Many people refer to our hammocks as ‘camping hammocks’.  While camping, hiking and backpacking are amazing uses for our hammocks it was obvious to me very early on that the benefits of a Trek Light Hammock go way beyond its applications in lightweight camping.  In every conversation I have with people about Trek Light Gear and hammocks in general one of my goals is to make sure that they realize the millions of ways a lightweight hammock can make their life better.  If you look at our home page you’ll notice right in the middle we ask the question: “What’s your passion?” Next to it is a drop down menu in which you’ll see everything from kayaking to surfing, even work and school.   Each links to a page where you can discover how a Trek Light Hammock can make those experiences better – it’s  amazing how many people will tell me that they only thought to use the hammock for camping until one day realizing that it made for the perfect lunch break power-nap or the ideal place to get some work done with a little wi-fi and a laptop.  Suddenly a Trek Light Hammock goes from being packed away with all the camping gear to something you’ll start thinking about having with you as often as possible!

I’m sure I’ll devote some future blog posts to all the different ways a portable hammock can come in handy, but as I’m starting to plan some trips home for the holidays I started thinking about airline travel in particular.  If there’s one thing that backpacking and airport travel (or trains, buses, etc.) have in common, it’s that you always want to pack as light as possible while making sure that you’ve got what you need to be comfortable and to be prepared.  One of the best ways to do that when traveling of course is to bring items that are multi-use, whether it’s a rain jacket that will also keep you warm if it gets cold, clothing and shoes that you can dress up or dress down, etc.

So what makes a Trek Light Hammock the ultimate travel gear?

First of all, whatever you do, don’t pack it in your checked baggage!  It may seem crazy to you right now to carry around a hammock if you’re just on a boring business trip or if you’re just going home for the holidays, but trust me you’ll be glad you did.  Weighing only one pound, the hammock packs up small enough to easily pack it into your carry-on bag or even your laptop case. Airport delays and cancellations are commonplace these days – I’m sure many of you reading this have spent more than a couple hours sitting in airport chairs wishing you had a place to lie down or get comfortable. So why not string up a hammock?  If you stop and think about it, most airport terminals are filled with pillars, poles and a million other handy places to put up a hammock.  Sure, you might find some airports that aren’t keen on you stretching out and getting comfortable but check out this recent blog post titled “Catching Forty Winks at the Airport“,  along with a quote from an Auckland Airport spokesman:

“While we do not necessarily encourage it in general, Auckland Airport is comfortable with people sleeping here for a night, as long as they are not looking for regular free accommodation.” In fact they even recommend the second floor of the international terminal as the “the quietest spot, with lots of seating for passengers to spread out on … a little darker and easier for them to get a good night’s sleep”

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jganderson/ / CC BY 2.0

There’s even a great resource that’s sprung up on the web, SleepingInAirports.net, which is gathering reviews and input from people all over to help you find creative ways to get comfortable at the airport along with pointing out the airports that are the most supportive of letting you stretch out and get comfortable. Of course, you’re not necessarily planning on having to sleep at the airport, but when that delay or cancellation comes in what’s better than knowing you’ve got a hammock with you to grab some rest? Find a quiet corner and a couple of poles and you’ll be the envy of every weary traveler in the airport.

By now you’re probably thinking “That’s great, but didn’t you say you should bring along items with multiple uses?” Well, guess what? At its most basic form, the hammock still stuffed into its pouch is actually the perfect travel pillow! All you’ve got to do is pick up one of our hammocks to feel how amazingly soft the parachute nylon material is. When packed into the pouch you’ve got a perfectly comfortable, compact travel pillow that you can use to get some rest on the plane, train, bus, etc. and it sure beats stuffing your jacket into a ball!

Even when your travels go smoothly and without delay you’d be amazed at how much a hammock can come in handy on any trip. Got a balcony at your hotel room? Set up the hammock and you’ve instantly turned that boring business trip in a boring hotel into relaxing accommodations that will instantly have you feeling like you’re on vacation and make you wonder why you ever traveled without a hammock before.  (Now, channeling my best infomercial impression): ‘But wait, there’s more!!!’ Budget travel means you’re not always staying in the nicest accommodations, right? Ever been in a hotel or hostel bed where even the ‘clean’ sheets make you think you’d rather sleep on the floor? Well, believe it or not the hammock can also double as a travel bed-sheet liner! All you have to do is remove the small cords at each end of the hammock and you’ve got a 10 ft x 5ft (or 6.5 ft with the Double!) smooth parachute silk nylon blanket to wrap yourself up in and sleep comfortably and without worry!

