Tentstile 2: Update!

You may recall a while back I posted a Wish-Lust item, the rather amazing suspended Tentsile tents and they have put out a press relief, and posted on their Facebook, about a crowd-sourced version of their tents, to make them a little more accessible to the average buyer. The following is from their press release:

*********************************************************************************

Introduction:
Due to the phenomenal level of interest generated by the Tentsile brand since April 2012, we have developed this design for all those who have expressed their support, interest and enthusiasm over the past few months.
Tentsile 2 offers the same unique suspended outdoor experience as the original range but, due to some key adaptations, can also be set up on the ground and be offered at a more attractive price point.
100 units of the Beta version of Tentsile 2 will be released as part of our crowd funding program. Recipients will asked to participate in a user feedback session which will inform the final design, ready for general release in Spring 2013.

Brief Description:
If set up in the air, the tent is entered through the door in the bottom fly sheet. During ground based use, the entrance is through the large front window, giving access to the tensioned fabric floor which provides an incredibly comfortable living and sleeping space.
In suspended position, the tent has a storage area beneath the beds and each hammock benefits from its own window, insect mesh and clip loops. The central pole also boasts an adjustable table with cup holders.

Materials:
All sheet materials are fire retardant, UV resistant and rot proof. 2 Ounce silicon coated nylon fly sheet.
6 Ounce PU coated texturised nylon Hammocks.
50mm Webbing strap frame.
30mm Aluminum central pole.
1 x Aluminum sleeve and hub piece. 350mm/


Weight Capacity:
The Tentsile Range 2, is manufactured to carry the weight of 3 adults and their gear.

Recommended maximum load capacity:
400 kg 800 lbs

Set-up Time:
As with most things, practice will reduce the time it takes to set up a Tentsile. In a new and untried location, Tentsile 2 set up will take about 20-30 mins. This is reduced to 5-10 mins if you have used the site before and know the locations of your high level attachment points.

Prices:
BETA Version - $1049
Retail Version - $1499













*********************************************************************************

The IndiGoGo campaign can be found here: so that you too can get involved and see if you can afford one of these awesome tents yourself.

Review: Zazz LED tent pegs

Following up from a recent care-package from my friends at Zazz, I have a second piece of out-doorsy gadgetry to review for you. Zazz often have some pretty funky items, several of which I have reviewed in past, so when they asked if I'd like to see what they had coming up, I was only too happy to see. These tent pegs are an example of the kind of gadget they offer: What you have is a set of four polycarbonate tent pegs, with a X cross section for strength. Each peg comes with an intergral hook, as well as a lanyard hole, to give you several different tie-off options, as well as a somewhat reinforced hammering face, to drive the pegs into the ground. The most interesting feature of of the pegs however are the adjustable LED lights at the top end of each peg.





The LED is activated by twisting the top of the light, and produces a striking bright cone of illumination for its size. Two button batteries provide the power, but I don't have an data on how long each light would last. I suspect you would bet several sets of "dusk till bedtime" out of them. The lights are fitted with a snug swivel, such that they can be angled to project light in 90 degrees. The LED case is not waterproof, so you'll want to be aware of the risk of rainwater ingress.

When upright the LED illuminates the plastic body of the peg, casting a warm orange glow. The package seems to suggest that orange light "frustrates mosquitoes" which seems to be part of urban folklore.






Whether or not it repels mosquitoes, having a ground level LED spotlight lighting a path in front of my tent, angled back in to my vestibule so I can put my boots on or get at my supplies, or warmly marking my campsite seems like a good idea for the kinds of recreational camping that I do currently. I will welcome illuminated tent pegs on my next social camping trip for two reason: it will help me find my tent whilst staggering back from the firepit and they will dissuade other revelers from stumbling into my guy-ropes as they themselves are staggering back from the firepit.

Trailblazing without the blaze!

Wish Lust: Tent - Tentsile

It's not often I come across a piece of gear so unique that I can honestly say I've never seen anything like it. this certainly is an example. I've seen canopies on hammocks before. I've seen no-pole tents. Multi-person suspended tree platforms and suspended shelters, but never all at once and never do well thought out and realized. This has it all. It is the http://www.tentsile.com/ and it is simply amazing.

The basis is fairly simple, take a modern tent, and suspend it in the air to give a stable and raised camp site. Tentsile offer three designs; the Type A, a single triangular shape built for 1-2 people, the Type B, which features three radial triangular arms centering on a d12 looking hub, for 3-4 people, and the Type C which is a scaled-up Type B, for 5-8 people.

All of these tents are constructed from several different materials, all the sheet materials are fire retardant and UV resistant treated, and the components are as follows: 2 Ounce silicon coated nylon Rip-Stop fly sheet, 4 Ounce silicon coated nylon Lower sheet, 6 Ounce PU coated texurised nylon Hammocks Mesh bed flooring. The body of the structures are made up of
a 35mm webbing strap skeleton 30mm and the different models feature a sparse number aluminium central poles and battens for some internal structure. The Type B Tentsile’s skeleton is made from webbing straps is rated at a breaking strength of 5 tonnes and is configured to take the weight of four adults and their luggage, or 500 kg (1,100 lbs).

How does it all work? Well, the product pamphlet states that Tentsile can currently be set up where there are 3 anchoring locations at high level. Each radial wing ends in a hook which is coupled to a tentioning cord and ratchet. Once the three cords have been ratchedted tight, a fourth cord is coupled to a groud anchor and ratcheted downwards, creating a tension space. This is just the kind of tree climbing fun time that is right up my alley. The brochure goes on to suggest that anchoring points can be found in both rural and urban contexts. Trees make an ideal post for attachement but a simple loop plate fitting can be attached to the side of any building and even vehicles can provide the necessary fixing locations.

There are obvious reasons to get up off the ground in some situations; flood prone areas (like those seen in Moulamein, NSW for Confest New Years, 2011), where there are critters on the ground who might find you tasty (Lions, Tigers, Bears, oh my!) and where being in a high-hide has observational advantages. (not for use in T-Rex prone areas. ) I've lived and been out adventuring in some places we're there are indeed critters who would come into your tent and eat you, and have also found myself camped in a wet and marshy spot, and also on some pretty cold ground. I can see some real practical advantages to camping up off the ground, as well as it being a fully awesome concept.

Obviously all this high end design comes at a cost. These tents are bespoke technology, they are hand made, and in order to do what they do, by necessity very highly engineered. I don't usually go into the costs of things I review, but looking around on their website, associated Facebook page and the like, I saw time and again the question of interested parties. "How much do they cost?" This being information that you can only get by asking, I thought I would post it to save you the trouble. The TypeA is listed as USD$2900, the TypeB as USD$8620 and the TypeC as a whopping $11800.

Pretty much a dream killer for me, but I have great hope that the idea will take off, after these folks get a lot of good press and cash, and the manufacture process will speed up, dropping costs to a level where those of us without personal mini-subs can pick one up. I fully expect to see these featured in a blockbuster Hollywood hit sometime soon, they are simply amazing. I will be strongly thinking about my own options for setting something like this up. Till then, I'll dream the dream. And prepare.