National Hammock Day - Anna Rawlins from ENO (Episode 33)

National Hammock Day is June 22nd. We met up with Anna Rawlins from ENO to talk about the history of hammocking, how to do it safely, and why so many people are incorporating hammocks into their lives.

Episode Transcript

(00:01):
Well-known author Alice Walkeronce said, people who work hard
often work too hard.
May we learn to honor thehammock, the siesta, the nap,
and the pause in all its forms.
Join us as we prepare tocelebrate National Hammock Day.
I'm your host, Missy Rents, andthis is the Parks podcast.

Missy (00:23):
in today's episode, I am joined by Anna Rollins, who is
the Chief Marketing Officer atEno.
Anna, welcome to the Parkspodcast.

Anna (00:33):
Thank you for having me, Missy.
I'm stoked to be here.

Missy (00:36):
Okay, so we are about to celebrate one of our favorite
holidays.
National Hammock Day here in theUnited States, and so it makes
this conversation even morespecial for me'cause I know you
also love this holiday.

Anna (00:50):
It 22nd.
It's marked on our calendars ayear in advance.

Missy (00:55):
Circled and all of that.
I wanna just start going, whenwe're talking to parks, we go
through park stats, but I'vedone a little homework on
hammock stats, so I just wannago through this, some debate on
this, on where Hammocking began.
The thoughts are South Africa,Athens, Greece.
We know that hammocks or hammocklike objects were in etchings

(01:17):
and paintings throughouthistory, so we know it started a
very long time ago.
Hammocks have been used onApollo 12.
for better sleeping and themilitary used them when they
have tight sleeping quarters, atleast historically have used
them.
It's a$1.45 billion industry.
That's how many were sold in2024.
And a Swiss study several yearsago found that napping in a

(01:40):
hammock can lead to bettersleeping versus stationary
sleeping.
The tallest hammock is locatedin Utah's Moab Desert.
It's nearly 500 feet in the air.
It's so intimidating to me in myfear of heights, but it really
does look pretty beautiful Ilove hammocking.
I do it all the time.
So it was interesting to seethese stats about the thing we

(02:02):
love.

Anna (02:03):
I love that you put these together, especially the Swiss
study about napping in a hammockleads to better sleep.
I have to say, I find that Isleep better in one myself.

Missy (02:12):
First I wanna start off a little bit about Eno.
Eno is.
a hammock.
Well, you do a lot of things,but I first was introduced to
you many years ago for yourhammocks, and I feel like Eno
was like you all broughthammocks back and made'em cool
again,

Anna (02:28):
Very different design.

Missy (02:29):
yes.
Yes.
So you started in 1999.
How was the company created?

Anna (02:35):
Yeah.
So ENO was founded in 1999.
the pin holster, brothersselling hammock out.
A van at music festivals andgatherings along the way.
They started in the state ofFlorida, then expanded to the
East coast and the US and noweven across the globe.
So the hammock, it's actuallyour classic Double Nest was the
first product.

(02:55):
And then our Atlas hammockstraps.
It was a slightly differentversion back in the day, but it
was the first knotless hammocksuspension system, which really
opened it up to a much widerrange of people.
You didn't have to know how totie any special knots or untie
them if you're like me.
so it really made it easier andmore accessible for a lot of

(03:16):
people to use.
and hammocks, the whole originalidea with this lifestyle focused
on traveling much like yours,was rooted a lot in freedom to
explore the world, connect withpeople, and to relax between
those adventures by giving youthat dedicated space.
so by making these hammocksportable and expanding to a much
wider group of people, we reallysee ourselves somewhat as like

(03:39):
the pioneer of the hammockcounterculture that happened, in
the late nineties and early twothousands.

Missy (03:45):
I mean, I think that's a great way to say it.
A pioneer because you see themeverywhere.
I will take the dog for a walk,on college campuses in there
stands and it's some, it's mygo-to graduation gift is a
hammock.
'cause it's so easy to store itin a dorm room or on people's
backyards and vacations there'smultiple people that say a
hammocks always in their carwith them when we talk about it.

(04:06):
But it's also like this wordhammocking.
What does it mean?

