Floating on a water hammock in open water is ideal for relaxing. However, you have to be careful about what is floating below the hammock, too. The models you buy from the market can be divided into two broad types: mesh-fused or bungee-laced.
When you use the hammock in a calm, clear lake, there is nothing to worry about. However, if you take it to large rivers or seawater, the scene changes. In many coastal areas, the waters are teeming with fish, jellyfish, and other marine wildlife. Rivers may contain leaf litter and surface debris. These may affect the way you relax in the hammock.

- Bungee-laced mesh
Most cheaper inflatable water hammocks use a bungee-style mesh. This mesh is attached to the sidewalls with a laced cord.
The lacing creates gaps at the attachment points along the edges. Sometimes the gaps are large enough for seagrass stalks or jellyfish tentacles to enter.
Bungee pulls toward the center, causing the mesh to sag and form a hammock shape rather than a flat surface.
- Fused mesh is better: Why?
When the mesh is bonded directly to the sidewall, it gives users a different and better experience. An inflatable water hammock with the mesh glued and sealed to the sidewall has no edge gap. The mesh and sidewall form a continuous surface with no gap between them.
So, seagrass and weeds drifting into the platform’s shadow hit the mesh and stop, and Jellyfish tentacles get no scope to enter. The surface sits flat and even rather than sagging to the center, which is convenient.
- The open water experience
At a calm freshwater lake, you won’t spot much difference between the two types of hammocks. The water is likely clear, nothing is drifting below you, and the bungee hammock feels comfortable.
At a coastal anchorage, a bay, or anywhere with active marine wildlife species, you will see the changes. Underwater contact with a fish or jellyfish is not pleasant for most people. In fact, it can be scary and uncomfortable. A fused mesh barrier doesn’t make the jellyfish or seaweed disappear. It keeps them easily outside the float.
Seagrass floats at the surface and just below it, particularly in bay environments and around islands. On a bungee hammock with perimeter gaps, it will enter quickly and get tangled everywhere, literally. Getting it out can be annoying, even after the hammock has been deflated.
A closed, fused perimeter doesn’t let seaweed in. It bunches slightly around the outside of the sidewall.
- Buying the right hammock for your needs
Before you order any inflatable hammock, think of your usage needs. If you plan to use it primarily on calm lakes, a model with a bungee-style mesh will be just fine. However, for seawater and river usage, the other type fits the bill better.
No matter what type of hammock you choose, take some time to learn about the seller. You need to collect all possible details. Why don’t you browse furthercustoms.com? They are one of the leading sellers of this product.