If you're stuck between buying an ENO and a Hawk Nest V.3, you're really comparing two different products that happen to share the word "hammock." An ENO is a hammock body. The V.3 is a complete camping shelter. Once you understand that, the comparison gets a lot cleaner — and the real cost picture changes pretty dramatically.
We make the V.3, so we'll be upfront about that. But the goal of this post isn't to bury ENO. They make solid hammocks. The goal is to lay the specs side by side, walk through what a fair total-cost-of-ownership looks like for actually camping in an ENO, and let you decide which fits your use case.
What you're actually comparing
Almost every "V.3 vs ENO" question we get is really one of two questions:
- "I have an ENO and I want to camp in it. Should I keep stacking on accessories or just buy a V.3?"
- "I'm shopping for a hammock for camping. ENO is cheaper at the sticker. Is the V.3 actually worth more?"
To answer either of those, you have to stop comparing the ENO DoubleNest ($74.95) against the V.3 ($159 in our current pre-order with all upgrades). That's apples to oranges. The fair comparison is the full ENO camping setup against the V.3 camping setup.
Here's what "full ENO camping setup" actually means as of this writing:
- ENO DoubleNest hammock — $74.95, 1 lb 3 oz
- ENO ProFly XL rain tarp — $99.95, 22 oz
- ENO Guardian SL bug net — $69.95, 16 oz
- ENO Atlas suspension straps — $29.95, 11 oz
- Total: $274.80, ~3 lb 4 oz before any insulation
And insulation is not optional for shoulder-season or cold-weather camping. An underquilt from ENO's lineup (the Vulcan or comparable from third parties) runs another $130–$300 depending on temperature rating.
So the realistic ENO camping setup that's actually camp-ready is $275–$575 and 3.5–5.5 lbs depending on whether you add insulation.
The V.3 Pre-Order Max Value bundle is $159 USD, 3 lbs base trail weight (4 lbs with the waterproof upgrades), and includes the hammock, integrated bug net, integrated rain fly, waterproof bottom, waterproof carrying bag, lifetime warranty, and a year of our Gridless survival app. For our ThermoNest underquilt, there's a separate $274.99 add-on for -6°C to -17°C trips.
That's the real headline. Now let's actually get into the differences that matter once you're set up.
Sleeping position and stability
ENO hammocks are pure gathered-end designs — fabric pinched at both ends and clipped to a suspension. They're comfortable to lounge in but not great to sleep in if you're not used to the diagonal lay. There's no built-in support to keep the fabric from collapsing inward on top of you, and the only way to flatten the sleep angle is to learn the diagonal-lay technique.
The V.3 is also a gathered-end design (we're not pretending to be a bridge hammock), but with two changes that matter at night:
- Aluminum collapsible poles at each end keep the fabric spread laterally. You don't get the burrito-wrap effect where the sides crowd your shoulders. Functionally, the inside is more like a low-profile tent than a banana-shaped sleeve.
- A stretch sleeping pad pocket built into the underside. You drop any standard inflatable pad (up to 28" wide, 80" long, 3" thick) into the pocket and it stays put under you. That gives you a more rigid, flat sleep platform — closer to a bridge hammock than a basic gathered-end.
ENO doesn't have any equivalent built into the DoubleNest. You can DIY a pad pocket with bungee, but it's not part of the product.
Practical impact: side sleepers and stomach sleepers we hear from generally adapt to the V.3 within a night or two. With a basic ENO, most side and stomach sleepers either learn the strict diagonal lay or end up not loving it.
Weather protection
This is the biggest gap between the two. An ENO DoubleNest by itself is rain-vulnerable: you'll need their ProFly or ProFly XL ($60–$100) overhead to keep dry, and you'll be tying out a separate tarp setup with cordage. The Guardian SL bug net is a separate sleeve that fits over the hammock — it works, but you have one more piece to remember and pack.
The V.3 ships with the rain fly already attached to the hammock body system. There are no separate poles or guy lines to fight with — two carabiners clip onto your suspension, two front clips snug down under the support poles, two back clips behind, two cinch straps wrap the daisy chain. Five minutes from bag to bed, in our timed setups.
The rain fly is 210T TPU-coated ripstop polyester rated to 2000mm. The waterproof bottom is TPU-coated ripstop polyester — not a stuff sack add-on, but the actual underside of the hammock fabric. There's no separate underside skin to forget.
If you've ever tried to set up an ENO tarp solo in actual rain, you already know the value of "integrated" here. The V.3 cuts that whole assembly step out.
Capacity and durability
ENO DoubleNest is rated to 400 lbs. The V.3 is rated to 500 lbs. That's a meaningful gap if you're tall, big-framed, or sleeping with a dog.
ENO uses 70D nylon taffeta. We use 70D high-tenacity ripstop nylon (parachute fabric) for the hammock body and TPU-coated ripstop for the waterproof bottom. Both will last years with reasonable care, but the V.3's bottom layer is designed to take ground contact — useful if you're setting up without trees on flat ground.
ENO offers a 2-year warranty. The V.3 ships with our 5-year extended warranty as standard, with an option to upgrade to lifetime warranty (which is included free in the current Max Value pre-order bundle).
