And another blog series is born. If you’ve got an interesting hammock setup, indoor or outdoor, send us your story and pictures and we’ll feature it here.
Our inaugural post is courtesy of new hammock owner Nick Merritt. Nick is heading off to college in the fall and plans to set up his hammock underneath his loft bed in the dorms. Luckily, he won’t have to wait until then to try it out - his sister has a loft bed in her room and he was recently able to test out the setup and share the project with us.
[If I Knew Then What I Know Now Moment: College, with a Trek Light hammock?? I can only imagine and it makes me incredibly envious. I didn't start Trek Light until my college days were over but my mind begins to wander when I think about how much more comfortable my dorm life would have been, how relaxing those hours on the quad would be, the road trips, the backyard parties, how much laundry it could have held before overflowing...okay, back to our scheduled blog post... ]
Nick asked for one favor in return for this post and here it is: Let it be known that this is his sister’s bedroom, not his!!
The bed and the soon-to-be hammock spot:
No tools necessary, Nick just used our Go Anywhere Rope Kit (today you'd use our Go Anywhere Hammock Straps) with a simple rubber strip to protect the wood frame:
According to Nick, the desk under the bed got in the way a bit but he was able to remedy it just by laying at an angle (which we recommend anyways):
And that’s it!
How To Hang A Hammock Under A Loft Bed
Nick's setup is the blueprint, and it's the same approach we recommend to every student who emails us about dorm hammocks. Here's the short version:
- Skip the drill. You don't need hardware, hooks or tools. Wrap a hammock strap around each vertical post of the loft bed frame, just like you'd wrap it around a tree.
- Protect the frame. A strip of rubber, a folded towel or an old t-shirt between the strap and the wood keeps the finish scratch-free. That's all Nick used.
- Clip in and hang low. Your hammock's carabiners clip straight onto the straps. Under a loft bed you'll be hanging close to the floor anyway, which is exactly where you want to be for an easy in and out.
- Test before you trust. Sit down slowly and ease your weight in before you fully commit. Make sure the loft bed itself is solid and doesn't shift or wobble under load.
- Lay at an angle. It's how a hammock is meant to be used, and as a bonus it's how you dodge the desk, ladder or anything else sharing the space under the bed.
Hanging indoors for the first time? Read our hammock safety guide before you hang.
One more reason the hammock-under-the-loft-bed move works so well for students: a Trek Light hammock weighs just 18 oz and packs down small, so the same hammock that lives under your bed goes straight into your backpack for the quad, the tailgate or a weekend camping trip. Our double hammocks are rated to hold up to 440 lbs, and every hammock is backed by our Lifetime Warranty & Happiness Guarantee.
Loft Bed Hammock FAQ
Can you hang a hammock under a loft bed without drilling?
Yes. Wrap a hammock strap around each vertical post of the loft bed frame, pad the contact points with a strip of rubber or a folded towel, and clip your hammock's carabiners onto the straps. No tools, hooks or hardware required.
Will a hammock damage a loft bed frame?
Not if you set it up thoughtfully. Wide straps spread the load across the posts, and padding the contact points protects the finish. Before you hang, make sure the loft bed itself is sturdy, sits square on the floor and doesn't wobble, then ease your weight in slowly the first time.
Are hammocks allowed in dorm rooms?
Every school sets its own housing rules, so check with your RA or housing office first. A strap-based setup that requires no drilling or hardware is the easiest version to get a yes on.
And if you're outfitting the rest of the room, we put together a list of dorm room essentials that earn their floor space.
Nick will be following up with us when he moves into his dorm in the Fall and we’ll share the new setup with you then. Many thanks to Nick for helping our new blog series get off to a great start!
If you’ve got an interesting hammock setup (it doesn’t have to be project oriented), share your hang ups with us!
