Tentsile Connect

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Tentsile Connect Review Facts

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!

Editor's Pros & Cons
Pros

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

Cons

Can be hard to learn set-up

Expensive

Requires a specific tree line up

14 pounds (with ratchet)

Accessories

There is very little to purchase in the way of accessories for most tents, and this one isn’t much different. There are extra’s in the way of things you could buy even if this particular tent is not the one you bought. One such thing is a luggage canopy and storage hammock which doesn’t actually connect to the tent but can be used beneath it or nearby to store things you don’t want in the tent with you while you are sleeping.

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

This particular tent has three types of material used for the main tent, aluminum alloy for the poles and industrial-grade ratchets. We couldn’t find exactly what type of metal the ratchets are made out of, only that you can replace them easily and that they are considered industrial grade. We also could find no information on what the straps themselves are made of, but they are extremely well made and do come in a variety of sizes.

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

This particular model is a two-person hammock style tree tent, which means that it is only really built to support two adults at a time. The tent does offer varying sizes, but the original is a 2-person, which is the one we were looking at for this article. The maximum weight suggested for use is about 880 pounds, but it still is not suggested that you continually push that weight.

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

We have mentioned that this comes with a treated rainfly, but how much does that actually help when you are up in the air? Well according to those who use this and have ventured to test Tensile’s rainfly against rain, it’s actually very waterproof. Even when spraying it down, the rainfly remained dry and anything directly under it also remained dry. But being a hammock style means that the bottom hangs down just a bit further.

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

This has a recently expanding and distinctly different style to it that there are only a few others designed similarly out there. Have you ever wanted a hammock that is your tent? That is exactly what the idea is behind this one, and it works!

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

This is an extremely important thing to consider for any type of equipment you are going to use for hiking or camping, but it becomes even more so when you are relying on it to hold you up suspended in a hammock tent. This is a feature that many of those who have purchased this tent focus on above all else because you don’t want to get injured. So, what is it that they have found out?

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

The good news is that this tent protects you pretty well for something that seems to be a bit softer in the material. The rain fly does a great job against rain, the netting keeps bugs out easily and because you are up off the ground, you are protected against debris that you would need a floor mat to keep away from in your average tent. You also don’t have to worry about the wet ground or small forest creatures and insects that tend to stick to the ground either.

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

This is considered a ‘three-season’ tent, but that can be a little misleading. While some have found that it works in all seasons as far as protecting you from the ground, it doesn’t hold heat well and it doesn’t entirely hold against extreme weather conditions. The three-season aspect actually means that its suggested use spans through three different seasons, but it does not include the extreme weather present in those seasons.

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

This is a fairly expensive tent, in all truth. It does have the quality build and ingenuity which can make it well worth the tag though if you are ready for the learning curve and want to enjoy the same great rest others have said they have had in it while camping. At a whopping $450 suggested retail by the company, it will take saving up to purchase it.

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

-Hammock bottom
-Extremely comfortable
-Durable
-Off of the ground
-Water-resistant

Bottom Line

If you are looking for a comfortable off the ground camping experience, you have it in this tent. It is highly durable, flexible and offers a comfortable rest that some say is even better than what they get at home in bed. The only downsides most found to this tent were the price and the learning curve for setting it up. If you don’t mind a little extra effort though and can spare the money, its worth it to try a hammock tent.