UPDATE: For more information on portable hammock stands, check out my guest post on Section Hiker.

The hammock pipe stand has been around for a while. I believe Speer was the first to build one back in 2004. The Jacks from Jacks ‘R’ Better built a similar pipe stand for their displays out of 2 in. (5 cm.) threaded pie. I used these stands during Trail Days 2012 when I worked with the Jacks in their booth. The stand has a very simple construction (there are plenty of complex variants), travels well, and is easy to put together. I built mine from 1 in. pipe and it’s just as sturdy and costs less.

I’ve used a few commercial hammock stands in the past, but the problem with these backyard stands is that they flex once you get into the hammock. This poses a problem if you want to pitch a tarp on the stand, as the tarp will sag once the hammock is used. Stands with a horizontal bar eliminate this problem. This stand uses 6 ft. (1.8 m.) pipe lengths creating a nice 12-ft. (3.6 m.) span that will accommodate most tarp configurations and a variety of hammock sizes and styles. For indoor use, you could get away with a 10 ft. (3 m.) span and five foot leg length.

I threw this illustration together as a service to those looking for the original Speer instructions; I hope you enjoy!