Key Features

  1. Large footprint, big enough for 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 kids plus gear.
  2. Ability to add single hammocks underneath.
  3. Ground underneath is perfect for chairs.
  4. Great design and easy set up.
  5. Extremely durable and made of high quality material
  6. Bottom hatch entry as well as side door entry.
  7. Gear loops.
  8. Elevated from ground ( Insects, Snakes, Moisture, Animals)

 

 

 

 

When talking about the Tentsile Stingray it's hard not to start the conversation with how cool this thing is.  I have been camping since I was a kid and as much as I love it, most experiences are similar to last one.  This however reinvigorates the child like excitement about sleeping outdoors for the first time.  I am an avid hammock camper but the Tentsile Stingray is like camping with Jesus in the back country on Venus.

After receiving the Tentsile, the first thing I noticed was the weight of this thing.  Because of the heavy duty ratcheting straps needed to keep this suspended, the weight of this is not suitable for backpacking.  This is a car tent and requires a location where you can post to 3 trees.  It can be used for ground camping by staking out the 3 points but who really wants to do that.  We want to sleep in the trees.

4 feet is the recommended setup height but for my personal preference +6 feet is the desired height.  I setup camping chairs underneath and use the Stingray as a sunshade and awning.  Also same rules apply for hammock camping, being that you have to be mindful of convection heat loss.  If you are not familiar with what I am talking about check out my post on Hammock Camping 101 . The bottom hatch is mesh only and doesn't include a cover, which I was a little disappointed about, but you can add a cover for 15 bucks.  ( Maybe we can get them to start throwing it in) wink wink.

Now to the price.  This is not your Walmart tent, this is an ingeniously engineered sleeping system that provides an experience unlike any other on the market.  And with a price point over 700 dollars I recommend this for serious campers only or people who won't camp simply because they don't like to lay on the ground or are afraid of being attacked by the fictional mountain lion that resides in their head.  I kid I kid, only my wife is afraid of the fictional mountain lion.  

Bottom line, save your money even if it is 50 bucks a month until you can get a Tentsile Stingray.  Take the family on a camping trip they will remember forever and reinvigorate them to get out and explore.  When we are in touch with nature we are more hesitant to destroy it.


Trek Parents - Tentsile Gear Review Initial Setup