Tentsile Connect
We at The Gear Hunt always try to make sure we bring you the best options when it comes to any type of gear. When it comes to tents, there are always a lot of things you have to be sure of before selecting what is best. From size to material and even what seasons you intend to use it for. Not all tents are built to hold up for every season, and we all know size and materials will vary.
So, what kind of tent is the Tentsile Connect? It’s a smaller tent by comparison, but it is a uniquely designed one that makes it interesting for any type of camper- it isn’t on the ground, it is up in the trees! Get ready for an adventure and read on to find out if this new style is the right one for what you want to experience when camping in the outdoors!
Off the ground
Comfortable (when raised)
Durable
Can be set up on the ground (tight fit)
Can be completely open
Varied size availability
3-season tent
Can be hard to learn set-up
Expensive
Requires a specific tree line up
14 pounds (with ratchet)
Accessories
The only real ‘accessories’ come in the way of buying replacement parts in case yours has an issue, such as extra straps, ratchets or an extra rainfly. There are also extenders for your straps in case you feel you might need them to connect to an appropriate tree formation, but, in the end, this comes with everything you need to set it up and use it.
Materials
The canopy is made of Polyester mesh, which acts as a ventilated netting to allow a cool breeze to flow through the tent easily while keeping you safe from insects. The polyester fabric used for this mesh means it is both flexible and durable as well as can handle getting wet without a lot of issues. The weave is what gives you the protection from the bugs and still allows air to flow through.
The floor is made of straight-up nylon which gives it that thin feeling but is exactly what makes it so durable. Nylon is a lightweight elastic synthetic style of material which makes it perfect for making durable and long-lasting tents. It is also not harsh on the skin and most people are not allergic to it the same way they might be with other materials that are the same level of elasticity and durability. This makes it perfect for this style of tent.
Finally, the rainfly is made out of coated or treated nylon so that it holds the same stretch and durability but protects you against rain. The coating is usually only applied to one side of the fabric making it waterproof and allowing it to remain lightweight and easily folded or stored. You can also add extra waterproofing to it if needed, but it is not likely you will have to.
Capacity
The actual size dimensions also come into play, however, when you are looking to choose a tent that fits you. After all, even if it can hold the weight, if you're too tall for it, you still won’t fit- especially with a tent-shaped like a triangle! The length is 13 feet, however, this tapers near the feet, so expect it to fit more closely to nine or ten feet, but that should be enough room for most.
Waterproofing
For some this proved to be easily resolved given you can extend the fly a little further out to create more of a canopy cover, which means you aren’t as likely to get pelted, but it does leave you open to the breezes caused by such weather. Those who tested the bottom found it to be water-resistant, but it doesn’t seem to let much moisture through.
Style
The Tentsile Connect is designed to hang from three trees in a V shape in distance from each other. This gives you the comfort of not sleeping on ground debris as well as avoiding the insects and smaller animals which may be creeping around on the forest floor. However, it is only meant to be about four feet up for safety reasons.
The way you go about hanging it is to strap to sturdy living trees and ratchet the straps down till the tent is tightly held in place. The reason it is not suggested to be higher up than four feet is so if something is not done properly and the tent falls upon entry those inside are not injured. This does take a little work to get right, and everyone who has purchased this says the first set up is always the hardest.
Once everything is set up and the center strap is tightened along the bottom, the tent acts as a double hammock for those who are inside. The way it works makes this one of the most enjoyed versions of a tent that most people have had. The downside is that it may not always be feasible to set up as intended in the trees.
This is capable of being set up on the ground as well, but as expected, it is not the most comfortable ground tent since that was not how it was designed to be used.
It does come in two colors: green and blue.
Durability
Well, surprisingly, it is not usually the tent that doesn’t hold out if it is set up appropriately, it’s the trees they tried using. You have to pick appropriately sized trees, and you have to make sure they are living as well. One camper pointed out that they used a dead tree and that was a huge mistake, as while the tent itself held out, the tree could not hold the weight, causing everything to collapse once they were in.
If you check everything (and take the advice to double-check) the straps, ratchets and tent itself are exceedingly durable and it takes a lot to actually make it fail in its job. It’s not easy to tear, and since its suspended, it isn’t likely to get holes unless you either purposely do so or take something sharp in with you. It is definitely not fireproof though, so you will want to keep it a safe distance from where burning embers might hit the material.
The good news is that even if you get a rip or tear, because of the material, it won’t get bigger even with weight applied to it. The only thing that most have found is that if you don’t use it appropriately and are pushing it to its weight limit for several days, you can end up stretching the material a bit. This is true of any stretching material, however, and should be taken into consideration.
Protection
What most people think, but don’t realize is inaccurate, however, is that a tree tent like this one is not meant to be put up high enough to avoid larger forest predators. If what you were hoping for was to avoid mountain cats or bears, this probably is not going to satisfy that hope.
Weather Resistance
For instance, it may not be the best idea to use during early spring or late fall because winter is the season it is not suited for and the cold harsh storms for both may not be warded off by the tent.
Price
The upside is it also comes with the standard 1-year warranty that the company offers with most of its gear, so you can at least know if something doesn’t work right, you can expect it to be fixed, replaced, or get a refund.
Key Features
-Extremely comfortable
-Durable
-Off of the ground
-Water-resistant