Anna (04:13):
Hamming the word.
I mean, it's kind of alifestyle.
It's also a product.
It's also a general vibe, I feellike.
Using your hammock however youlike to in a safe way.
so you can hang hammocks betweentrees or secure attachment
points.
You can put it on a stand, youcan convert them to a chair.
so you can use them in almostany capacity, you know, in your

(04:36):
backyard on campus, in a park,in a music festival when you go
camping in the middle of nowhereor in the middle of urban
spaces.
that's one of the appeals to ourhammocks.
That are more portable is justthat you can use them in such a
wide range of activities, andfind a place to relax.
It gives you a spot to, youknow, take a moment for

(04:56):
yourself.
You can connect and talk andhang out with friends.
You can journal, you can listento music, you can meditate, you
can take a nap, or you can alsorock out to music depending on,
where you are and what you wannado.

Missy (05:10):
and you talked a little bit about doing it safely, and I
think there's different.
Avenues I wanna take with thisbecause first there's the safety
of how you're hanging it.
And I've been to several parkswhere they were just not allowed
at all.
And I think you, you guys haveaddressed this in some of your,
your marketing.
But there is a way to safelyprotect our environment while

(05:33):
hammocking.

Anna (05:35):
There is, and we always recommend to use the principles
of leave No trace anytime thatyou're enjoying your time
outside, and to also especiallydo that when hammocking, to use
your hammock safely.
A lot of it comes down tofinding the right location to
hammock, so making sure that youare attached one that it's
allowed.
In that park.
A lot of, super fragileecosystems just will not allow

(05:56):
Hammocking because there couldbe damage to them.
so a lot of those places, Ibelieve Joshua Tree National
Park is one which makes totalsense, you know?
so one, make sure that it'sallowed where you are going.
two, it's make sure that it's asecure whatever you're attaching
it to.
typically if that's trees, you'dwant them to be over six inches
in diameter.
Mature, healthy, substantialtrees with no dead limbs above

(06:21):
you.
and nothing sharp below you ifyou're using a different
attachment points.
like eye bolts in four by fours,you'd wanna make sure that it's
structurally able to hold, yourhammock when in motion with your
weight.
there's a lot of kind of physicsthat go into hammocking, so if
you're not sure, about ifsomething can hold you, check

(06:42):
with a professional.
Just be safe with it.
we'd always recommend to nothang them any higher than 18
inches off the ground.

Missy (06:49):
That surprised me.
I do it, I do it wrong, and Ineed to fix that.

Anna (06:54):
never hang your hammock higher than you're willing to
fall.
It's pretty

Missy (06:57):
That's a really good, where's the T-shirt that says
that?

Anna (07:03):
So when you mentioned the 500 foot hammock in the air that
was giving me, that wasstressing me out a little bit.
But a lot of people will useharnesses, professional
climbers.
but for general use population,be safe with it.
You know, don't hang it high, donot stack hammocks again, they
can break.
so you don't wanna be falling onanyone or from a tall height.

(07:26):
Be sure to take it down whenyou're not in use.
And that's a mix of just beingconscious of the environment and
not invading the space when youare not using it.
but it'll also extend thelifespan of your hammock.

Missy (07:39):
And, the way hammocks, particularly your hammocks are
made care is pretty easy for'emtoo.
Yes.

Anna (07:45):
so much of it is store it in a cold, dry, dark place out
of direct sunlight.
most of our hammocks, dependingon the style, you can wash them
just by removing the carabiners,because they do tend to get
dirty when you're camping.
I say every stain is a memory,

Missy (08:01):
Yeah, mine's starting to fade a little and bleed a little
and, and has maybe some smorestuff on it and a spot or two.

Anna (08:09):
Oh yeah.
And so every time you use it,just inspect it, check and see
if there's any pinholes, ifthere's any discoloration, if
the fabric feels like adifferent texture.
and if you do feel any of that,we would recommend to
discontinue, use, reach out tous.
We can always see if it'ssomething that we can fix, or it
might be time for a new hammock.

Missy (08:28):
That's really good to know.
Okay.
I feel like it has become, likejust sort of a standard in
outdoor recreation.
What do you think the appeal isof hammocking?

