‘You had me at tree tent.’ That was a pal’s response after I requested her to drive an hour over to my home for some yard tenting.
The Tentsile Stingray is a cross between a tenting hammock and a three-person tent. It’s sophisticated wanting however was simple to arrange and enjoyable for anybody that entered, youngsters and adults. My 9-year-old daughter thought it was so cool and invited all her buddies. It evoked nostalgia for me, reminding me of the tree forts that I treasured as a suburban child.
I examined the third-generation Stingray for over 6 months, with the majority of it on my property (I dwell inside a wildlife refuge). Throughout that point, it acted as a playhouse, visitor home, man cave, and a peaceable shelter to hunt solace throughout breaks from work. It withstood rain, winds, intense solar, and a tornado-producing wind storm.
In brief: The Tentsile Stingray ($729) is an amusing option to camp within the entrance nation. Appropriate for automotive tenting and yard adventuring, it’s a distinct segment product that delivered a novel expertise to even essentially the most hardened camper.
What Is a Tree Tent?
The Tentsile Stingray is a three-person suspended tent. It has a triangular ground with every nook terminating in a 35mm-wide strap. The straps are 20 ft lengthy, and use ratchets rated to an unbelievable 2.8 tons to generate and maintain pressure.
Very like a normal tent, the internal fly makes use of no-see-um mesh. Tentsile makes use of 70D polyurethane-coated (PU) polyester for the rainfly. Two 8.5mm anodized aluminum poles present the vertical construction. Stress utilized to the 240D PU-coated nylon and polyester ground provides the horizontal construction.
In contrast to a tenting hammock, the ground remained taut when the Stingray was arrange appropriately. There was some “suspension” really feel, however the sensation is much completely different than in a tent on the bottom.
The Stingray is Tentstile’s flagship product, however they didn’t design it for hauling into the backcountry. It’s too heavy. As a substitute, it’s a helpful and entertaining piece of substances for automotive tenting and backyards. We will see this tree tent would even be useful on canoeing or rafting journeys the place dry floor is scarce.
The Tentsile Stingray Parts
Tentsile Stingray Tent Package
- Stingray 3-Individual Tree Tent with built-in insect mesh
- 5,000mm water column rain fly
- 2 x 8.5mm diameter anodized aluminum alloy poles (inexperienced)
- 3 under-storage nets
- 3 heavy-duty massive ratchet buckles (2.5-ton breaking power)
- 3 6m/19-ft. polyester straps
- 3 low-impact big yellow screw pegs
- 3 WaterGates massive
- 3 2m bungee cords 4mm thickness
- 3 2m Blue tree wraps with Velcro
- Spare restore package
- Tent bag
The verified weight of the Stingray Tent package is 25.5 kilos.
Tentsile Stingray: The best way to Set Up
As a result of the Stingray is such an anomaly, I felt compelled to look at a setup video (which we additionally advocate for these considering buying this tent).
The precise triangulation of the three chosen timber wasn’t essential. They solely needed to be within the normal line of pull for every nook of the tent ground. Adjusting the size of every strap supplied leeway, however the closing tensioning needed to produce pretty equal pressure on every strap.
There have been spacing necessities. There wasn’t an precise footprint of clear floor to fret about. However there was a big space that wanted to be away from something that would intervene with the trail of the straps or the tent physique. Any vegetation or buildings in step with the tent or straps needed to be decrease than the ground or straps. Tentsile recommends a top of 4 ft.
It didn’t matter if the bottom was moist, muddy, rocky, lined in sticks, or flat. But it surely did matter if the three tree trunks have been massive sufficient, as the strain on the straps was vital. Tentsile recommends a minimal tree diameter of 16 inches.
I set the Tentsile Stingray up as soon as, and it was a straightforward solo affair on each different event.
Tree Tent Life
First off, children have been tremendous interested in the Tentsile Stingray! My 9-year-old daughter jumped in as quickly because it was up and requested repeatedly through the spring to remain in it. She instructed her buddies at college, and so they all made the rounds.
