Hate sleeping on the hard ground while camping? Choose a tree tent to sleep in the air suspended from the trees. Whether you prefer the easy life of a converted hammock with a bug net and a rain tarp or a more sophisticated option like the Tentsile, there are plenty of camping hammocks to choose from for your tree house tent.
These tents are part of a larger category often referred to as a suspension tent. They lift you off the uncomfortable hard ground and give you a quite different sleep experience than is normally experienced in a tent. Of course, there are a number of different camping options to make tents more comfortable these days. Nevertheless, there are still plenty of advantages to tree camping.
Our first encounters with the use of a camping hammock were in Isle Royale National Park. We met someone on the boat to the island that did not have a tent – They were just planning to use a hammock and a rain fly. It seemed to be a light way to travel for a hiker. We split apart on the trails as we were headed to different sides of the island, and made our way instead to Daisy Farm where we encountered our first tree house tent.
Tree tents are a type of tent hammock combo that elevate your sleeping arrangements off the ground. When we arrived at Daisy Farm, the campground was full so we ended up splitting a campsite with a pair of hikers that had arrived earlier in the day. When I woke up in the morning in order to catch the sunrise, I found that a group of hikers had arrived after us and had set up their tree tent in the dark. It was a novel arrangement since it allowed them to sleep between the trees and did not have to find a good spot on the ground to set up their camping hammock.
Another option that we have seen online is the raindrop shaped tree tents. These look a bit less like you are camping and more like you are glamping. We have never tried them but they look like a fun way to spend an afternoon swinging in a big tree.
Tree Tent Brands / Manufacturers:
Lawson Hammock – They make the Blue Ridge Camping Hammock, which they call the “best camping hammock ever made” and will elevate your camping game. The company was founded in 2005 and has its headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Tentsile – A popular tree tent brand manufacturer based in the United Kingdom which makes one to five person hammock tents including the Stingray. Their prototype was launched in 2012 and first sold at MOMA in NYC. They plant trees for each tent sold and have planted over 660,000 to date.
TreePod – They make a hanging backyard tree house, launched via Kickstarter in 2015 and aimed toward kids. They now make a series that combines the advantages of hammocks, chairs, and tents.
Sky-Pod – A UK based tree tent provider that makes a tent that can be suspended from the trees.
Snow Peak – This outdoor gear manufacturer that has been operating for more than 60 years, founded in Japan in 1958. They came to the United States in 1999. They made the Sky Nest Tent which is a hammock tent combo.
Tree Tents for Sale
Tentsile Stingray – 3 Person Portable Tree House Camping and Backpacking Tent
The Stingray accommodates 3 adults or 2 adults and 3 children comfortably while keeping all their gear secure. It has a weight capacity of 880lbs/ and a head height of 4 feet. The third generation Stingray now includes internal storage pockets, detachable underfloor external storage Nets to for bulky items, and 40% larger central hatch. It is also compatible for ground camping with the ground conversion kit.
An solo tree tent for ultralight backpacking camping which is engineered for 4 season. Less than 5 lbs. Of trail weight and a compression stuff sack to pack out. The Una accommodates one adult comfortably while keeping all gear secure with a weight capacity of 330lbs. Featuring a front entryway, see-through mesh netting and a removable water- and UV-resistant rainfly enclosure.
Tentsile Connect 2-Person Tree Tent
The connect accommodates 2 adults comfortably while keeping all their gear secure thanks to a weight capacity of 880lbs. It is suitable for year-round use with removable rainfly, 240D nylon-polyester composite fabric. The connect features abundant storage options with an internal mesh pouch, a pocketed three tier dividing screen, and an underfloor storage Net.
Tentsile Universe 5-Person Three Element Tree Tent
This is a 3 element tent that can be pitched in the air, on the ground or even float on water. It can hold three adults in the trees and five on the ground. It has a rigid, walkable floor and plenty of storage inside. The tent packs into one trolley bag.
Lawson Hammock Blue Ridge Camping Hammock and Tent
A versatile tent hammock with an arch pole/spreader bar system for use as a hammock suspended between trees. Design keeps hammock bed flatter than other hammocks. It has a detachable waterproof rainfly and bug netting.
Oak Creek Camping Hammock and Accessories
This Oak Creek offering include single hammock, rain fly, mosquito net, 2 tree straps, 2 12kN aluminum carabiners, 2 stakes, and 2 guy lines. Holds Up to 350 Pounds. Includes an Accessory Pouch on the Inside for Your Smart Phone. All Components Weigh Less Than 4 Pounds and Fit into a Drawstring Bag Measuring 14 Inches Tall by 8 Inches Wide. Sets Up In Just 3 Minutes.
The Skyloft all-in-one hammock tent system has a breathable hammock body, integrated insect net and large streamlined rain tarp, yet is smaller and lighter than backpacking tents weighing just 64 oz in total thanks to the 70D Nylon Diamond Ripstop fabric. Setup is quick with the daisy-chain loop system. The body is designed to hold up to 700 lbs weight and provides exceptional support with its asymmetrical design. Tree-friendly straps minimizes stress on tree bark by distributing weight across 1” of webbing.