So, next time you’re getting ready to leave on another trip and you’re running through your packing checklist – remember: underwear, shoes, bathing suit, the clothes on your back and a Trek Light Hammock.

If you’ve got any stories of how Trek Light Gear has made your travels better, let us know in the comments!

If you’re not completely convinced, I’ll leave you with this: Airplanes. Parachute Hammock.  Okay, no, it’s not actually a parachute and it’s definitely not designed to work as a parachute, but as MacGyver always said: It’s better than nothing! (For the record I’m not sure if MacGyver ever said that, but I’m pretty sure a Trek Light hammock would have gotten him out of some jams.  Or at least made him more comfortable while he thought of an escape plan.)

Trek Light Gear’s Facebook page just passed 1,000 fans and we’re ready to give away some great prizes to celebrate! When we’ve given hammocks away on Facebook in the past, we usually just pick a random winner from the list of fans but this time we’re going to do things a little differently.  Going forward we’re going to make sure that we’re actively rewarding our best fans and giving everyone a chance to get involved and stand out from the crowd for a better chance to win.

So to start things off we’re going to do a Facebook Photo Contest.  Unlike our ongoing photo contest you don’t need to already own any Trek Light Gear to get involved, here are the details:   All you have to do is make a sign that says ‘This would be better with Trek Light Gear!’ Big signs may win some points, but you can enter with a napkin, business card, or anything you can think of as long as the words can be read in the photo.  Then, just snap a photo showing us a place or a scene where you’d much rather be hanging out in your new Trek Light Hammock if you had one.   Maybe it’s your cube at work, that scenic overlook on your favorite hike, or just that perfect piece of space on your apartment balcony.   Get creative and show us why everything would be better if you just had a portable, lightweight hammock from Trek Light Gear!

HOW TO SUBMIT: In order to win you must be a fan of Trek Light Gear on Facebook and your picture should be uploaded directly to our Fan Page. (Just click on the Photos tab at the top of the page (or click here to go directly to the photo page)  and you’ll be able to upload your photo to the Fan Photos section.) Updated: To upload your photo, just click on the Photo icon underneath where it says ‘What’s on your mind?’ on the main Wall of our page.  Your photo will be posted to the wall and it will automatically be added to the Fan Photos section.

PRIZES: There will be a Grand Prize winner and a First Place prize.  First Place will receive a Double Hammock and our Rope and Carabiner Hanging Kit, everything you need to turn that dream spot into a reality. The Grand Prize winner will receive  a Trek Light Gear Ultimate Bundle including a Double Hammock, Rope and Carabiner Bundle, an Accessory Pack (including our Bug Free Hammock Shield and our soon to be released Rain Fly) and of course an Eco Tote!

The contest runs through Labor Day and we’ll announce the winners sometime on or after September 7th. You can enter as many times as you want, every picture is a chance to win!  In order to make this a success, we need all the help we can get to spread the word about the contest and get the entries pouring in.  So, please: tweet, retweet, stumble, digg, blog, share, like or whatever you can do to help.  And then step away from the computer and take a picture!

Rhode Island School of Design assistant professor Hansy Better Barraza just received a grant of $1,000 toward installing a giant hammock in Boston Common!  The grant comes courtesy of The Awesome Foundation, a newly founded non-profit with the intent of making micro-grants to fund extraordinary projects.  Or, better yet, in their own words: “The Awesome Foundation for the Arts and Sciences gives monthly $1,000 fellowships to projects that advance the interest of Awesomeness in our universe.” Trek Light Gear couldn’t be happier that they decided to use their first ‘awesome grant’ to bring  a giant hammock to the masses!

According to an announcement on Facebook for the awards ceremony, once the hammock is designed, fabricated and installed the public will be invited to hang out in it free of charge.  From the sound of it, they’ve still got some bureaucratic hoops to jump through in order to get the necessary city permits to hang the huge hammock – but I personally can’t imagine anyone wanting to be the wet blanket that says no to a giant hammock!

