or was hardly used. It wasn’t like I was spending much on it. I struggled to find anything much cheaper, which came with the same high recommendations the Covacure did. That was it then. The ‘buy it now’ tab was soon pressed and the fingers were crossed. It seems I needn’t have worried though. I’ve been a very happy customer ever since.
What Is Included
You certainly get plenty of bang for your buck with this purchase. Everything is provided to allow for a successful setup. This is pictured below.
The Hammock Itself
I’ve been very pleased with how robust the hammock has been. As a primary school teacher, I’ve brought the hammock into school many times to use during forest school sessions. Numerous children have climbed on it, swung in it and generally knocked it about a bit. The Covacure camping hammock has stood up to all of this very well and still shows no real signs of wear.
https://animoto.com/play/F21iuqY0l1uWNrSscV2MyQ
As the video clip above shows, the hammock is double sided, so can be used conveniently for day or overnight use. It is also well over seven feet in length when hanging and is more than long enough for my six foot one inch frame. The Covacure is also over one metre wide, so it will accommodate people of all shapes and sizes. Only an NBA centre is likely to find this hammock too small!
Tip: You must be careful to ensure you try not to detach the carabiners from the black hammock straps though. I made this mistake and it ended up being rather difficult to reattach. It is best to see these as part of the hammock and only attach and remove the tree straps from them. This way you’ll have no issues at all.
The Mosquito Net
This is conveniently built in to the hammock and is easily suspended above it with the hooks and cordage provided. It appears to be well made and protected me very well on a recent woodland camp, where there was hardly a breath of wind and the bugs were out in force.
The two zips provided allow for an easy entry and exit form the hammock and perhaps most importantly, the net sits far enough away from your body and face to make it a comfortable place to rest.
The Tree Straps
This was my biggest concern when using the hammock if I’m honest. I’m not the heaviest human in the world at around 80kg, but I am aware that this is still a lot of weight when putting your trust in something that is certainly at the bottom end of the budget market.
The review of the item online states that the straps are designed to hold up to 199kg of weight. I really shouldn’t have been worried then and indeed the straps haven’t failed once. They look built to last and are showing no signs of wear whatsoever.
With each strap measuring three metres in length, it allows great flexibility when choosing your trees to use. Loops at either end of each strap makes it an absolute breeze to put up as well. Clear instructions are provided inside the main plastic bag, but in all truth you probably won’t need them. Simply thread one end through the other loop and then pull it until wrapped around the tree. To reduce the length of the strap, just wrap it around the tree a second time and then attach it to the carabiner.
https://animoto.com/play/XBkj1tVPKVFPz0KJTjripA
Overall Experience
As I’m sure you’ve already worked out, I’ve been very impressed with this hammock. I can’t compare it to any others, as it’s the only one I’ve ever owned, but for me it is serving its purpose brilliantly. I am sure more expensive options are probably better made or offer better internal pockets or longer straps. Is it worth the extra expense though? I’d probably say no. The Covacure has done everything I’ve asked of it and has passed with flying colours each time. When I used it recently on my eventful first night in the woods, I can’t say I had any complaints at all. The low carry weight of 680g was just the icing on the cake for me, as it was so light and easy to carry.
If you’re on the look out for a new hammock and don’t want to spend a fortune, then The Covacure most surely be one of the best budget camping hammocks out there. You’ll surely get your moneys worth and plenty more from this purchase. Happy hammocking!
If you’re interested in purchasing this hammock, then please click this link here.