Slacklining
12 amazing places to hang your hammock
Need an easy, amazing way to catch a nap outdoors? You need a hammock.
Home may be where you hang your hat, but adventure happens where you hang your hammock. It's the quintessential adventurer's bed – lightweight, packable, easily slung up high in the trees, between cars, and any other number of places (as you'll see below). Much like our favourite places to pitch a tent, we poked around to find some of the world's coolest spots to rock yourself to sleep.
Over the water, location unknown
You can get wet if you want to
© WIN-Initiative RM / Getty Images
Just where this particular hammock is perched is the photographer's secret – and with good reason. This looks like pure paradise. Our guess? Caribbean – or the South Pacific. One thing's for sure – you're going to get your feet wet on the way out there.
High in the trees, Aspen, Colorado
Hanging out in Colorado
© Dugald Bremner / Getty Images
How easy is it to get a hammock up here? We're not sure. How awesome is it? Plenty. Fall foliage in Colorado makes for a stunning scene for sleeping and swinging.
By the sea, Guatemala
By the sea? Sure
© Frans Lemmens / Getty Images
Guatemala is known for its jungles, adventure, and... places to sleep? Judging by this picture, sure, why not. Bonus: when you wake up from your afternoon nap, you're in the perfect position to catch a fish for dinner.
By the lake, Vermont
Or a little lakeside nap
© Aurora Photos
Well, it's clear – bodies of water are appealing places to string up your sleeping spot. Fall in Vermont, in the northeast of the USA, is guaranteed to bring in changing foliage and still waters.
(Really) high in the trees, California
High in the treetops
© Aurora Photos
The famous Sequoia trees in California can be centuries old and hundreds of metres high. Getting up there? Not easy. Good news? Your hammock is probably not going to break any branches.
By a waterfall, China
By a waterfall in China
© ©TENTSILE LTD
This tri-tipped hammock is neatly strung up near the 'Five Dragon' waterfall in the Zhejiang region of China – an area known for its incredible falling water.
City slinging, Vienna, Austria
High above the city streets
© Sebastian Wahlhuetter
For this shot, photographer Sebastian Walhuetter and friends set up a highline session on the Flakturm at the Haus des Meeres Zoo in Vienna. It was about 35m high and 35m long. The stunt was organized by the Vienna Slackliners, and the athlete in the hammock is Igor Scotland. But this wasn't their only spot...
Over the Gasometers, Vienna, Austria
More city swinging
© Sebastian Wahlhuetter
The Gasometer towers in Vienna were built just before the turn of the century to store city gas. These days, they're a village within the city, housing apartments, offices, and community space. The hammocks were mounted on a 95m highline between the steel constructions on the roof.
Chilling by a glacier, Monte Forno, Austria
A glacial pace of life
© Sebastian Wahlhuetter
From photographer Sebastian Walhuetter: “This was on an alpine climbing and highline project around Monte Forno Glacier in Switzerland. One of the guys decided to just hang out over the beautiful alpine glacier scenery, having a break!" Simple. This next one? Not so simple...
Setting a record, Monte Piana, Italy
Is this the most hammocks on one line, ever?
© Sebastian Wahlhuetter
22 people in 16 hammocks, at the Monte Piana Highline Meeting in the Italian Dolomites. Worried? Worry not – the highline was tested for capacity, and each of the 22 participants had a climbing harness and leash. The force on the line was measured the entire time with a dynometer – peak work load was 2,350kg.
After setting a world record, China
Relaxation is key before a world-record bid
© Oneinchdreams⁄Olszewski
Alex Schultz didn't go to China to chase down a good plate of Kung Pao chicken – he wanted to set a new world record for highlining – and he did, at 375m. Of course, that required the occasional rest, but thanks to his mountainside hammock, he didn't need to go down to do it.
... and then there's the 'spacenet', Moab, Utah
People slept here, so it’s a hammock
© Brian Mosbaugh/Slacklinemedia.com
What IS this thing? It's the Pentagon Spacenet. AKA, the world's biggest, highest hammock. Taking three days to build, and offering a resting space to dozens, it's a feat of daring, engineering, and awesomeness.