If you come across any updates to the story or live in the Boston area and have any pictures of the construction or unveiling of the hammock – let us know!

I came across this article the other day thanks to Google alerting me of all things hammock out in the universe.

The new SnoozePal answers the need for a free-standing cat hammock. It’s made of heavy-duty cardboard, enclosing a comfy hammock for a cat to get into and snuggle. This design gives the cat an elevated spot off the ground; porthole windows enable it to keep watch on its surroundings. The cat hammock box is extremely durable and it’s hard, smooth surface discourages scratching.

Check out the SnoozePal and the ‘Cat Hammock With Wood Stand’ (pictured) at CatAbove’s website.  They also sell replacement hammocks so you don’t have to worry if your cat turns the hammocks into a scratching pad.

In case you didn’t know, today is National Hammock Day.  We decided to celebrate by having a twitter giveaway contest and it’s going on right now! If you’re on twitter, all you have to do is tweet ‘All I want for #HammockDay is a @TrekLightGear hammock!‘.   For every 100 people who enter by sending that tweet, we’re going to pick a winner to receive a FREE Trek Light Hammock!

Don’t miss out on this crazy giveaway, if you’re on twitter make sure you’re following us and if you’re not on twitter go setup an account and maybe your first tweet will win you a free hammock! Help us and yourself by sharing, stumbling and telling your friends about the contest while there’s still time left – the more people you can get to enter the more hammocks we’re going to give away!!

(This is the second in a series of guest posts, this one courtesy of Katie Nielsen.  There’s some great info here, so we certainly hope you’ll get to hear more from Katie soon! If you’d like to join the Trek Light family and be a guest blogger let us know!)

1. Let There Be Light!
   When your older incandescent light bulbs burn out, replace them with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). While the initial purchase price is higher, CLFs are inherently greener: they generally use less power and they last much longer. In fact, CFLs use 75% less electricity than incandescent ones (which can save as much as 5% on your monthly electric bill) and they last 10 times longer (via EnergyStar).
2. Thirst for Tap
   Instead of purchasing bottled water, opt for plain ol’ tap and carry around a reusable water bottle (I’m a big fan of the Camelback BPA-free water bottle). Not only will this significantly cut down on packaging and container waste, it can save you green. In fact, worldwide bottled water sales exceed a staggering $50 billion. If your tap water is less than pure, invest in a water filter to purify it.

3. Don’t Trash Electronics
   Electronic waste, which most often ends up in landfills, contains toxins such as mercury that are harmful to the environment. Contact your local government and inquire about an electronics recycling and hazardous waste program or set up an event if they don’t have one. You can also donate and recycle old electronics when you no longer need them (think donating old cell phones to a women’s shelter).
4. Nay to Paper and Plastic
   Paper and plastic bags are typically discarded after a single trip, contributing to landfills and wasting valuable resources (e.g. trees). Whenever you go out shopping, bring your own reusable bags. Most supermarkets, mass retailers, and drugstores sell them for just a few dollars each. (Editor’s Note: Of course, if you want a reusable bag that’s strong enough to hold over 50 pounds and packs down into a pouch small enough to fit on your key chain – you know where to get it!)
5. It Saves to Conserve
   On gas, that is. Not only is using less gas easier on your wallet, it’s also good for the environment since it’s producing less carbon dioxide. Use less gas by carpooling, using mass transit, or riding your bike to work. If you’re forced to drive, just drive smarter – don’t speed, keep tires properly inflated, and avoid rapid acceleration.
6. Go Paperless
   If you work from home or have a home office, considering going paperless when it comes to business documents. The need to print is almost completely eradicated by using an electronic document management solution. Not entirely convinced? Try this free paperless office ROI calculator, which can show you just how much you’ll improve your bottom line by going paperless.
7. Shop a Farmer
   Spring has officially sprung which also means you’re likely to see the annual farmers’ markets popping up all over town. Supporting local farmers can drastically reduce your carbon footprint since less fuel and packaging is used to provide your daily meals. Plus, the local produce is typically fresher, less expensive, and better tasting.
8. Get Automated
   A programmable thermostat costs between $30 and $100 – a meager price tag when you consider how much in can save you in heating and cooling costs. The thermostat enables you to set a schedule to adjust the temperature so you are not wasting energy cooling or heating your home when no one is there.

