The jungle hammock may not seem like a standard issue military surplus item, but it sure helped a lot of soldiers get a decent night of sleep in World War II and the Vietnam War.

The jungle hammock is based on what used to be called the Venezuelan hammock, which obviously originated in Venezuela.  These hammocks were made specifically for protection against wildlife in the area, such as scorpions and snakes.  The jungle hammocks are made with a breathable material to prevent “stuff” from growing inside of them, since it’s very humid in Venezuela.

When U.S. soldiers used jungle hammocks, they would dig trenches and hang them inside to provide protection from enemy fire.  In the jungles of Vietnam and Burma, soldiers also put mosquito nets around the hammocks to prevent them from getting annoyed by pests during the night.

You can get a military-style jungle hammock, complete with mosquito netting and a coated roof to keep you dry.  It’s the perfect camping hammock, and it even has a camouflage design.  This jungle hammock has everything you need to set it up, including ropes and clews.  This hammock is best used in warm and hot weather.

But if the jungle hammock isn’t the right one for you, you can always use a traditional netting portable hammock.  Amazon offers some olive drab hammocks for a great price.

You know we like movies here at Best Military Surplus, so we wanted to mention the jungle hammock used by the Na’vi in Avatar.  You see Jake Sully sleep in one of these in his avatar, along with Neytiri and other Na’vi.  This jungle hammock is unique in that it is apparently organic and part of the living ecosystem on Pandora.  We see it cover Jake and Neytiri with a simple touch.  There aren’t any of these hammocks around yet, but you can check them out in Avatar.

Written by Craig Kent, member of the Best Military Surplus team.