Hammock & hot tub combo!

Nothing gets more quintessentially summer – like than lazily swinging in the shade of a tree in a generous hammock. But imagine being able to combine both the pleasures of the hammock with that of the hot tub — now that’s summer ingenuity at its best. Well, this melding of the two can be found in the Hydro Hammock, which uses industrial-strength, tensile and waterproof fabrics to allow you to suspend it almost anywhere, fill it up with up to 50 gallons (189 litres) of water, and fit two adults inside.

Created by Benjamin Frederick of Ashland, Oregon, the Hydro Hammock was conceived as a more eco-friendly alternative to the conventional hot tub. It uses less water, can be filled with a garden hose and warmed up with an optional water heater, which uses a pump to recirculate the water while keeping it warm.

This hybrid hammock can be taken almost anywhere (as you can see in the video, you could even set it up over a waterfall, while camping, and even on the beach, so that you can soak in seawater — or freshwater for that matter — instead of chemically-laden hot tub water).

The streamlined form of the Hydro Hammock means that it is much more comfortable and slip-resistant than a rigid hot tub or bathtub, since it “cradles” the user. And yes, you can even have a bubble bath in it.

Hydro Hammock brings the best of the hammock and hot tub worlds into one blissful cocoon that is versatile and easy to carry and set up. It is currently seeking funding onKickstarter — you can pre-order a single-wall (USD $260) or double-walled ($390) hammock, and upgrade to a carry case, water heater and pump for an additional $920 (it’s powered by natural gas, but they are working to put out a solar and electric version soon). See more over at Hydro Hammock and Kickstarter.