Setup and packed size
ENO setup: unpack hammock, wrap suspension straps around trees, clip carabiners, adjust height. Add the bug net by threading the hammock through the net sleeve. Add the tarp by tying guy-lines or using a separate ridgeline system. Total time, even with practice: 10–15 minutes for the full kit.
V.3 setup: unpack the bag, wrap suspension straps around trees, clip carabiners, drape the integrated rain fly over the daisy chain straps, snap front and back clips, cinch the rain fly straps. About 5 minutes.
Packed sizes:
- ENO DoubleNest (hammock only): 4" x 5" stuff sack
- ENO ProFly XL: 4" x 5" stuff sack
- ENO Guardian SL: similar
- Atlas straps: small pouch
- Full ENO camping kit packed: four separate stuff sacks taking up ~6L of pack volume
V.3 packed size: 5" x 5" x 16.5" — one zippered waterproof pouch holds the entire system. Same approximate volume, fewer pieces to find.
Cold weather and insulation
Neither product solves cold-weather camping by itself. You need bottom insulation either way — that's just hammock physics. Cold air drafting under you will steal heat faster than the top of you can warm.
For ENO, you're shopping the aftermarket for an underquilt. ENO sells the Vulcan ($299), but plenty of campers use Hammock Gear, Warbonnet, or other third-party underquilts ($150–$350). You'll need to make sure the suspension and fit work with your DoubleNest. Lots of choice, lots of compatibility checking.
For the V.3, the same pad pocket that gives you stability also gives you insulation: any standard inflatable pad (R-value 3+) gives you enough warmth for shoulder season. For sub-freezing trips, our ThermoNest underquilt is dialed for the V.3 geometry — 800g of 90% premium duck down, comfort temp down to -17°C / 0°F, packed size 7" x 11.8", weight 3 lbs.
Practical impact: if you're going lighter (3-season + pad), the V.3 saves you the underquilt purchase. If you're going hard 4-season, both setups end up similar in price once underquilts are added, with the edge going to whichever underquilt has the better warmth-to-weight ratio.
Where ENO actually wins
We're not going to pretend ENO doesn't have its place. There are specific use cases where an ENO setup is the better answer:
- Casual lounging / backyard / festival use. If you mostly want a hammock for the deck or campsite chairs, the DoubleNest alone is lighter, cheaper, and easier to deploy than the V.3.
- You already own a tarp + bug net + underquilt that you're happy with. Adding an ENO body to that kit is cheaper than starting fresh with a V.3.
- You want maximum modularity. ENO's ecosystem of accessories means you can mix and match brands and gradually upgrade individual components. The V.3 is a closed system — pieces are designed to work together.
- You're under 6 feet and under 200 lbs and you're comfortable with the gathered-end diagonal lay. You don't need the V.3's lateral spread or extra capacity.
Where the V.3 wins
- You want one purchase that's camp-ready out of the box. No accessory hunting, no compatibility checking, no separate tarp setup learning curve.
- You're tall (up to 6'6") or heavy (up to 500 lbs). ENO's 400-lb rating gets thin fast for bigger campers.
- You want pad-based insulation rather than an underquilt purchase. The built-in pocket genuinely eliminates the cold-air gap.
- You want a 5-year or lifetime warranty backing your shelter. ENO's 2-year warranty is industry-standard but shorter than what we offer.
- You want shorter setup time in bad weather. Five minutes vs fifteen makes a real difference when you're standing in rain.
Quick spec recap
| Spec | ENO DoubleNest + accessories | Hawk Nest V.3 |
|---|---|---|
| Hammock weight | 1 lb 3 oz | 3 lbs (4 lbs with waterproofing) |
| Full setup weight (rain + bug) | ~3 lb 4 oz | 3 lbs / 4 lbs |
| Capacity | 400 lbs | 500 lbs |
| Max length | Up to 6'4" | Up to 6'6" |
| Integrated rain fly | No (separate tarp) | Yes |
| Integrated bug net | No (separate sleeve) | Yes |
| Pad pocket | No | Yes |
| Setup time | 10–15 min | ~5 min |
| Sticker price (hammock alone) | $74.95 | n/a — sold as system |
| Camping-ready setup price | $275 (no insulation) | $159 pre-order (no insulation) |
| Warranty | 2 years | 5 years (lifetime upgrade included in pre-order) |
| Suspension | Atlas straps ($30) | Daisy chain straps included |
Bottom line
If you're choosing one of these to start hammock camping today, the V.3 is the more honest answer. You spend less, you carry fewer separate pieces, and you sleep on a more stable surface. We built it because we got tired of pricing out the full ENO setup every time someone asked us "how much does hammock camping really cost?"
If you already own ENO gear that works for you, there's no rush to switch. ENO makes good products. But the V.3 is the simpler shelf-to-trailhead path for anyone starting from zero or looking to upgrade a hammock that's outgrown its capacity.
Want to see the V.3 by itself? Here's the Hawk Nest V.3 product page, the Adjustable Tree Straps (heavier-duty than the included daisy-chain straps for trees over 12" diameter), and the ThermoNest underquilt for cold-weather trips.
For more honest gear comparisons, see our V.3 vs Hennessy Hammock writeup, our hammock tent under 5 lbs roundup, and our hammock vs tent backpacking breakdown.
Got questions about either setup? We answer every email — drop us a line and we'll be straight with you about whether the V.3 actually fits what you're doing.