Anna (08:37):
They're easy to use and really comfortable.
hammocks can really turn anyplace into a spot of rest and
relaxation, which is.
Much needed these days, by mostpeople, you're off the ground,
you're supported, you can swaywith the breeze.
You're immersed in nature.
You feel like you're a part ofit, and they really invite you
to slow down, which is somethingwe don't tend to do often in our

(09:01):
everyday life.
Hammocks are also extremelyversatile.
You can use the same hammock ina bunch of different settings
and ways from the beach to theback woods.
you could use it in everydaylounging or as your main sleep
system when you're camping orultralight, backpacking, with
just a few extra accessories.

Missy (09:19):
Yeah.
and, Hammock Day, you mentionedit's July 22nd, so it'll be
shortly after this airs.
This is its 10th anniversary.
and you guys usually do a lot tocelebrate.
Lots of contests, lots ofpromotions.
You really do, encourage peopleto plan hammock time.

Anna (09:38):
We do, and that's like, you know, this is a holiday.
You don't really have to buy agift for someone.
You don't have to travel to seeanyone.
We just want you to hammock justhang out with us.
we joke around here and we callit Eno Day because it's our main
holiday.
So we take it very seriously inthe office.
And so be sure to check out oursocial media'cause you'll see

(09:58):
how some of our employees, howseriously they take it this
year.

Missy (10:03):
And you guys have contests too, where, you know,
even throughout the year, youhighlight how hammocks are used.
it has given me several ideas ofhow to take pictures with a
hammock involved.
so you certainly celebrate yearround and I think for everybody
listening, it's.
a fun holiday just to get intosomething.
And for me, it reconnects mewith my youth'cause it feels

(10:24):
like I'm playing and therearen't many times in life where
I feel like I'm playing.
And I think there's somethingreally special about a hammock
and the look on people's faceswhenever they see a hammock,
it's just childlike.
It's so much fun.

Anna (10:37):
I think one of my favorite parts about it too is I think
that feeling is somewhatuniversal, though.
I'll be working an event andhave hammock strung up and
people just run over to take aseat and test them out, which is
fantastic.
And then it creates This air ofjust like community and
collaboration and nice, fun,easy hangout that I've met some

(10:57):
of my closest friends from justinviting them to sit in a
hammock.

Missy (11:02):
I love that.
I've benefited from that at someevents with you.
Yes.
Okay, so let's talk about.
How and where people hammock.
Let's go in a little bit moredetail.
I have like four categories.
If you think we can add more,feel free, but let's talk a
little bit about camping and howyou can use a hammock camping.

Anna (11:20):
Yeah.
So there's a few different waysto use hammocks when camping.
You can use it morerecreationally just around camp
as a seat that's off the ground.
So you could still have yourtraditional tent, your sleep
system inside that tent and usethe hammock as a place to hang
out or for, for kids.
Spend time and give you a littlebit of a break.

(11:43):
always supervised though.
Always supervised in thehammock.
you can also use your hammock asyour main like camping, sleep
system.
and there's a bunch of differentversions of hammocks depending
on your intention.
So we have our more classicgathered end parachute hammocks,
which really work across theboard for a variety of
activities.
And with these, it's a very likemodular setup.

(12:06):
So you have your hammocks, yourhammock straps.
We also have bug nets.
Rain tarps, so then you can kindof build this elevated tent off
of the ground, which is yourhammock.
this works really well in areaswhere the ground is not level
where it's uneven.
There's a lot of lumps or rocksor sticks that tend to stick in
your back.

(12:26):
my favorite part about it iswith this modular setup, if it's
not buggy.
or even just if it's supposed tobe a clear night, you fall
asleep looking at the stars, andyou wake up to the sunrise with
like no barrier between you andthe outdoors.
it's beautiful.
I'd much prefer that than wakingup sweating in a tent, with, all
the bugs swarming underneath therain fly and the bug net and

(12:49):
it's heated up to a hundreddegrees already and it's only
7:00 AM.
So that's one way to do it.
We also have, more campingoriented hammocks that have
integrated bug nets and a bitlighter weight suspension
systems like our Heliosultralight hammock straps, and
that's a bit more technical, towhere it has pockets inside of
the hammock that bug net thatyou can use or not use.

(13:12):
There's ultralight hammocks ifyou're really an ounce counter.
and care a lot about the weightand size in your pack.
Those are also really convenientfor travel just'cause they pack
tiny.
So I usually keep one in mycarry on just in case.

Missy (13:26):
Oh, that's a great idea.