As always, you’re encouraged you to leave comments at the bottom of the post, but if you’d like to contact Katie directly you can send her an email or follow her on twitter!

Spring is in the air and it’s time to start taking some photos and submitting them to the Trek Light Gear Photo Contest! To enter your photos just attach them to an email and send them to us here. For full contest rules and details, go here. To get you inspired, here’s a look at the winners from last year:

Contest #1

First Place: Victoria K. from Pinckney, MI

While we certainly don’t ask you to put yourself in an awkward or potentially dangerous position to enter our photo contest, Victoria sent in a great picture of her showing off the strength, size and durability of our Eco Tote Bags – you’ve got to see it to believe it!   We spend every day talking to our customers about how strong and durable the parachute nylon material is that we use in our products, but Victoria has showed us that a picture sometimes says it all.

Victoria has earned herself a $25 Trek Light Gear Gift Certificate for her creativity (and determination)!

Runner-Up: Sandy Kramer of Miami, FL

Sandy also chose to show off a Trek Light Eco Tote in her entry and she showed us just how great of a travel companion they can be.   The photo was taken in the Mexican village of Ajijic (about 45 minutes south of Guadalajara) and, as Sandy put it:

“There was no shortage of background color to show off my Eco Tote”.

We’ll be sending Sandy a Trek Light Gear T-Shirt and we hope she inspires you to bring along an Eco Tote on your next vacation.   Whether you use them for all the shopping you’ll do or even to give away as gifts for the people who offer you hospitality along the way, an Eco Tote is the perfect companion on your next trip.

Contest #2:

First Place: Corey Crespi – Boulder, CO

Corey was so excited to show us his great photo that he brought them right to us at the Trek Light Gear kiosk in Boulder.  Corey is an outdoor lover but he also knows that the outdoors aren’t the only place to enjoy the benefits of his lightweight camping hammock.  Corey tells us he loves that he can relax indoors in the hammock whenever he wants but can also easily take it down when he needs some extra space or when he’s heading out for an outdoor adventure.

Congratulations Corey, you’ve won a $25 Trek Light Gear Gift Certificate!

Runner-Up: Eric Santo – Dublin, OH

Eric sent in this picture from a recent trip to Maui and said he found no shortage of perfect trees right along the beaches to hang out in his Trek Light Double.

“Hanging out in the water is peaceful when the waves are slow, but my new favorite spot to take a break and enjoy the scenery is definitely my Trek Light hammock.   I wouldn’t even think of heading out on another trip without one.”

We’re sending Eric a Trek Light Gear T-Shirt and we’re happy to know that Trek Light’s parachute nylon travel hammock is now a permanent part of his travel gear.

When you take a tropical vacation you shouldn’t have to keep your fingers crossed that you’ll find a great hammock along the way – remember to bring along the lightweight hammock that goes wherever you do and you’ll have the perfect vacation every time!

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Contest #3:

First Place: Amy Cummins in Roatan, Honduras

Amy snapped this great shot of her and her Trek Light hammock in Roatan, Honduras and we love it!   She took the picture while traveling on Jam Cruise in 2007 and said that her Pink and Charcoal Double Hammock was the perfect way to relax during the cruise.   Amy tells us that she’s currently traveling in Australia and SE Asia and to ‘look out’ for some more pictures to come.  Keep ‘em coming Amy!

Congratulations Amy, you’ve won a $25 Trek Light Gear Gift Certificate!

Runner-Up: John Hatteras

John sent in this picture of a recent camping trip and it’s a great example of what makes a Trek Light hammock the ideal piece of gear for your next camping trip.   In John’s words:

“I found this perfect spot to camp right next to the creek, but the terrain was uneven and there wasn’t any flat ground in sight to lay a tent down.  If I didn’t have my hammock with me I would have had to keep hiking and I could have easily spent an hour or more looking for a place to pitch my tent.  Luckily I was able to setup my Trek Light camping hammock in seconds and get a great night sleep in a great spot!”

We couldn’t say it any better ourselves and we’ll be sending John a Trek Light Gear T-Shirt for sending us the great photo and story.

