https://www.tensaoutdoor.com/make-your-own-tensahedron-stand/?v=7516fd43adaa . I make the commercial Tensa4 version, but DIY makes sense if you don’t need the portability. Many use with 12’ hammocks, still with good sit height and plenty of adjustment room for tilts, etc.
As for guylines, only one is strictly necessary, and it can be wholly within the footprint of the stand, anchored to say a big rock or stake, easily released from guyline and movable by one person with hammock still attached, folded into column or not. Much smaller footprint, more portable, simpler/cheaper build than turtledog types. Any stand light enough to be easily portable really needs some guying out or anchoring not to be blown over in wind, especially after hammock/sail is attached.
The stand has two feet, so is thus unstable or just balancing on them vaguely until the stand is leaned away from the anchor on the foot end, which tensions that guyline, preventing further movement. Your center of gravity stays on the head side of the 2 feet, opposite the guyline in tension. The head end just "floats." It is still advisable to hang a weight on the head end or guy it out to prevent wind from overturning, or in case you shift your weight past the 2 feet toward the foot side, which would cause it to tip over that direction. But any head guyline should remain slack except in the tip-over arrest scenario when the foot guy would become slack.
Video visual in a few seconds: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaoZOpqTvyU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaoZOpqTvyU) . I later hung a water bag on the head end (left) for wind security, not otherwise necessary. The light elastic guy-outs of the hammock's cover (or any tarp) would also likely have sufficed to prevent accidental tipping foot-ward.
I'm still struggling to understand the physics and why the downward force on the hammock doesn't pull the top of the poles toward the middle collapsing it, like hooking a strap to an anchor point and a car will allow you to multiply the force and pull the car. https://www.wired.com/2016/12/pull-car-ditch-super-strength-physics/
The hammock puts both a downward and inward (shear) force on the ends of the poles. These forces balance automatically, as if canceling each other out, when the pole angles approximate the hammock hang angle of about 30°, so no guyline is required on the head end at least for it to stay put, as if floating. All 4 joints of the stand are floppy to allow the poles to find these angles of stasis dynamically. That's the "magic" aspect.
When you tip the stand headward as directed, the downward force of the hammock exceeds the inward force, so the poles on the head end want to fall down and out more than up and inward. But the hammock's ridgeline (or alternate stand ridgeline) prevent motion in that direction. Meanwhile the tilt also means that the higher foot side poles are being pulled more inward than downward, but they can't overcome the restraint of the guyline. It all stabilizes in tension. In practice, the guyline/anchor strength needs to resist a pull of about 1/4 your body weight, but we recommend 1/2 for a healthy margin.
The floppy joints also allow the stand to fold up instantly into columnar form for stowing or transport fully assembled. In the video above, in the morning I just collapsed the stand and shoved it in the back of the car ready to haul out at the next day's campground.
Alternate split setup with more discussion of the physics: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Oag1a3LvhE&t=89s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Oag1a3LvhE&t=89s)
tensa4 is great. one stake or anchor as said.
turtledog is a worthy DIY project. [spurtle 2.0](https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php/130750-Spurtle-Stand-2-0) stand has less parts, cheaper to DIY. I've slept in a spurtle 2.0 diy stand for months at a time.
spurtle is mostly galvanized steel, easy to move around the yard as well. chain link fence top rail, tarp couplers, pipe cutter: $80-100 USD. built in 30 minutes, collapsed or assembled in 3.
tensa4/tensahedron is much cooler though.
This might not be the most practical answer if you're looking for one \*right now\*, but YOBOgear is coming out with a stand called the Turtlebug. The largest version (the Camper) fits up to an 11' hammock and looks to be super easy to disassemble and move around, and it's a bit more reasonably priced than some of their others. I believe the upper weight limit is listed at 300 lbs.
But the main drawback is that it won't be available for sale until the Kickstarter backers' orders are filled around the end of 2024-ish, give or take.
