As you are probably aware by now, there are many choices out there when it comes to purchasing a hammock. In fact, many people don’t realize how many different fibers, styles, etc. there are. When it comes to a rope hammock you have two fibers to choose from – one is polyester and the other is cotton. There are some other blends available, but cotton and polyester are the two most popular, and the most commonly found. It’s hard to make the proper choice because each has its own advantages, and disadvantages. Here are a few considerations that may help.
Where are you going to locate your Hammock, indoors or outdoors?
Cotton hammocks generally should NOT be exposed to direct sunlight for prolonged periods of time. It can cause them to fade and lose their color. You can use them outdoors in a shady place though if you’d like. On the other hand, polyester hammocks are resistant to the sun, but over time even the polyester ones may fade a little if they are placed in direct sun light. Polyester is known to be able to stand much more sun, and for much longer periods of time compared to cotton. So if you’re planning on keeping your hammock outside most of the time, polyester would be the way to go when it comes to durability. If you want to use your hammock indoors, cotton is the way to go.
Which is more resistant to rain?
Well, as I said above, if you’re hanging your hammock inside, this question doesn’t really matter. But if you are using it outside, cotton is prone to rot, mold and mildew caused from moisture or rain. There are products that say they can “waterproof” cotton, but I haven’t found that to be true. Polyester is resistant to moisture and rain damage so polyester will win when it comes to resistance to water.
Cost of polyester and cotton rope hammocks?
This really depends on where you purchase your hammock. There are high-end polyester hammocks that are more expensive than low quality cotton hammocks, but there are also high quality cotton hammocks that are more expensive than polyester hammocks! Of course, the choice is yours and this will depend on the brand of the rope hammock you choose.
Overall, the polyester hammock definitely wins when it comes to outdoor use and the cotton hammock is great for indoor use. Polyester is durable and will not rot, mold or mildew, where the cotton ones definitely will. Cotton is less durable, but much more comfortable. There remains one real question: do you want a rope hammock that you will not have to replace for many years (polyester), or a hammock that is comfortable, but that you will have to take special care of (cotton)?