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Welcome to my Guide on Mexican/Mayan Hammocks
Mexican hammocks are the most comfortable style of hammock on earth. The supportive feeling of the triplewoven cotton bed which is designed to lie crossways or diagonally on, is unmatched compared to other hammock styles. I promise that once you've tried a Mexican hammock, you'll never use anything else. I am attempting to develop a nice helpful and informative guide which at the moment is a work in progress and will be updated, improved and revised as I go along!
As one of the oldest hand crafted hammock designs in the world (dating back almost 1000 years), Mexican hammocks are expertly woven with a unique triple weave method that is the unique trademark of the Mexican hammock and offers the ultimate in comfort and weightlessness. The Mexican hammock industry is based in Merida the capital city of the Yucatan Peninsula, The people of this area sleep in hammocks instead of traditional beds for several reasons. First, hammocks are extremely easy to store in the daytime opening up floor space for other activities and secondly, they provide excellent ventilation for sleeping on hot summer nights.
How They Are Made
Our hammocks are are hand woven on looms using 100% cotton cord with nylon end strings for added strength. This makes it a strong, yet comfortable hammock that will mould to your body when you sit or lie in it.
The Mayan hammocks are woven on are vertical looms. The loom consists of two vertical, cylindrical posts with two horizontal crossbars. The loom is about 6 feet wide and 6 feet tall. First the loom is warped, during this process much of the twine used in the hammock is wrapped around and around the looms vertical posts. The rest of the thread is wrapped around the weaving shuttles.
Next, the weaving process begins. The first thing that is created is the crochet reinforcement seen on the edges of the woven bed. This reinforcement helps the hammock bed to keep its shape. A good large hammock will have up to 20 rows of this reinforcement. Sometimes nylon is used, even for cotton hammocks.
The next step is to interweave the yarn on the shuttles with what is wrapped around the hammock loom. Now it is time for the skill of the weaver to shine. Infinite patterns can be created by switching colours and weaving them into the hammock in a repetitive process. Sometimes, no particular pattern is followed, resulting in very wild looking Mayan hammocks.
During the weaving process it is very important to keep a constant, uniform tension on the warp. If the tension is too tight then one part of the hammock it will have a lump, or be too soft, and the hammock will have a dip. Improper tension is a sure sign of an inexperienced weaver. Many people believe that this is the most difficult part of learning to weave hammocks.
The work involved in creating a brilliantly designed hammock is considerably more because when the colour switches there is a pause in the weaving to tie the knots together. The more knots the more time involved to weave the hammock. This is why there is frequently a tendency for mass producers to create less complex designs. Fortunately there are still some quality producers in Mexico like the women of the Yucatan making fine Mayan hammocks in the old ways and designs.
After the hammock bed has been woven it is time to attach the endstrings as they are sometimes called. Again, proper tension is critical. It is very important that of all the endstrings are exactly the same length. If improperly done the hammock will have humps or dips. The endstrings are warped in a continuous manner and after the outermost parts will be bundled and wrapped tightly together to form the hammock loop, or wrist as it is called.
The woven beds are taken off the looms and carefully saved until a quantity of hammocks is ready to be strung. Then they are taken to the specialist to be all done at once.
Supporting Local Mayan Women Artisans
The majority of Mexican hammocks are made by Mayan women who keep this artisan skill alive by working at home. This way they can continue to look after children, keep house and contribute to running the household. Our hammocks have all been purchased at a fair price from workers living in small remote villages around the Yucatan Peninsula and are of the highest quality.
 
The benefit of the unique diamond-shaped triple weave of the Mexican hammock is that it adjusts its shape to comfortably contour to the body. The hammocks do not put pressure on the body’s pressure points instead providing evenly distributed support and comfort.
 
Jumbo above left and King Right
A standard cotton Mexican hammock is normally woven from a lovely range of bright multi-coloured cotton, some are mixed interwoven stripes and some solid colour stripes. You can also find hammocks in plain colours with one of the most popular of these being the natural cotton. I never quite know exactly what I am going to find when I open my hammock sacks from Mexico, so if you like what you see, snap it up as colour combinations come and go and some never seem to arrive back again!
  
