In the past, we've said that hammocks can have several advantages over tents. These hanging shelters are compact, lightweight, quick to set up, and they elevate you from any creepy crawlies on the ground. However, tents have their own advantages—they're sturdy, spacious, and won't leave you blowing in the breeze or freezing your butt off during a storm. Rather than pick and choose between these two shelter options, why not combine them? That's exactly what Kammok did with the new Sunda transformable survival shelter.
On the company's Kickstarter campaign, the new Kammok Sunda is called “a graceful romance between the tent and the hammock”. In essence, it's a free-standing two-person tent, which also re-configures into an all-in-one hammock. The tent's waterproof outer layer turns into a rain fly for the hammock, and the inner layer acts as a semi-transparent insect screen. During good weather, you can omit the rain fly, and set up the hammock in minimalist mode (with or without “jungle mode” insect mesh).
The Kammok Sunda weighs only 3 pounds 11 ounces, but manages to offer 35 square feet of floor space. That's enough for two adults plus a dog, and there are dual 6.5-square-foot exterior vestibules for storing backpacks, boots, and other gear outside. For smaller items, the Sunda has 6 internal mesh pockets, plus 9 gear hanging loops.
Build quality is held to the high standard you'd expect from Kammok, with snag-free YKK zippers, waterproof seam tape, Mini Kanga Claw carabiners, 70-denier nylon “bathtub” floor, Nannoet no-see-um mesh, and Lumos light-enhancing interior fabric. Kammok says they've designed the Sunda for maximum durability, with “over-engineered floor and fly fabrics [which] amplify abrasion resistance and tear strength”.
There are many more details about the Sunda on Kammok's Kickstarter page, including videos, weight breakdown charts, and complete specifications. Also, if you visit the Kickstarter and back the project, you can pre-order the Sunda now for $299. That's $100 off the projected MSRP of $399.