I need advice as what kind to get, either the rope type or the cloth type (which is $35 more).
I need to get this tonight, so what would be better?
Thanks
My vots’s for wool! Had one for years and it’s really comfy. Sweaty buttocks with the cloth kind. Nothing wrong with the rope kind though.
My family had a rope one that eventually rotted. We got a cloth one, and it’s lasted longer.
I would have to go with the cloth kind. It doesn’t give as much as the rope kind but it doesn’t cut into you or leave those lines like the rope does.
Mine is cotton rope. I like it, but as andygirl points out, it does rot. Avoid the ones with skinny nylon rope; they are not comfortable. Stick with the cotton ropes, about 1/2" diameter.
The cloth ones are hotter since there is less air circulation, but you won’t have mosquitoes attacking your back.
Go to Merida, Mexico to buy one.
Short of that, go for a thickish wool rope on if it is going to stick around. Nylon ones are perfectly good for traveling, however, and some people actually like them better.
The most important thing is the number of threads it has. The more, the better.
A few hammock pointers. Never ever wear shoes in it, as it will destroy them quickly. More importantly, most people lay in their hammocks wrong. You do not just plop flat down on a hammock like a bed. Instead, lay somewhat diagonally, streaching the hammock out a bit with your feet. This will make it so that you do not hurt your back and can be in it for a long period of time. This is the proper way to use a hammock, and all other techniques will point you out as an amature hammock wanna-be.
Cloth hammocks do not allow you to use proper hammock technique. They are not true hammocks, rather wanna-be hammocks made for suburbanite who cannot stand the thought of such lower class things as rope. Really.
And by all means enjoy. Hammocks are wonderful things, and my faithful hammock, which still smells like smoke from a Mexican jungle campfire, is one of my most faithful friends.
Whoa! How does that work?! 
I think they mean the shoes will wear out the hammock quickly, which is true.
Well K2Dave, if you already bought it last night, my advice is too late, but if you want one big enough for two people, which IMHO is an absolute necessity, get a 3-man hammock, not a 2-man. The one’s advertised for 2 people just aren’t big enough to comfortably hold 2 people - I’m 5’10" 150#.
My opinion, go with the biggest one you can afford or have room for. I bought a 3-man in Mexico a couple years ago, it’s beautiful and has plenty of threads, i.e., tight weave. I don’t however, leave it outside. Just have it on clips and it’s easy to bring it in and out.
I HATE the rope ones, because unless you’re wearing a parka they dig into your back and leave an interesting pattern on your body.
By the way, if you’re planning on getting frisky in your hammock, be gentle, I broke one that way…
Thank you all your help was greatly appreciated and needed, I went w/ the cloth type, 2 man size, PEEWEE, you came too late but you heart was in the right place - and thanks for the warning ;).
I have a couple of great, nylon ones that wad up into a little ball and fir in my pack for camping. They’re inexpensive and cool.
I bought my brother a survival hammock for Christmas one year and he likes it. The thing is enclosed, with roof, screen sides, weather flap and is water proof. Some come with roll down rain flaps and they’re kind of roomy, good for quite rainy day snoozing or reading outside. They tie up at 4 points. Two for the base, then two for the roof.