Lay-flat designs have changed the game for camping hammocks, giving folks a viable option for actually sleeping away from the cold, hard ground. Suffice to say, they make hammock camping a more comfortable affair. The Haven Spectre takes the lay-flat hammock one step further by making it as lightweight as possible.
How lightweight? According to the outfit, the hammock and the mattress together weighs a mere 4.55 pounds (6.1 pounds with the rainfly included), which is half the weight of the outfit’s similarly-sized Haven XL. Sure, there are plenty of tents lighter than that, but it is an impressive weight for an elevated bed that allows you to lay flat on your back, side, or stomach in a comfortable manner. Just make sure to bring a camping blanket and you’ll be sleeping as comfortably as you do at home.
The Haven Spectre is a hammock that’s been constructed to eliminate any curves or pressure points regardless of how you sleep inside it by offering a perfectly flat surface while being suspended between two trees. It achieves this by using spreader bars on either end of the hammock body and support arcs on either side, creating a tensioned bridge-like structure that’s flat and stable. Those arcs, by the way, also give the hammock a shape that allows for easy in-and-out access, making for an overall functional and practical design.
According to the outfit, you’ll need to secure the hammock on trees (or poles) at least nine feet apart in order to properly accommodate it. Ten feet seems to be the ideal, but it also works with trees that are much further apart. The only downside with the trees further apart is it will put more tension in the ridgeline, but the actual hammock will not be affected. When unoccupied, by the way, the floor of the hammock curves upwards, which is a design element that counteracts the sag that will occur when you eventually put your weight on the mattress. Haven claims the hammock can support individuals up to 285 pounds.
The Haven Spectre is constructed with semi-transparent panels made of Monolite mesh, making it lightweight and breathable yet still tough enough for the outdoors, while the rainfly is cut in similarly lightweight Silpoly, although you can upgrade to an even tougher but slightly heavier Dyneema option. It also comes with a gear sling that hangs below the hammock for storage, as well as a pair of pockets inside for stashing smaller items. According to Haven, the hammock can also be used like a bivy tent and set down on the ground for those times you’re camping in an area without any trees to tie it down on.
The included sleeping pad is an air mattress, which, the outfit claims, delivers excellent insulation, while providing horizontal baffles that help hold the body of the hammock wide open. Oh yeah, setup is supposed to be very easy, too, with the outfit claiming most people should have it up and ready to use within five minutes. Granted, you’ll probably take a bit (or a lot) longer the first time you use it, but it should be a lot easier over time.
The Haven Spectre is available now, priced at $485.