Anna (13:27):
when camping, when sleeping in your hammock, you
tend to get a cold butt if it'sanywhere like 60 degrees and
below.
And so there's a products calledan under quilt, and that
essentially hangs below yourhammock and it.
Keeps you warm by maintainingloft.
if you're in your sleeping baginside the hammock, your body
weight is compressing the loftof a sleeping bag.

(13:51):
So it's really not gonna retainmuch heat, and the back portion
of your body is gonna get cold.
So an under quilt is typicallybest to use when hammocking, and
then you can either use a topquilt to keep the top of your
body warm, or even a typicalsleeping bag.

Missy (14:06):
I'm so intrigued by it.
I've only seen it done one timein Maine and I've, you know,
every so often you guys willpost some pictures of it and I'm
intrigued, but feel like I haveto do so much research and
understanding before I try it.
'cause I would want to do itproperly.
And I think of things like, mybutt's gonna be cold, you know,
but I think it feels like a funway to sleep outdoors.

Anna (14:30):
It is so enjoyable, and I laugh because when I go camping
with friends who set up tents,I'm typically set up first.
If it's nasty out and raining, Ican still hang out with people
in my hammock instead of justsitting like closed off in the
tent.
and then it's just somethingthat you can use all over camp
instead of only sleeping inovernight.
So the functionality of hammocksI find at camp, as long as there

(14:52):
are trees or you're bringing astand with you, works really
well,

Missy (14:57):
I might have to try this.
You may have convinced me.

Anna (15:00):
go together.

Missy (15:01):
Okay.
Watch out North Carolina.
okay.
Let's talk about in a home,

Anna (15:08):
So very different use case.
and so in the home you couldstill use that same, you know,
gathered in parachute hammock,like our classic double nest
with different hanging kits,indoors or outside.
as well as with hammock stands.
you could also use it withstraps in the backyard, but to a
large extent, hammocks are niceat home.

(15:31):
Just as a creative option forseating inside kid rooms is like
a reading nook or just adedicated relaxation spot.
we have some larger backyardhammocks that are quite large in
addition with stands.
the Super Nest is actually onethat I have at home'cause I know
someone.

Missy (15:50):
Right.

Anna (15:51):
but I read my Kindle on it every single evening after work
and snuggle my a hundred pounddog on essentially like a queen
size hammock.

Missy (16:01):
Oh my gosh.

Anna (16:02):
It's fantastic.

Missy (16:03):
Yeah.
And I think like, I had mine atone of my houses.
I had it as like my back porchfurniture, you know, I just put
the bolts in the wall and didit.
the other thing that I've heardit being used for a lot is nap
kids sleeping and nap time.

Anna (16:18):
Oh yeah.
And really all ages of kids.
There's a lot of young parentshere that work at ENO and they
say the only way that they canget their infant or toddler
asleep is for them to like layin a hammock with their child

Missy (16:29):
Yeah, I mean, you get it like, rocking an infant to
sleep, but then that study thattalked about just that gentle
sway, if you can get over theplaying part.
and then I think the other, thelast one is in parks, which is.
Different than camping, but inparks you can, they're great.

Anna (16:45):
Oh yeah.
And again, it's kind of thateveryday use.
you can, take it to a picnicwith friends, using straps or
some portable stands, in avariety of different parks,
whether it's a national park, alocal greenway, or even just a
playground.

Missy (16:59):
Yeah, and I mentioned, these colleges, had like this
setup where there were likethree, you could hook three
hammocks to it.
And I think it's such a greatway to integrate it into what
we're doing.

Anna (17:11):
I think anytime that we can set an intentional space for
people to connect and slow down,it's gonna be beneficial.

Missy (17:19):
Yeah, and I think that connection point is really key.
you can go out with your friendsand put the phone down and just
sway and chit chat and all ofthat.
I think that's a reallybeautiful thing.

Anna (17:32):
I think that comes back to the whole idea of what is
hammocking?
And it's really using andenjoying your hammock in a way
that brings you joy.
And for so many people that isgoing out with friends, Setting
up their hammocks and hangingout or even studying together,
which is so nice that it's not,it's not some big place that you

(17:52):
have to go to.
You don't have to pay to gainentry into a specific area.
It's not a restaurant whereyou're paying money to go to
that.
It's kind of this product thatcan unlock all of these
different experiences no matterwhere you go.

