I got back yesterday from a three day WV trip. We covered a pretty deverse cross section of terrain. I used my hammock hitch mount and wanted to share my experience.
Short Version: I like the hitch mounted hammock
Here you get an idea if my particular setup. I am utilizing a front hitch I fabricated on my brush guard.
I was impressed with the quality finish they used and think it will be durable. The hardware appears to be quality as well. The design is great. I love the fact that it is compact. It's built like a tank and that is reflected in the weight. Mine is just over 45 pounds measured with a cheap bathroom scale.
I was alittle disappointed in the need for bungee cord. I originally thought it was stupid looking given the cost of the mount. I must admit that the bungee cord that was provided at an additional charge was very nice and worked great. I found myself saying "If it's stupid and it works, it ain't stupid". The arms never made a sound during the trip. I cannot say that for the mount itself. The "head" wobbles.
The above photo shows the insert mounting hole. I wish the insert had more holes to allow users to get better approach/departure angles while using the mount in the hitch. I used a black marker to mark where I am going to add another hole to make it as close to the bumper as possible. I would add at least 3 more holes very close together to give people more options. My vehicle doesn't ride very high so I need every inch I can get sometimes. You can also see where my homemade anti wobble bolt damaged the finish on the insert tube. It wasn't damaged when I received it in the mail.
I had previously added the anti wobble bolt to my hitch and I am glad that I did. The hitch insert tube fit well, but it needed the anti wobble bolt. The "head" of the mount is made to adjust so it still made noise. The noise was a clunk sound more than a rattle. I noticed it a lot but I think I can fix it.
I use a Clark NX 170 hammock and I had already modified the suspension to utilize carabiners. I wasn't able to use a rain fly when I assembled the overhead hammock poles. The design of the hitch mount could not account for every possible hammock, but I was still sad. You can see how the poles hold the hammock up too high to mount a rain fly to the hitch mount arms.
I think if you had almost any other hammock a rain fly would work. The picture below shows my hammock without the poles to simulate a "typical" hammock without overhead support poles. You can see how the hammock sits low enough to pitch a tarp if you ran a ridge line between the extension arms.
You can see in the above photo there is a black plastic hole plug in the extension arm cover plate. The hole plug needs to be replaced with a rivnut in my opinion. I think a threaded insert would allow the use of some type of rain fly extension poles or other accessories. I plan on adding rivnuts to the holes and fabricating a way to mount my rain fly.
The extension arms utilize a simple detent pin to "lock" them in place while in use. I initially had an issue with the detent not engaging, but slowing the rate I pulled the arm into the lock position helped. If the detent doesn't lock you'll end up pulling the arm all the way out and thinking "what the heck". I notified Mclean about the issue I had and he assured my it was probably just an abundance of powdercoat on the holes causing the issue. He actually commented he was sending me out new parts earlier in this thread.
The Mclean design used in the above picture shows the pin used to adjust the head of the mount into two different positions. You can essentially tailor the height of your hammock to accommodate various hitch heights. I needed the low position the first night and the high position the second night due to terrain inconsistencies. I loved this feature and had originally thought it was unnecessary. You simply pull the pin and swivel the head to the other position. The fact that the head articulated is the reason it made the clunk sound while driving. The head needs play in it so it can be adjusted. I plan on shimming mine to make the tolerances tighter.
The above pictured bolt head came with a very nice looking plastic cover designed to provide a finished look. It lasted about 5 hours before it fell off. The cover was a nice touch, but it's only a memory now. The bolt head isn't bad looking but it used to look better with the cover. Oh well I guess.
Ok. Now for the best part. When you hook up your hammock it takes literally 10 seconds. I love the fact that is provides a consistent distance every time. I no longer have to "setup" my hammock. It is always the same distance and angle etc....
I weigh roughly 180 pounds and never felt unsafe in the hammock. I was pleased to discover that it made ZERO noise while I was hanging. I was concerned that it would, but it never made a creak or groan all night.
My buddy who weighs approx 265ish tried out the mount and he told me it worked, but he was worried. I believe the mount has a 300 pound weight rating, but my buddy was nervous. The mount showed minimal flex, but I trust my friends opinion. I never felt worried at all myself, but an extra one hundred pounds makes a difference.
I really like the mount, but the issues I had are minor in the scheme of things. I am satisfied with the purchase I think because of my desire to hammock camp. At this moment I think Mclean has the most compact and durable hitch mounted hammock design on the market. I was somewhat surprised at the price being $400.00 and time will tell if I will get my money's worth.
My highest rating goes to Mclean Metal Works customer service. I placed several emails prior to my purchase and received quick and accurate responses. I placed other emails after my purchase and received the same results. I believe they are passionate about their product and will be willing to help me if I have issues in the future. Like I said before, only time will tell.