Standard Cotton Hammocks
Making Sure you buy a Quality Hammock
Whilst Mexican hammocks are of a generally high standard, like most things, there can be disparities in size and quality and some hammocks are being made with a looser weave than is recommended for ultimate comfort and longevity.
With the export market on the increase, the need to be more competitive in price is driving down the quality of some hammocks. These hammocks are of a lesser quality as they have been produced with a looser weave. A loosely woven hammock will snag easier as well as feel less supportive as the strings will stretch out faster. Looser weave hammocks take much less material to make so it can be done cheaper and sadly most people who buy them never know, but it is the reputation of the quality hammocks that suffers.
Mexican hammocks are not especially expensive, but you do get what you pay for. Another reason to try and avoid the cheaper, poorer quality hammocks is that pressure for cheaper items is driving down the overall quality of centuries old craftsmanship which in turn devalues the worker’s sense of self worth and pride in their craft.
Another thing to look for is the end strings connect the bed of the hammock to the hanging loop. A hammock with more end-strings has more points for weight distribution, a quality hammock should have around 200 end-strings and very few knots and no loose strings.
As well as the standard cotton weave hammock which is the industry standard, the 'Gross Cord or Jumbo Cord' hammocks are becoming popular. These are a relative newcomer to the Mexican hammock industry and are good for a bit more rough and tumble than the finer ones.
Jumbo Cord hammock, for more robust hammock action!
 
This year, I am also getting some stock of the OSO Lux and SuperLux hammocks. These are made from mercerised cotton thread. The OSO Lux cotton hammock is woven with the same size thread as the standard cotton hammocks, but are slightly more silky to the touch and the weave is just slightly tighter woven then the standard, in addition, the colours are deeper and a little more vibrant than the standard cotton hammocks. The SuperLux Crochet hammocks are simply a Mexican hammock aficionado's dream. The mercerised cotton thread is much finer than the OSO Lux and standard cotton hammocks, and the resulting weave is much tighter and takes weavers a full month to complete.
Both the Lux and SuperLux are more expensive than the standard cotton, however, if you are looking to make a move upwards on the Mexican hammock chill out scene, then try one out! Because the The Super Lux Crochet and the OSO Lux are made from mercerized cotton, they are up to 5 times more resistant than standard cotton, although care must be taken with the crochet hammock not to snag the fine threads. The Lux is available in three sizes (Queen, King, Jumbo) and the SuperLux Crochet is available in the King size. I plan to keep just a few of these in stock at a time, but they can also be ordered in a specific colour-choice on request. Normally 6 weeks turnaround. As far as I know, I am the only importer of the Lux & Super Lux crochet hammocks into Europe as my supplier has developed the cord themselves. I have never seen the fine SuperLux Crochet hammock available for sale in Europe either. either. I have just a few of these hammocks in stock now as they are currently being shipped to me and should arrive for late May, early June.
 