However right here’s the kicker: each grownup that entered additionally felt that gleeful pleasure that I related to tenting for the primary time. Perhaps it was as a result of it’s so distinctive that it was a contemporary expertise even for skilled campers. Or perhaps it reminded us of treehouses. No matter it was, adults flocked to my tree tent as a lot as youngsters.
Getting in was harder than in a traditional tent, nevertheless it was absolutely depending on how excessive I suspended it. I most popular to enter via one of many three facet doorways, however my daughter appreciated getting in via the entice door on the ground. Each entry strategies required a hop to both a seated or mendacity place.
The taut ground supplied a distinct sleeping expertise than something I’ve ever used. My daughter didn’t want a sleeping pad beneath her bag, however she sleeps on her again. I used it a couple of nights and not using a pad, however I’m a facet sleeper. An inflatable pad improved sleep dramatically.
My logic mentioned loosening the straps would create a softer ground, however then we’d slide towards the middle of the tent. Excessive pressure within the straps was akin to having flat floor for a daily tent.
Tentsile claims the Stingray is acceptable for 3 adults or two adults and two youngsters. I discovered that to be greater than correct. As a result of campers sleep on the perimeter of the triangle-shaped ground, I by no means felt squeezed. Nor did anybody infringe on my house whereas shifting whereas asleep. I additionally didn’t contact the tent wall with my ft or head, and I’m 6 ft tall.
One draw back of the suspended tree tent was when anybody acquired up in the course of the night time, we have been all woken up by the complete tent shifting. This occurred upon exiting and re-entering, although every particular person had their very own door.
There was sufficient house left over for every camper to have a private bag, and three storage nets stored smaller gadgets off the ground. The ground hatch acted as a spot to maintain issues from rolling round and in addition has a storage pocket. Three exterior under-floor storage nets dealt with anything.
Cooler (Actually) Than Floor Tents
When it was chilly, the Tentsile Stingray was noticeably colder than a traditional tent, just like a tenting hammock. The chilly air beneath was the added thermal suck, which was mitigated by foam sleeping pads. Wind additionally drew away warmth from beneath, and the comparatively massive hole between the internal wall and rain fly wasn’t thermally environment friendly.
However, the upside was that in the summertime, the tent felt cooler, largely as a result of there was no floor vegetation blocking wind, but in addition due to conduction via the ground to the in a single day air. The internal partitions of the Stingray are totally mesh, so ditching the fly created huge quantities of airflow.
I needed to tighten the straps a couple of instances, as moisture from morning dew or rain prompted them to elongate, a typical subject with each hammocks and tent flies. And tying down the fly to the bottom or to the ground hatch was a should for something aside from a light-weight drizzle to maintain water from pooling within the fly or coming within the doorways.
Tree Tent Survives Turbulence and Storms
The Stingray is rated as a four-season tent by Tentsile, which I didn’t consider. However after a typical Texas storm that landed tornadoes in my space and downed an enormous oak tree close by, the tree tent emerged undamaged. I formally gave it a private four-season score.
Conclusion
The Tentsile Stingray was successful for each youngsters and adults for yard or automotive tenting. It’s distinctive, enjoyable, and cooler in the summertime than in common tents. After 6 months of just about fixed use, visiting children and adults nonetheless wish to get inside it.
The tree tent is heavy, so utilizing it within the backcountry is a giant ask. Even splitting the load 3 ways is problematic, as the primary tent physique is heavy by itself. But it surely’s not unimaginable, and for a brief trek, it may very well be definitely worth the novelty and enjoyable.
The Stingray proved extraordinarily sturdy throughout a loopy windstorm, and common three-season automotive tenting tents would have been decimated. In fact, this was depending on the anchoring timber being storm-worthy.
At an MSRP of $729, it is a massive funding. However when you view it as a playhouse for teenagers and an additional room on your outdoor-oriented buddies like I did, it could be value it.
