Best of #theroolife Sept 22-28th

Once you’ve picked out which Kammok hammock style works best for you and your favorite color (we think that’s the hardest part), it’s time to learn how to hang and care for it. We’ve compiled a guide for all your hammock care needs that can be applied to any Kammok hammock type (Roo Single, Roo Double, Roo Jr., Roo Double XL, and Roo Single UL)   How to Set Up Your Hammock Applies to all Kammok hammock types excluding the Roo Single UL. Find two points to hang your hammock between. Each hammock size calls for a slightly wider or narrower set up, however the standard to look out for is 12-15 feet. Grab your hammock straps. Wrap the widest part of the strap around the tree or post. Pull the strap through the end with the single loop. Ensure to loop your straps around the tree about 6 ft high. Unbuckle the rolled up top from your Roo hammock and pull out the fabric. Clip the hammock carabiner through one of the Python strap loops and repeat this step on the other side. Tip: Clip the strap bag onto hammock carabiner for safe keeping. For a safety check, press into the center of the hammock to test before sitting down. Adjust your hammock as needed to rest at a 30 degree angle and try out the other ways of hanging below.     How to Hang In Your Hammock  Applies to all camping hammock types. Who said hammocks are only for laying down? There’re so many ways to hang in your favorite Kammok hammock depending on where you are and who you’re with. Here are a few of our favorite ways to hang.  The Chair - Perfect for talking in a group, watching the sunset or hanging around a campfire. An easy way to sit upright and relax with legs hanging over the hammock or cross legged.  The Lounge - Our favorite way to nap, relax and look up at the sky on a starry night. Lay diagonally, spreading the hammock fabric for space and comfort. This one is great for cuddling with your adventure dog (or human). The Perch- A good way to hang while reading a book or hanging with a buddy in a Roo Double or Double XL. Scoot to one end of your hammock and sit upright while keeping your legs straight.   How to Pack Your Hammock  Applies to all camping hammock types. When you’re done using your hammock for the day, it’s important to pack it after each use to protect the fabric from long-term exposure to the elements.  To do this, unclip one side of the hammock and pack it into the stuff sack, one side at a time. Then, unclip the second side of the hammock. We recommend keeping the carabiners on the top.  Roll the stuff sack twice and and buckle the sides.  Roll up each Python strap and place them back into the stuff sack.     How to Wash Your Hammock Applies to all Kammok hammock types excluding the Roo Single UL. Hand wash Roo Single UL only. If your hammock is soiled or stained from all your epic adventures, we recommend hand washing when possible. However, avoid washing your hammock frequently since this will deteriorate the DWR coating and lessen durability of the fabric over time. If using a washing machine is necessary, make sure to use one without a center agitator as this can tear up the fabric. Remove the carabiners and slings prior to washing. Place the hammock fabric in the washing machine. Fill the Grangers Down Wash + Repel cap to the recommended level. A gentle powder  detergent will work as well. Do not use fabric softener, bleach, or stain removal products. Wash the hammock fabric by itself on a gentle, cold-water setting.  Hang dry in a warm and non-humid environment until the fabric is no longer damp. Once the fabric is completely dried out, attach the slings and carabiners to the ends. You can use an unopened pen to help thread the sling back through the hammock fabric. Your hammock is clean and ready for more time outside.   These tips and guidelines will help you make the most of your Kammok hammock. Make sure to check out our Help Center FAQ for all of your product use and care questions.

