By Josette Keelor — Daily Staff Writer

As summer approaches and the weather becomes warmer, families begin to plan their vacations, with the hope of gaining some well-deserved rest and relaxation. Though vacations are made for relaxation, why reserve that reward for only the time spent away from home?

Make your home into a haven with one of the most traditional pieces of furniture associated with summer — the hammock.

Chris Gallagher, an associate in garden at The Home Depot in Winchester, says that the idea of relaxation is what encourages shoppers to buy hammocks.

He says that hammocks sell well at the store "because [people] like to lay outside ... enjoy the day." He says he feels that whether they are in the sun or in the shade, people will enjoy lying in a hammock.

In America, hammocks can be traced back to Christopher Columbus, according to the Web site www.hammock-company.com. The most common, and sometimes only, piece of furniture in early American and sailing cultures, the hammock quickly became very popular because of its ease in being moved from one location to the next, as well as the extreme comfort it offers.

"The supporting cloth or net ... gives you a pleasant feeling of lightness and swinging back and forth smoothly [and] will have a beneficial effect of spirit, soul and the whole body. Today hammocks are frequently used because of the therapeutic value," the site says.

Gallagher says this year the Home Depot is offering a few different hammocks, including fabric designs that hang between trees or other objects. These, he says, are priced at $49 each. The brackets that hold the hammocks to the trees are sold separately and cost $99, he says, though he says he feels that it is of benefit to the customer not to have to buy the hammock and brackets together. If the customer already has brackets, he says, all that is needed is the fabric part of the hammock.

Lowe's of Winchester also offers the hammock body separate from the accompanying parts, such as a stand.

"They come ready for the tree or the stand," says nursery specialist Jami Gilbert.

The store sells various kinds of hammocks depending on the customer's preference. Cotton rope and poly rope hammocks, which sell for $78, are more popular than some of the other types, says Gilbert, because they are less expensive and easier to replace after they wear out. The jacquard quilted hammock is 100 percent polyester and is the most expensive hammock that the store sells.

"The real good, heavy duty stand is sold separately," says Gilbert. Though the traditional form of hammock is popular, Gilbert recommends the cotton rope swing, which sells for $38, and is more of a chair than a bed.

"I have it at home, and I absolutely love it," she says. "It's a nice reading sort of hammock."

Gallagher says that in previous years, Home Depot has sold rope hammocks, but is offering only full-fabric hammocks of solid green or plaid.

Hammocks have long been associated with luxury and tranquility, but they can also add as much function to a vacation as they do fun.

Arthur Kearns, owner of Mountain Trails camping supply store in Winchester, says that the main reason people love hammocks is that they are relaxing. His store sells hammocks from two different companies — Hennessy Hammocks and Eagles Nest Outfitters — and both are convenient for camping, folding easily into a backpack for travel purposes.

"[Hennessy hammocks] really are backpacking hammocks," Kearns says, explaining they can be used in lieu of a tent, since each nylon hammock comes with a rain fly and mosquito netting. Unlike a tent, the hammock can be placed anywhere in the campsite, too, even on an uneven surface, as long as it can be positioned between two trees.

"People are backpacking some with these," he says of the ENO hammocks, which are more like traditional hammocks, since they are open on top. "These are gaining in popularity."

Mountain Trails' biggest seller, the ENO hammocks come with a Slap Strap, so they can quickly be set up near a tree without requiring a lot of ropes to tie. They also come in singles and doubles, but are sold separately from accessories.

Kearns says that the Hennessy hammocks are more lightweight and thus are easier to carry while hiking; ENO hammocks will weigh more if combined with all of the accessories.

Hennessy hammocks are also classified according to how much weight they can support.

"They actually have a huge, extensive line of hammocks," says Kearns. He says that camping hammocks are a good alternative to tents, not only because of they lend themselves to travel, but also because of the material.

"As the weather improves, you don't need the insulative properties of a tent," he says, explaining that a sleeping bag can easily fit inside the hammock. This is not to say that Hennessy hammocks do not hold in the heat, Kearns says, telling of a friend who woke up after a night in a hammock to find that several inches of snow had fallen outside, without his knowledge.

"You've got pretty much a total shelter," Kearns says of the Hennessy hammock combined with the rain fly, which is made of a slick material that allows water and snow to slide off. "This is also extremely strong for its weight." The rain fly is large enough to also provide a shelter outside of the hammock, he says.

Though the hammocks are made for the outdoors, the camping hammocks are not weather treated with ultraviolet ray resistance, like some other types of hammocks might be.

"UV eats up nylon, period," Kearns says, adding that the hammocks will last several years as long as they are not left outside all summer, in the sunlight and rain.

The camping hammocks are not made to withstand the elements for an extended period of time, says Kearns. If, however, you are looking for a hammock to keep in your yard all summer, Kearns says there are many choices.

Gallagher recommends bringing the fabric portion of a traditional hammock indoors when it's raining. He estimates that the fabric will last about two years before needing to be replaced, though the metal portion of the hammock should last a lot longer and be able to brave the elements.

*Contact Josette Keelor at jkeelor@nvdaily.com.