We're proud to announce that Trek Light Gear is partnering up with the great Monolith Music Festival at Red Rocks, the weekend of September 13th & 14th.

There will be hammocks hanging backstage for the artists, in the VIP lounges and a whole lot more!  The Trek Light booth will also be setup at Red Rocks for all the fans so you can take a break after climbing all those Red Rocks steps and chill out in our amazing hammocks.  Don't forget to pick up some Eco Totes so you can bring home your new CDs and T-Shirts from the Merch Booth without wasting plastic! 

(We should also take this time to remind you that Trek Light’s lightweight hammocks can be hung between two cars, RV’s, Jeep’s or wherever you can find to points strong enough to support your weight.  So don’t wait until the festival to buy your hammock, bring them with you and tailgate in style!)

Check out the great lineup on Saturday and Sunday and get your tickets today.  Everyone who purchases a VIP ticket to the event will also get a free Eco Tote in their VIP package along with all the other great benefits (like hanging out in a hammock in the VIP lounge while listening to the show!).  The Monolith festival is in its second year and if last year was any indication this year's festival is bound to be an event you won't want to miss!

The great folks behind the Monolith Festival (along with help from festival partner Esurance) have completely impressed us with their efforts to ensure that this year’s festival is as green as possible.  The event itself will actually use carbon offsets to be a completely carbon neutral festival, and the list goes on to include everything from great carpooling initiatives, biodegradable concession supplies, and even the Monolith Reforestation Project!

We know there’s nothing better than relaxing in a hammock while listening to great music and there’s no argument that Red Rocks is easily one of the most breathtakingly beautiful music venues on the planet.   We’re extremely proud to be partnering up with the Monolith Music Festival this year and whether you live in Colorado or you’re flying out for the event we hope to see you there and show you why every experience can be a little bit better with Trek Light Gear.

(Sorry for the lack of blog posts as of late, Trek Light Gear has been keeping me busy and I promise to make every effort to make blogging a more frequent affair)

I came across this article yesterday which had some great parts worth sharing:

“The next time you’re out of gift ideas for someone, maybe you’ll consider a hammock.  

“I couldn’t imagine a better Mother’s Day gift,” says Cranch, 56, the program director of the Retired & Senior Volunteer Program in Fresno, Calif. “It’s total relaxation” when you’re in it.

Tom Boehm of Madera, Calif., also received his first hammock as a gift. His wife, Tammie, gave it to him almost a decade ago for his 40th birthday.

“It kind of surprised me, but it’s a pretty cool idea,” says Boehm, 49, co-owner of S&J Lumber in Madera. “I never really thought about having one, but I really like it and use it quite a bit.”

As Cranch and Boehm have discovered, once you’ve experienced the weightless, rocking sensation that comes with resting in a hammock, you might not be able to do without this leisure activity again.”

I especially got a kick out of the part about how hard it can be to get in and out of a hammock:

“Once you’ve found a hammock to your liking and put it up properly, getting in and out of one can be a balancing act if you’ve never attempted it before. 

John O’Connell, the executive vice president of sales and merchandising for Long-Island-City, N.Y.-based 1800mattress.com, has found himself on the ground trying to get into a hammock.

The company sells one style of hammock in addition to mattresses. The hammock had just been set it up in the showroom.

“I said, ‘This is kind of neat.’ I never sat on one before, and the whole thing flipped. I just didn’t really read or listen to the instructions.”

Now he knows. Stand with your backside facing the hammock in the middle of the hammock. Then “I pull the edge to the back of my knees, position myself in the center, spin my backside and then lay (down) my feet,” he says. “If you don’t do it that way and sit in the center, you’re going to flip.”

Any newcomers who want to climb into the hammock at Cranch’s family cabin will get tips on using it first.

“We give people a quick tutorial about getting into it,” she writes in an e-mail. “Aim your fanny at the very center of the hammock. Sit down, then quickly fling your arms and legs into position and make minor adjustments in balance with your fanny.

“I can’t tell you how many people have been ejected on their first attempt at getting into the thing, but once you have the knack, it is heavenly comfortable.”

Obviously they’ve never experienced the joy of the Trek Light Gear No-Flip hammock design.   I’ve met so many people who are genuinely afraid to get in a hammock because of the number of times they’ve been dumped on the ground by other hammocks.   To me a hammock shouldn’t be about keeping your balance or needing an instruction manual to get in it without getting hurt.   How are you supposed to relax when a wrong movement can send you flying on the ground?

Centuries later, the hammock is still swinging - Los Angeles Times :

"The simple little sling has survived for more than 1,000 years because it has been a workhorse and comfort for millions who have used it as a bed, birthing table, cradle, sofa -- even as a final resting place. In some cultures, the hammock has accompanied individuals from cradle to grave."

"In 1996, James Bogan -- professor at the Missouri University of Science and Technology, poet and frequent traveler to Brazil -- wrote that even today, residents of the Amazon call their hammocks "old mother," a reference to the way hammocks seem to embrace and envelop sleepers in comforting arms."

I came across an interesting article the other day:

"Premature Babies Respond to Hammock Therapy"

Apparently they're using 'hammock therapy' now to help with sleep apnea and other issues in premature babies.   According to the article, the mini-hammocks are being placed right in the incubator and it's helping them sleep longer and without pressure points or lacerations from the equipment. 

I'll definitely be looking for more info on this, if you have any additional links or insight on hammocks being used in this way, please feel free to share them in the comments.