As many as 300,000 Americans contract Lyme disease from infected ticks each year, according to CDC modeling. Much of the Eastern half of the country has a large chunk of these cases.  However, only a small fraction of Lyme cases are reported to federal health authorities. Elsewhere in the United States, people contend with potentially fatal tick-borne illnesses like Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Mosquitoes inhabit every corner of the country, spreading potentially serious pathogens like West Nile and Zika viruses and general bite-induced misery. Meanwhile, fire ants terrorize backyards in the southern United States. And they’re joined by too many other insect pests to name. In this year of social distancing, backyard camping is a great way to spend time with your family and enjoy the outdoors. The good news is that suppressing outdoor pests isn’t as difficult or costly as you might imagine. And there are natural ways to get rid of these annoyances. These natural backyard pest control solutions will increase your enjoyment while keeping your kids and pets safe from harm. 1. Moisture Control and Standing Water Management Mosquitoes love standing water. It’s where adults breed and lay their eggs and where larvae spend their lives before transitioning to adulthood. They don’t need much water, so it’s important to identify and control sources of moisture and standing water, even if they don’t seem troublesome. You can’t do much about standing water beyond your property lines. If you live near a pond or swamp, you’ll need to get used to mosquito activity. But you can follow these tips to make your yard as inhospitable to breeding mosquitoes as possible: Dump and Scrub. The CDC recommends dumping standing water from human-made vessels, such as birdbaths and flower pot saucers, at least once per week and thoroughly scrubbing the empty containers. No soap is required, though nontoxic insecticidal soaps can help. Add Oil. If you don’t want to dump the water, drizzle about one teaspoon of olive or vegetable oil into standing water. The oil kills larvae without harming birds or plants. Add Vinegar. Another solution if you don’t want to get rid of the water is to add vinegar to standing water sources. You want to achieve a ratio of about one part oil to five parts water, so this isn’t practical for larger bodies of water, but it should work fine for your birdbath. Mosquito Dunks. These “bacteria bombs” kill mosquito larvae without harming kids or pets. Add them to standing water and let them work their magic.   2. Brush Management Standing water is to mosquitoes as dense underbrush is to disease-carrying ticks. During the cool season, ticks retreat to leaf litter for warmth and protection. They lurk on grasses and ground-hugging vegetation in warmer months waiting for unsuspecting mammals to brush by. Homeowners keen on making their backyards safe for camping need to reduce or eliminate places for ticks to breed and ultimately to find new victims. Here’s how: Edging. Take a trimmer to high weeds and brush along the perimeter of your yard at regular intervals throughout the growing season. Mowing. Mow your lawn regularly, keeping grass ankle-high or lower. Gravel Borders. Create a gravel barrier at least 3 feet wide between your yard and surrounding wooded areas. If this is impractical, use wood chips instead. Stacking Wood. If you keep firewood or downed wood on your property, stack it neatly to discourage tick-carrying rodents from setting up shop. Raking. Rake your grass and cultivate areas to remove leaf litter, grass clippings, and other tick-friendly habitats. 3. Fire Ant Suppression Years of steady northward expansion have brought invasive fire ants, known as red imported fire ants, into contact with backyard campers across a broad swath of the southern United States, from central Texas to Virginia. According to the World Health Organization, fire ants sting as many as 60% of people living in colonized areas. Backyard campers eager to avoid joining their ranks can try two eco- and people-friendly remedies to suppress their colonies: Hot Water. This remedy is only kid- and pet-friendly when kids and pets aren’t around. For each mound you’d like to treat, you’ll need to heat several gallons of water to a near boil, then pour it slowly onto the mound to drench and hopefully penetrate the soil. This measure will also kill nearby grasses, but that may be a small price to pay. Organic Treatments. Though they’re not as effective as EPA-regulated chemical pesticides, two compounds do work to suppress fire ant colonies: d-limonene (citrus oil extract) and spinosad (a microbial byproduct). Follow package instructions carefully. 4. Encouraging Predation Insect-loving predators are the ultimate backyard pest control solution. Bats are voracious consumers of mosquitoes and other biting flies. They’re polite enough to do their work at night too. To encourage them to frequent your yard, Good Housekeeping recommends doing the following: Plant Night-Blooming Flowers. A night-blooming garden should draw night-feeding insects, which in turn will encourage bats to hang out. Popular options include primrose, honeysuckle, dahlia, and raspberry. Put Up a Bat House. Place a bat house (whether purchased pre- or partially assembled or built from scratch) on a south-facing second-story wall or exposed pole near your yard’s edge. The optimal height is 15 to 20 feet above the ground. Final Thoughts Your backyard is yours to enjoy. You shouldn’t have to live in fear of it. Nor should you feel compelled to invest in drastic pest control solutions that could put your children and pets at risk. Thankfully, these kid-friendly pest mitigation solutions really do work. Get started today, and look forward to making your backyard yours once more. Jeremy Kallen is a freelance writer and outdoor enthusiast who uses a number of strategies to watch out for ticks and pests.

The past few weeks have been filled with discussion, both internally as a company and as nine individuals in pursuit of social justice. At Kammok, we exist to promote human flourishing through adventure outside, but people cannot flourish when racism is putting lives in danger every day. We believe community is transformative to create lasting change, and we all need to address the racial divide in this country. We champion love as our chief core value, and staying silent about systematic injustice is not loving. As an ally to the Black community, people of color, and underrepresented voices in the outdoors, we are committed to fighting for justice, and to acting on what is right. Immediately, we are donating to nonprofits, matching employee donations up to $2K to organizations fighting against injustice, inequality, and racism. This isn’t a one-time donation. As part of our ongoing commitment to give 1% of revenue to social and environmental initiatives, we are identifying organizations that build inclusivity and equity in the outdoors so that Kammok can invest and enable them long-term. We've supported Explore Austin since 2017 to empower youth through outdoor mentorship, and we will continue to support as we expand our scope for giving. We have a platform, and eyes and ears from a receptive community that shares our mission to elevate time outside for all people. We ask our Kammok community to reflect on the impacts you can make. These are our first of many steps to hold us accountable for the change we wish to see. It's on us to work towards change together.   Greg McEvilly CEO/Founder and Team Kammok