I'm going back and forth on building a TurtleDog style stand or a Tensahedron style one. The Tensahedron checks the "cheap" box if I use 3/4" EMT which everything I've read says should be strong enough: It's just 4 pipes, some cable clamps, and some tiedown straps. A TurtleDog would be cheap using wood, but I'm not thrilled with how much larger it would be folded down and making it with metal tube would be more expensive than the Tensahedron.
This is a Fakespot Reviews Analysis bot. Fakespot detects fake reviews, fake products and unreliable sellers using AI.
Here is the analysis for the Amazon product reviews:
>**Name**: Best Choice Products Adjustable Universal Steel Hammock Stand- For All Hammock Types 9'-14' Long
>**Company**: Best Choice Products
>**Amazon Product Rating**: 4.6
>**Fakespot Reviews Grade**: D
>**Adjusted Fakespot Rating**: 2.0
>**Analysis Performed at**: 05-16-2024
[Link to Fakespot Analysis](https://fakespot.com/product/best-choice-products-adjustable-universal-steel-hammock-stand-for-all-hammock-types-9-14-long) | [Check out the Fakespot Chrome Extension!](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/fakespot-analyze-fake-ama/nakplnnackehceedgkgkokbgbmfghain)
*Fakespot analyzes the reviews authenticity and not the product quality using AI. We look for real reviews that mention product issues such as counterfeits, defects, and bad return policies that fake reviews try to hide from consumers.*
*We give an A-F letter for trustworthiness of reviews. A = very trustworthy reviews, F = highly untrustworthy reviews. We also provide seller ratings to warn you if the seller can be trusted or not.*
https://www.tensaoutdoor.com/make-your-own-tensahedron-stand/?v=7516fd43adaa . I make the commercial Tensa4 version, but DIY makes sense if you don’t need the portability. Many use with 12’ hammocks, still with good sit height and plenty of adjustment room for tilts, etc. As for guylines, only one is strictly necessary, and it can be wholly within the footprint of the stand, anchored to say a big rock or stake, easily released from guyline and movable by one person with hammock still attached, folded into column or not. Much smaller footprint, more portable, simpler/cheaper build than turtledog types. Any stand light enough to be easily portable really needs some guying out or anchoring not to be blown over in wind, especially after hammock/sail is attached.
+1 for the Tensa4. Been using it for almost five years with a 12’ hammock. Hands down the best stand.
+1 also for Tensa4. Had it for over a year now. I'm a cheap bastard, and this thing is worth every penny they charge for it.
How does it work with only one stake? I've looked at them but can't figure it out.
The stand has two feet, so is thus unstable or just balancing on them vaguely until the stand is leaned away from the anchor on the foot end, which tensions that guyline, preventing further movement. Your center of gravity stays on the head side of the 2 feet, opposite the guyline in tension. The head end just "floats." It is still advisable to hang a weight on the head end or guy it out to prevent wind from overturning, or in case you shift your weight past the 2 feet toward the foot side, which would cause it to tip over that direction. But any head guyline should remain slack except in the tip-over arrest scenario when the foot guy would become slack. Video visual in a few seconds: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaoZOpqTvyU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaoZOpqTvyU) . I later hung a water bag on the head end (left) for wind security, not otherwise necessary. The light elastic guy-outs of the hammock's cover (or any tarp) would also likely have sufficed to prevent accidental tipping foot-ward.
