Blackbird XLC and Thunderfly

Photographs by the author

The Blackbird XLC and the Thunderfly are a good match for a steep shoreline and a narrow, tide-swept beach.

To preserve beautiful wild places for the future, visiting the wilderness is best done with minimal impact. The Blackbird XLC hammock by Warbonnet, a Colorado-based, family-owned business, is a flexible, all-weather camping system that leaves no mark on the landscape. It’s comfortable, too.The hammock is available in a lightweight version, designed for backpackers looking to save every possible ounce of carried weight, and a heavier version, with a double layer of fabric which increases its weight-bearing capability. The Blackbird is an asymmetric design, so that a sleeper lies on the diagonal. Initially a little counter-intuitive, the arrangement creates a sleeping position that is fairly flat. It is easy to sleep on your back, or roll from side to side, but the hammock isn’t quite flat enough to allow sleeping on your stomach. It takes an overnight or two to find the sweet spot, but once you do, it becomes second nature, and then the Blackbird is a wonderfully comfortable place to bed down.