Contest #4

First Place and Runner Up: John and Deb Whitmyer (Colorado)

John and Deb sent us in not one, but three great photos, and instead of choosing one of them they’re all going to be featured as our winning entries for October and November.  The initial email we received from John simply said the following:

“Both my dear wife and I take our Trek’s EVERYWHERE, and there is NOWHERE we can’t set up and chill out.”

As if that weren’t enough, John also sent in the following photo the other day showing his backyard setup:

“Last year, we built a large triangular frame under a huge black walnut tree, and it has become our favorite place to relax evenings and watch the bats come out to “work” our yard.    Three 4 x 4’s, three 2×4’s a couple sacks of Sacrite and wa-la, a very nice spot indeed.”

We’re always trying to tell our customers that you don’t need two trees to hang a Trek Light Hammock and these pictures certainly prove it!

As a special thank you, John and Deb will receive a $50 Trek Light Gear Gift Certificate!!

Courtesy of our friends over at Camping Blogger:

Creative deserts

There’s more to camp deserts than marshmallow s’mores. Baked apples are easy to make, by wrapping in foil and placing on hot coals. For an added treat, core the apple halfway through. Press several caramels into the center and plug the hole with the top of the core. Cooking time is similar to baked potatoes: about 30 minutes.

No-stick marshmallows

Tired of all the marshmallows getting stuck together? Add some powdered sugar to the bag, before you hit the road.

For even more great tips, check out the full blog post here: 10 Tips to Better Outdoor Cooking

This is the first in a series of guest blog posts from readers and friends of Trek Life. The post is written by Bill Anderson who runs a great Canadian outdoors site called Muskoka Outdoors. Bill shares with us a story about his love for eccentric fishing lures that anyone who’s dug through an old tackle box can appreciate.? If you would like to be a guest blogger on Trek Life, please email me and let me know! – Seth

I admit it.

I have contributed to an angling cold war regime. I recently found a partial ‘weapons cache’ in an old tackle box.It was hidden in my basement behind a box of hunting gear. A slightly-rusted, old fishing spoon was the first to tumble out of the tackle box when I accidentally tipped it over. The yellow and red diamond spoon was supposed to slay Lake Trout in Tim Lake.

At least – that’s what I told the guys before the trip. It never caught a thing.

Then, there was an old, white, dollar bin jerk bait that i picked up that looked similar to something I saw on a Bob Izumi show. Once again, I talked it up with the guys on the boat about how great this lure was going to work.

It caught zero fish.

Things just got out of control after that. It became tradition for me to brag about my secret lure as I massed lures of potential mass destruction. Big or small I would buy it and try it. Most did not work.

Some did.

Like a silver walleye diver in Lake Opeongo and a yellow flatfish in Lake Vernon.

Sometimes, I am so convinced in my mind that my secret lure should work, that I will refuse to change it when everyone else has resorted to the ’same-old’ lure/bait presentation. Perhaps, this is what drives me to stockpile a mass of hooks, flashing metals, and scented plastics. The tried and true presentations will always work – but I like to change things up.

Mix things up a little.

Besides, the trash talk about my secret fish offerings make things more fun on the radio and around the camp supper table. The guys expect it now.

“So, can you hook you this ole’ fishing lure dictator up with a little something I can take to the lake with the boys next week?”, I asked the guy in the fishing aisle.

My mind drifted back to reality after I spilled out my long confession to the silent staff member. He took his time taking in all I had just said to him. I continued down the aisle looking for a new secret weapon. Suddenly, out of the blue I heard the staff member say,

“How about this?”

I looked down at the strange looking contraption in his hand, “this has 15 fish attracting surfaces with laser cut hooks and titanium alloy upper body. It smells like leeches in the morning and golden shiner in the evenings. It never snags and instantly retracts its hooks when the fish is in the landing net. It is OnStar ready and can follow a pre-programmed travel path during reel-ins.”

“It’s perfect!” I said and placed it in my cart.

A weapons treaty will have to wait one more year.

Bill Anderson
www.muskokaoutdoors.ca
Hunt Proud. Fish Hard!

Randy Gingras had to make a choice in December: He could either lay off a couple of dozen welders, or he could pay them to build him a couple of palm trees from which he could hang his hammock.

Randy Gingras, we salute you.  Click here to read the full article on Randy.