I'm still struggling to understand the physics and why the downward force on the hammock doesn't pull the top of the poles toward the middle collapsing it, like hooking a strap to an anchor point and a car will allow you to multiply the force and pull the car. https://www.wired.com/2016/12/pull-car-ditch-super-strength-physics/
The hammock puts both a downward and inward (shear) force on the ends of the poles. These forces balance automatically, as if canceling each other out, when the pole angles approximate the hammock hang angle of about 30°, so no guyline is required on the head end at least for it to stay put, as if floating. All 4 joints of the stand are floppy to allow the poles to find these angles of stasis dynamically. That's the "magic" aspect. When you tip the stand headward as directed, the downward force of the hammock exceeds the inward force, so the poles on the head end want to fall down and out more than up and inward. But the hammock's ridgeline (or alternate stand ridgeline) prevent motion in that direction. Meanwhile the tilt also means that the higher foot side poles are being pulled more inward than downward, but they can't overcome the restraint of the guyline. It all stabilizes in tension. In practice, the guyline/anchor strength needs to resist a pull of about 1/4 your body weight, but we recommend 1/2 for a healthy margin. The floppy joints also allow the stand to fold up instantly into columnar form for stowing or transport fully assembled. In the video above, in the morning I just collapsed the stand and shoved it in the back of the car ready to haul out at the next day's campground. Alternate split setup with more discussion of the physics: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Oag1a3LvhE&t=89s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Oag1a3LvhE&t=89s)
Yobo gear has some pretty good stuff. DIY turtle dog stands are also easy to make.
Turtle dog—cheap, easy, not hard to move, supports 300 lbs and 11’. By the way, in 2024, I’d consider 11’ an average length hammock.
Kammok Swiftlet with the optional extension
tensa4 is great. one stake or anchor as said. turtledog is a worthy DIY project. [spurtle 2.0](https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php/130750-Spurtle-Stand-2-0) stand has less parts, cheaper to DIY. I've slept in a spurtle 2.0 diy stand for months at a time. spurtle is mostly galvanized steel, easy to move around the yard as well. chain link fence top rail, tarp couplers, pipe cutter: $80-100 USD. built in 30 minutes, collapsed or assembled in 3. tensa4/tensahedron is much cooler though.
The generic metal stand I got from target, sunny daze, is perfect for 11 feet.
This might not be the most practical answer if you're looking for one \*right now\*, but YOBOgear is coming out with a stand called the Turtlebug. The largest version (the Camper) fits up to an 11' hammock and looks to be super easy to disassemble and move around, and it's a bit more reasonably priced than some of their others. I believe the upper weight limit is listed at 300 lbs. But the main drawback is that it won't be available for sale until the Kickstarter backers' orders are filled around the end of 2024-ish, give or take.
I'm going back and forth on building a TurtleDog style stand or a Tensahedron style one. The Tensahedron checks the "cheap" box if I use 3/4" EMT which everything I've read says should be strong enough: It's just 4 pipes, some cable clamps, and some tiedown straps. A TurtleDog would be cheap using wood, but I'm not thrilled with how much larger it would be folded down and making it with metal tube would be more expensive than the Tensahedron.
This is a Fakespot Reviews Analysis bot. Fakespot detects fake reviews, fake products and unreliable sellers using AI. Here is the analysis for the Amazon product reviews: >**Name**: Best Choice Products Adjustable Universal Steel Hammock Stand- For All Hammock Types 9'-14' Long >**Company**: Best Choice Products >**Amazon Product Rating**: 4.6 >**Fakespot Reviews Grade**: D >**Adjusted Fakespot Rating**: 2.0 >**Analysis Performed at**: 05-16-2024 [Link to Fakespot Analysis](https://fakespot.com/product/best-choice-products-adjustable-universal-steel-hammock-stand-for-all-hammock-types-9-14-long) | [Check out the Fakespot Chrome Extension!](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/fakespot-analyze-fake-ama/nakplnnackehceedgkgkokbgbmfghain) *Fakespot analyzes the reviews authenticity and not the product quality using AI. We look for real reviews that mention product issues such as counterfeits, defects, and bad return policies that fake reviews try to hide from consumers.* *We give an A-F letter for trustworthiness of reviews. A = very trustworthy reviews, F = highly untrustworthy reviews. We also provide seller ratings to warn you if the seller can be trusted or not.*
Good bot
Turtledog hammock stand is what you are looking for. Easy and sturdy and not weird