Hammock chairs come in many styles, colors, and various materials. Here we will have a look at the lightweight outdoor hammock chairs with an adjustable footrest, armrest and drink holder. They are first of all designed for camping or outdoors and made of UV protected polyester.
However, depending on the suspension way, there are only 2 basic types:
1. SINGLE-POINT HAMMOCK CHAIRS
hangingchairs.com recommend the dual point hammock chairs, and the following is a comparative analysis:
Single-Point Hammock Chair | Dual-Point Hammock Chair |
| Single point hammock chairs hang from one suspension point as shown above. | Dual point hammock chairs hang from 2 suspension points as shown above. |
| Single point hammock chairs swing and rotate from one connection point in a 360-degree circular zone. | Dual-point hammock chairs swing forward and backwards in a straight-line pendulum motion with no rotation. |
| Risks and drawbacks: a) Unrestricted rotational motion can rapidly “wallow” and weaken the connection point and fatigue the connected materials of chair and suspension hardware. Resulting failures can cause unexpected property damage and personal injury. b) Chair “drift” is constant. Rotational motion causes joint fatigue in knees and hips, and unnecessary muscle fatigue when maintaining position. Unpredictable chair shifting poses an additional danger when getting in or out of the chair. | Benefits: a) Connection points are at least half as likely to fail as compared to single point chairs. Reduced force on dual connection points offers the safest possible installation. b) Ergonomic: The human knees and hips are best suited to swing forward and back in a single plane. Unwanted “drift” is eliminated (when a user takes feet off the floor). User remains swinging in the desired direction without effort. Torsional joint fatigue caused by single point hammock chairs is eliminated. |
| All weight of occupied chair bears on one point. Single point carries 100% of the load. | Weight of occupied chair is shared between 2 points. Dual points each carry 50% of the load. |
| Indoor/outdoor installations require 1 screw or bolt. | Indoor/outdoor installations require 2 screws or bolts. |
| Support joist in single point suspension carries 100% of the load. Regular use of the chair can result in joist breakage, ceiling damage, screw/bolt failure. | Support joist(s) in dual point suspensions either carry half the load, or the load is spread over a greater distance along with the same support element thereby reducing the risk of support failure by as much as 50%. |
| Required hanging height for most single point hammock chairs is at least 7 feet above the ground. This eliminates the installation in cases where the support element is lower than 7 feet.
| Required hanging height for dual point chairs as little as 4.5 feet above the ground, or as high as desired. The short hanging requirement allows hanging on short spaces or on structures where height is restricted (lofts, playsets, etc.). |
| Single point hammock chairs have a spreader-support element (wood, steel, or aluminium) that spans above the user. | Dual point hammock chairs need no spreader-support element overhead. |
| Drawbacks: a) Unnecessary bulk, weight, and material waste b) This bar is not a safe means to enter or exit the hammock but is naturally mistaken as a “handle”. c) People commonly grab hold of the bar with both hands to exit or enter the hammock. If the weight is too great and applied at the centre of the bar, where it is weakest, the bar will break. The result is 2 sharp sticks pointing at the head of the falling occupant and can result in personal injury and/or destruction of the chair. d) People commonly bump their heads on the bar getting in and out of the chair, must duck beneath it to avoid it | Advantages: a) Minimum bulk, weight and material use. b) Safe entry and exit of the dual point hammock chair with no danger of product failure and/or accidental injury. c) Dual-point chair occupant naturally grabs both sides of the chair when entering/exiting, which is entirely safe. d) There is nothing overhead to bump your head on, and nothing to duck under when entering/to exit the dual-point hammock chair.
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| Single point hammock chairs have a single point foot-rest. | Dual-point hammock chairs have a dual-point foot-rest. |
| Drawbacks: a) Awkward entry and exit. Single point footrests block the seat and must be moved prior to entering and exiting the chair. b) Using the footrest is a cumbersome procedure. c) When using the footrest, the single connection cord hangs directly in front of the user, obstructing the view of the occupant. d) The single-point footrest is not adjustable from within the chair– different users have different requirements e) The single-point footrest requires another spreader-support that adds weight, bulk, and unnecessary material. f) When the occupant does not choose to use the footrest, it hangs awkwardly off to one side of the hammock chair against the legs of the occupant, or on their back behind the chair | Benefits: a) Graceful entry and exit. Dual-point footrest hangs under the chair for clean entry and exit. b) Using the dual-point footrest is a quick, natural motion. c) When using the footrest, the dual point connection cords hang to the periphery of the occupant – for a clear, unobstructed view. d) The footrest length is easily adjusted from within the chair with pull-tabs to match the comfort requirements of the occupant quickly. e) The dual-point footrest is most light-weight and compact; requires no spreader-support. f) When unused, the footrest hangs under the chair, out of sight, out of mind.
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| Drink holder of single point hammock chairs hangs awkwardly from the overhead spreader bar | Drink holder of dual point hammocks hangs in a natural position |
| Drawbacks: a) Drink spillage is common upon entering and exiting the chair, as well as during normal use due to the free circular swing pattern of single-point hammock chairs coupled with the awkward overhead location of the drink holder. As the hammock swings, the drink swings, slapping the user in the head and face, usually spilling the drink in the process. | Drink holder of dual point hammocks hangs in a normal position, to the side and out of the way, yet within reach for easy reach. Advantages: a) Swinging the hammock naturally does not cause uncomfortable beverage encounters. b) The benefits of convenient, no-spill beverage access are obvious. |
| Single point hammock chair stands are overly tall, heavy, and space-inefficient, requiring 60%-75% more space than dual-point stands, and do not provide for optional shade canopies. | Dual point hammock chair stands such as XCHAIR® and HAMX2GO™, are compact, space efficient, hammock chair SYSTEMS with optional shade canopies and peerless aesthetic appeal. |
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Anyway, a single-point hammock chair can easily be converted to dual-point hammock chair with slight modification.