Everyone loves lounging in a hammock. It’s so much more satisfying taking an afternoon nap on the beach to the sound of the waves or waking up a view of the the mountains on a hammock than from inside a hotel room after a long road trip. Especially here in the Philippines where many beach destinations are just ideal for lazing around.

But hammocks are not exactly functional when you’re on the road and usually take up precious space in your bag. Which is why I love that I can use my hammock even before I get to my destination. The Duoyan by Hammock Republic serves double-duty, as it’s a Hammock that converts into a Travel Neck Pillow.

Hammock Republic is the brainchild of Journeying James, a certified hammock addict since 2003, who backpacked on a budget all over the Philippines before deciding to settle and set up a surf camp in Palawan. This useful travel accessory is perfect for long road and boat trips and beach camping. Their products are proudly Philippine-made and provide livelihood to mothers, mostly home-based sewers residing in his hometown in Laguna. Hammock Republic donates 10% of the profits directly to charity.

The Hammock Republic Online shop has two main products, a regular hammock and a hammock with a built-in mosquito net. They also sell add-ons such as micro-inlets, travel organizers, waterproofing tarps for outdoors and sarongs. I’ve been using this hammock since 2014 and have since gotten additional ones for friends and family.

Product Features

The hammock is a great alternative if you don’t want to bring a tent for beach camping events. When folded up, it weighs about 1-1.5 lbs. The standard size is for adults. It can actually carry up to 2 adults or up to 150 kgs. The hammock makes use of a breathable “tafeta” cloth which is similar to polyester.

The hammock is water-resistant though not completely waterproof. There’s a full zipper on the center and you can zip yourself inside comfortably when you sleep. It also comes with heavy duty rope that you can use it to tie around posts or trees. According to James, if you remove the ties, the cloth part can also be used as a malong!

Design

The hammock comes in bright, cheerful designs fit for the beach and outdoors. The first basic model I got was the Striped one in a cheerful, red, blue, white and black color. There are a lot of designs and colors now available since they first launched the product.

Each design is limited to 3-6 stocks each, so you can be assured you’ll have something unique that doesn’t look the same as mass-produced hammocks available in outdoor shops.

The newer designs launched in 2016 now come with side pockets for valuables, suspension cords and a built-in mosquito net which protects you from bugs. This is ideal for jungle and beach camping around the country.

Field Test Notes

1) As a travel pillow

I’ve lost too many inflatable travel neck pillows because I accidentally leave them behind in vans or buses. A few low-quality ones deflated after a while and there didn’t seem to be a way to fix them. I like this because it’s pretty solid and comfortable at the same time.

• As a travel pillow, it’s a bit bulkier and heavier to bring because of the solid material compared to inflatable pillows that don’t take up much space in your bag. However, it’s more comfortable to use.
• I usually have no trouble sleeping during long road trips, but the travel pillow made a long van ride even more comfortable because I was seated in a middle row with no sandalan on the side. It prevented me from falling asleep on my seatmate’s shoulder.
• It’s useful as a stand-alone pillow propped on top of a backpack during a 6-hour long boat ride, where there was nothing much to do but sleep.
• I’ve also used it on various long bus rides on regular (upright seat) and sleeper (reclined seat) buses usually to and from Bicol. It provides good neck support and I slept really soundly.
• When traveling by air, this does not count as part of your check-in luggage. To save space in your handcarry, just wear it on your neck or hang it outside your bag while in the airport.

• The hammock can also be used as a blanket if you happen to ride a really cold bus when you can’t adjust the air-conditioning.

2) As a hammock

• While some hostels and beach resorts hang hammocks on their premises, chances are someone else will hog it first and you won’t be able to enjoy it, so it’s best to bring your own.
• Always bring a hammock when your itinerary involves beaches! You will regret not bringing it when you just want to take a nap somewhere.
• The hammock is very comfortable to sleep in. Unlike the string type hammocks, this is solid cloth, so it offers better back support and you don’t end up with all those line marks all over your skin.
• With the new designs, you can cocoon yourself with the zipper to keep out insects when you’re sleeping.
• To save costs on accommodations, I decided to just sleep outdoors on a very windy beach in Romblon. It was extremely cold and windy at night, but the cloth provided enough protection.
• The pouch of the pillow is useful for hanging stuff and keeping things handy near the hammock. You can hang it on a branch to keep your water bottle and cellphone handy.
• You need to take your time to fold it properly to put it back in the travel pillow case. It gets easier with practice.

From 2014 onwards, I’ve had a lot of memorable trips with Hammock Republic. Here are just a few.

Chilling out in Costa Pacifica, Baler

Room for the night in Real, Quezon

Kuta Bungliw Campsite, Daraitan

Verdict

This is a great product to have if you’re a frequent traveler & backpacker who goes on a lot of long road trips. It’s great for the beach and outdoor events. Since it costs just a little bit more than the regular hammocks, I’d recommend this.

If you already have a hammock, this product makes a great gift! I think one of the best gifts you can give your friends is the gift of relaxation. Hopefully this hammock will remind them to take the time to travel to the beach or mountains and just relax and enjoy the beauty of nature. Or if they can’t travel far, they can always use it at home, in their garden or nearby parks for the weekend.

Price of hammock & add-ons (updated as of September 2018)

The hammock/travel with built-in mosquito net costs Php 1,500 each including free shipping anywhere in the Philippines.

• Set of 3 travel organizers (with Small, Medium and Large pouches) – Php 250
• INAY Waterproof Hammock Tarp (9ft long, UPF50+, Lightweight and cords included for Php 700 (shipping included)
• Sybille Micro-inlet (lightweight blanket for use with sleeping bags, etc) – Php 800

Where to buy Hammock Republic products

You can order all of these online from Hammock Republic. For product updates, visit the following:

• Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/hammockrepublic
• Instagram: @hammockrepublic