Speer Hammocks
About Us

Ed Speer and Karen Sousa run Speer Hammocks out of their home in Marion, NC, escaping to the mountains of western North Carolina whenever possible. They are active members in many outdoor-focused organizations including the Appalachian Long Distance Hiking Association, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, the National Speleological Society, and the Geological Society of America.

Ed has a long association with the outdoors. Growing up in the mountains of western North Carolina only wetted his appetite for more outdoor adventure. His parents were avid campers who took him on many outdoor trips. Before long, he was leading his own trips into the wilderness and spending more and more time in the outdoors. By his college years, he was an accomplished backcountry traveler who was comfortably hiking, camping, canoeing, rock climbing, fishing and caving throughout the US.

Ed turned his love of the outdoors into a career as an exploration geologist, which greatly expanded his time outside. Earning Geology degrees from the University of Missouri and the University of Arizona led to work assignments throughout the western and southern US, as well as parts of Canada, South America, and Africa. His successful career focused on gold and diamond exploration. After years of acquiring the necessary skills, he turned to epic outdoor adventures, including a 1,600-mile solo kayak trip along the west coast of Canada and Alaska. More recently he has hiked over 5,000 miles on the Appalachian Trail, including two complete hikes from end to end.

In addition to Speer Hammocks, Ed is a part-time geological consultant, most recently working for a nearby emerald mine.

Karen's adventures have kept her a little closer to home. Growing up in southeastern Connecticut, she spent most weekends out on a boat or at the beach. Her love of the outdoors was bred into her early by parents who choose to be outside whenever possible. One of her fondest memories is of climbing a mountain her first day at college and bushwacking down the far side, even if it meant finding her own way back to school.

While Karen's early career as an Emergency Department nurse didn't allow for extended journeys, her desire for wilderness activities continued into adulthood, supported by hiking, fly-fishing and other outdoor adventures. Karen's interests in the outdoors have recently led her to such endeavors as hiking almost 700 miles of the Appalachian Trail solo and several other extended hiking and canoeing trips. She is currently pursuing a career in the medical software industry and telecommutes from home.