Lux Hammock SuperLux Crochet Hammock
Browse our Mexican Hammocks!
Hammock Sizes
Finding the right hammock for you can be confusing, hopefully the following overview will give you an idea of what size hammock would suit your needs. The size of your hammock is going to be the biggest factor in determining the comfort level you achieve. You will frequently see Mexican hammocks advertised by the amount of people they can hold. This can be a bit misleading because a small hammock can hold a surprising amount of weight and bodies but in order to do that it will be stretched tight and not feel comfortable. On the other hand, one person can sit in the largest hammock in total comfort and not feel like they are being swallowed up by a bunch of extra hammock!
I would personally recommend you going for the biggest hammock you can afford. Why do I recommend this? The Mexican hammock is woven with an open style that allows the hammock to expand and contract freely. This means that larger size hammocks will provide more strands in the same amount of space when stretched out to your body's length. For example: A 6 foot tall person will have to stretch a single hammock all the way out like a net to lie in it while a super-king size will open effortlessly and the weave will remain so tight the hammock looks and feels like a solid piece of cloth.
A General Guide to Mexican Hammock Sizes available :
Doing my research on hammocks in order to prepare my listings, I was a little confused and then even more confused as there doesn't seem to be any particularly consistency to hammock sizings. Large, XLarge, Jumbo, Family, Standard, Double, Matrimonial, and so on. I have no idea why there are so many disparities as the hammocks are produced to fairly standard sizing, so the best way to establish what 'real' size you are getting, is to ask for the approximate weight of the hammock (if it is not already stated). This will then give you an fairly firm idea of where you are with the hammocks. The weights I have included in my size are however a general guideline as each hammock is individual and the weights do vary from hammock to hammock within each size group.
Jumbo Hammock pictured above
Jumbo Hammocks - approx 1.8KG
These are the largest hammocks generally available (although there are some super Jumbos around here and there which I stock when I can get hold of them) and they are as comfortable as you can get with a Mexican Hammocks. Just because they are the biggest, doesn't mean they are too big for one person either. This is the perfect size if you are just plain greedy for comfort, or alternatively, this can fit a family of four quite comfortably! (Two adults and two small children) The open weave design can open as wide as 12 feet. If using for just one or two, the weave is hardly stretched so your hammock will feel like a solid piece of cloth and will also provide for a little extra weave to throw over your legs or wrap yourself like a cocoon on a breezy day. If you plan to spend to spend a lot of time in your hammock or are replacing your bed then we recommend you choose the Jumbo or King as a minimum size.
Family / King - approx 1.5KG
All the support you need for one to three people! If you plan to share your hammock with a friend or loved one, I recommend the Family size. This is also a great size for one. Like the Jumbo, the weave will be put under less pressure than a Queen or Double if being used by just one person. So you are looking for a hammock offering you the best overall value in comfort and size the King / Family size is the way to go. A Family size is also good for overnight sleeping.
Queen / Matrimonial - approx 1.3KG
This is a good size for those on a budget who want to use the hammock for themselves and maybe an occasional visit from a friend. size. Traditionally woven for two people, but usually two Mayan people who are quite compact compared with some of us from the West! The woven bed expands as wide a 7 feet, yet is still compact enough to take along on a camping trip or picnic. Speaking from personal experience, this is the smallest size I would be willing to select for personal use to get maximum comfort.
 
Queen above left and Double right
Double - approx 1KG
The double is a great size hammock for travelling. A compact, lightweight model that still opens over 5 feet wide, making it suitable for camping and hiking. This is a great hammock to buy as an introduction to the Mexican style hammock but be warned - once you feel the ultimate comfort that Mexican hammocks offer you may find you want to move up to a larger size.
Single - approx 750grms
Single size Mexican hammocks are great for use with young children old enough to use the hammock without supervision. Please remember that smaller children must ALWAYS be supervised using a hammock. For adults this hammock may feel a little cramped so adults should consider a larger size. Single hammocks are great for travelling or for use in a summer house; they also make great storage for soft goods like sleeping bags, stuffed animals, bean bags, and pillows. We currently don't stock the single size hammocks.
Browse our Mexican Hammocks!
Getting the Hang of Your Hammock
The most ideal situation for the hanging of a hammock is between two trees with a hanging distance of around 15-20ft, with 30ft being about the maximum distance I would recommend. The key point to remember if you have less than 15ft is to ensure that there is enough hanging distance so that when hung, your hammock has no more than a gentle curve in the middle of the cotton body. The flatter the body/bed of the hammock, the more comfort for you. For hanging distances of 13-15ft, your ropes should be fastened about 5-6ft off the ground. SmartRopes have a length of 10ft each, so you can adjust the height of your fixings depending on the distance you have to ensure you get the perfect curve on your hammock! When hanging your hammock a good way of ensuring you get a good curve is to ensure the two loop ends are around 11ft apart.
If you don’t have trees in the right position, your hammock can be hung in the following combinations:
  