Missy (18:06):
You've talked a little bit about the safety of it.
Is there something people shouldlook for when they're buying
their gear to know that they'vegot, the safe way to hang it on
a tree?

Anna (18:17):
I would say hammock straps are really the best way to go
when it comes to hanging yourhammock, if you are gonna be
hanging it on trees, hammockstraps for the most part.
Are widely tested, so just makesure you're getting it from a
reputable brand.
You can check the capacity andweight rating of those, and then
read the direction to make surethat you're setting it up
correctly.

Missy (18:38):
Yeah, that's a good point.

Anna (18:39):
That might be the,

Missy (18:40):
Clearly I didn't do that since I'm like hanging mine like
four feet off the ground.
What's your favorite way to usea hammock?

Anna (18:52):
The most frequent way that I use them is definitely in my
backyard.
Just that everyday use, and thatintentional space to relax.
When I was on vacation lastweek, we strung one up under the
pier at the beach and it'sperfect'cause it's 95 degrees,
really hot and humid.
You're in the shade.
You have a spot to relax.
You're not getting sandy, youcan feel the breeze.

(19:13):
It was just.
It's fantastic.
So really, I like those everydayopportunities to, to use that
hammock and relax.

Missy (19:22):
So Anna, I know we're talking a lot about Hammocking
and the fun of Hammocking, but Ido also wanna bring up that Eno
is an Asheville brand,Asheville, North Carolina, A
year ago, you all got hit reallyhard with the hurricanes and you
were a big supporter in therecovery as an organization, but
you were also living in it, itwas home.
And so I just wanna touch baseand see how's Asheville, how's

(19:46):
the region, how's the recoverygoing?

Anna (19:50):
Yeah.
I appreciate you asking aboutthat, Missy.
September 27th will be a daythat we'll never forget, but
it's been.
I think eight or nine monthsnow.
And recovery every day is a stepin the right direction.
the town itself has changed, butbeing able to see people come
together and the outdoorindustry in particular as well,
has just been nothing short ofamazing, supporting, cleanup

(20:14):
efforts.
during the thick of it, evenrescue operations with our
whitewater community.
It was really impactful to seehow.
This area is uniquely situatedto respond to a situation like
that.
And I don't think really thatany community can fully respond
or comprehend the massiveness ofthat hurricane.

(20:38):
you know, once an over athousand year flood that we
never thought we wouldexperience, Asheville was
considered a climate haven.
So really just no one expectedthis, but.
It is beautiful to see thecommunity come together where we
are today, from where we werenine months ago, and we're
excited to see where we'll be,nine more months from now.
But a big way that anyone canhelp us is come visit us, book

(21:00):
excursions with localexperiential providers.
Shop locally, go out to eat,spend all your money in
Asheville, and you aresupporting.
Locals and our recovery.
By doing that, it'll be a whiletill things are looking somewhat
normal.

Missy (21:14):
One thing you have introduced me to is just how big
of an outdoor industry that areais.
So anything that you wanna docould be done in that region
and, I encourage people to putit on the top of their list for
their next outdoor vacationspot.
Heck yeah.
We'll see you out here.
Absolutely.
So how will you celebratenational Hammock Day?

Anna (21:37):
First is just by getting people, more people outside
Hammocking from all of oursocial content and all of our
friends.
and then I think we'll probablytake the dog for a hike.
in a local park and string upsome hammocks and bring some
snacks.

Missy (21:52):
I love it I encourage people to go to your Instagram
page.
And see what's up.
leading into National Hammockday and also during National
Hammock day, you guys usuallyhave some really fun contests
and opportunities for people.
So, definitely check out theirInstagram and website

Anna (22:09):
Every year on July 22nd, check our website and if you
want a reminder, subscribe toour email list.

Missy (22:16):
Right, right.
Yes.
You'll get it.
You'll get it.
Anna, every episode we end witha speed round of questions, so
I'll fire through these and justanswer with what first comes to
mind.

Anna (22:28):
Awesome.
No pressure.

Missy (22:30):
Yeah, right, exactly.
What's your earliest parkmemory?

Anna (22:34):
It was running around barefoot climbing trees and
covered head to toe in mud,being chased by geese in a local
park where I grew up called EchoLake.