And then there are stands, be careful though as a lot of standard hammock stands are NOT suitable for Mexican hammocks, so always ask if in doubt. The reason? Many do not have arms that extend high enough to support the 13ft length/height ratio required to get the natural soft curve required for the Mexican hammock. Amazonas does a stand called the Vario Gala below which is perfect.
VarioGala Hammock Stand
Creating Posts to Hang Your Hammock
When hanging your hammock from a wooden post or building ensure the wood is in good condition, strong, and free of cracks and splits. Metal posts should be strong enough to support the intended weight and at least 2 inches in diameter. Be sure to purchase wood that is treated against rot and moisture. The distance between posts should be approximately 13-15ft. My Mexican hammocks are 13ft long, so depending on what type of fixing you are planning to use you will have to adjust your posts accordingly. it is a good idea to open your hammock to its full length and with the help of another person hold each end up to a high of about five foot and mark out where your posts should go according to type of fixing ie Hook or ropes. Posts should be sunk quite deep into the soil (about 3ft if the post visible is 6ft high) and you should set this with concrete. Before the concrete is dry, angle your posts outwards slightly so they are not totally upright but sloping a little outwards from the hanging space. Please remember though, I am not an expert, the information I provide is based on my own personal experiences.
Fixing Ropes/Kits
For simple tree to tree fixings, specially developed fixings such as Smartrope or Microrope (great for portability) are excellent products or you can simply buy appropriate lengths of nylon rope. I buy a thicker nylon rope first tie around the tree, and then I use a slightly thinner rope to attach the hammock to the tree rope. Actually, I have just moved to the Smartrope this year. Keep an eye on the condition of your ropes if they have been left in the outdoors, they will need replacing if not annually, then every couple of years. You can lengthen or shorten the hanging distance with rope length. If you have a tight fit, say just around 13ft in which to hang your hammock, then you can fix your hammock directly to a Jumbo Hook or Easy+ hook. (see below for pics)
  Left to right: Easy+, Jumbo Hook
  Left to right: SmartRope, MicroRopeUsing and Maintaining Your Mexican Hammock
The bed of a Mexican hammock is designed to be used crossways. This gives you lots of room and provides a flatter, more relaxed resting position. The wider the bed, the more comfort you feel so larger hammocks are great for one person as well as accommodating up to three, four or even five! Just remember that while the hammock may hold you, the rope fixings may not!
When used properly well-made Mexican hammocks can last 20 years. The same hammock might last only one-two years if left to the elements full time in a harsh location. For most, the life of a Mexican hammock will end up somewhere in between.
Caring for your Hammock
Always hold the loop ends when handling a hammock. Improper handling could tangle your hammock and make it less comfortable.
If you are using a cotton hammock we highly recommend treating the fibre with a water resistant product like ScotchGuard. This will help keep your hammock clean and make it more resistant to moisture.
If the end-strings become tangled don’t panic! Single out the tangled strings and move them up and around the loop end and in line with the majority of the strings.
Repeating this process over and over can rescue even the most tangled hammock.
When using your hammock watch out for clothes that have buttons and jean rivets. If one of these catches a string, it could snap it.
If you do find a broken string, try to weave them back through the hammock as best you can and tie them back together. You can do this many times before you will have to retire your hammock.
If you need to wash your hammock, you can do it by hanging the ends on a hook with the body in a bucket. Add a little mild detergent, hand wash in cool water, rinse well, and hang up to dry. It is NOT recommended to use a washing machine to wash your hammock. Colours may fade over time but not severely.
PLEASE NOTE : Mexican hammocks are not ideal for children or babies unless closely supervised. As a rule, I wouldn’t leave any children unsupervised under the age of 12. In addition to the safety aspects, the Mexican hammocks while durable they don’t really suit boisterous activity!
Browse our Mexican Hammocks!
And finally, have fun chilling!
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