Missy (22:44):
Oh my gosh.
Is that Richmond

Anna (22:47):
Well, Glen Allen, Richmond

Missy (22:48):
then Alan?
I was gonna say, wait a second.
I know Echo Lake.
That's funny.

Anna (22:51):
And there's still geek there.

Missy (22:53):
There are, Tootsie likes to bark at them.
What made you love the parks?

Anna (22:59):
I've always felt free in parks.
Again, just that running around,climbing on things, getting
dirty like that.
Freedom has always been allowedin parks that, you can't do that
in many other public spaces.

Missy (23:13):
What's your favorite thing about parks?

Anna (23:16):
Having a dedicated space for slowing down, escaping that
everyday life.
Immersing myself in nature.

Missy (23:22):
What's your favorite thing to do when you're in a
park?

Anna (23:25):
This is a bit different lately.
I've gotten really into mountainbiking.
there's so many wonderful trailsin the national parks and parks
around Asheville that right nowI'll get together with some
girlfriends, ride bikes, swim inthe lakes, and relax in a
hammock.
It's like the perfect day,

Missy (23:43):
What park have you yet to visit, but it's on your bucket
list and why?

Anna (23:48):
Yosemite.
I'm dying to visit Yosemite.
It's iconic.
I think it's so differentvisually than a lot of the other
parks that I'm used to on theEast Coast.
We're like very green, lush,rounded mountaintops that aren't
very high.
So I'd love to experience it'sepicness and grandness.

Missy (24:07):
What are three must-haves you pack for a park visit?

Anna (24:12):
First one is pretty obvious, a hammock and strap.
second would be water and snags.
And then third would be a goodbook or my bike, depending on
the day

Missy (24:25):
And what's your favorite campfire activity?

Anna (24:28):
mores.
But we do a weird version ofthem where our graham crackers
would always get crushed.
So you take, uh.
M peanuts, but then you smush itin a very large marshmallow and
you roast that.
So the chocolate melts insidethe candy, and then the peanut
in the center gives you thatcrunch like the graham cracker.

Missy (24:51):
Okay, this next one I'm gonna edit.
I have to add a category to it.
Tent, camper, or cabin orhammock.

Anna (25:00):
Hammock always just the nice quick setup.
If it's nice weather, how youcan fall asleep under the stars
and it's so much more open, youcan sleep in as well without
getting super sweaty.

Missy (25:14):
And are you hiking with or without trekking poles?
I.

Anna (25:19):
Unless it's super steep or there's a lot of water crossing

Missy (25:23):
What is your favorite trail snack?

Anna (25:26):
washers.

Missy (25:28):
what's your favorite animal sighting?

Anna (25:32):
I was forging for mushrooms.
And stumbled upon a mama blackbear that was eating berries.
It was from a safe distance, butstill a bit shocking, but it was
just so beautiful to see her andher babies in nature.

Missy (25:47):
What is your favorite sound in the park?

Anna (25:51):
A storm rolling in, the sound of like wind coming
through the trees, or it startswith wind coming through the
trees.
Then it gets a little bitlouder, a little bit more
constant.
Then you can hear the rain whenit's at a distance, like right
before it hits you and you'relike, oh, it really is gonna
storm, and then you get soaked.
But it just feels magical andalmost primal how that you can

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tell as soon as that wind picksup, that a storm is coming.

Missy (26:17):
And then what's the greatest gift that the parks
give to us?

Anna (26:21):
I think the greatest gift that they give to us is
perspective.
They remind us that we're a partof something much bigger, which
is just very awe inspiring.
They give us a place toreconnect with nature and
ourselves.

Missy (26:35):
I love it.
Anna, thank you for taking timeto talk to us about Hammocking,
how to hammock, and getting usready to celebrate National
Hammock Day.

Anna (26:45):
Thank you, Missy.
I hope to see you out in ahammock on National Hammock Day.

Missy (26:50):
You will see me there.
Excellent.
Thanks for listening today.
Until next time, we'll see youin the parks.
Thanks for listening.
If you enjoyed today's episode,please be sure to like and share
on your favorite podcastplatform.
Music for the parks podcast isperformed and produced by Porter
Hardy.
For more information, pleasefollow us on Instagram at the

(27:12):
parks podcast.
Or visit [e-mail].