Tentsile Stingray Hammock Tent - A Review

So I had been eying the Tentsile Stingray tent ever since I discovered it back in the fall. However, they are kind of pricey and didn't make my Christmas list. But after the Christmas holiday season, they went on sale and I scrounged up all my birthday and Christmas money and splurged on the Stingray, a cover for the hatch and a ladder for the tent.

The tent arrived a couple of weeks later and I took advantage of the first pretty day to set it up in my yard. I took a time lapse video of the whole process from initial unpacking to complete setup that you can see below. The whole process took less than 15 minutes. I think it will be even faster now that I know how everything works.

This is is a pretty substantial tent, weighing in at about 19 pounds. Most of that weight comes from the straps and ratchets - but of course they are strong to hold the advertised 800 pound weight limit. That means it won't replace my backpacking tent, but will become a staple for lake campsites and car camping with my little girl in the future.

Upon setup I could tell that this tent is made of quality materials. The bottom of the tent is a thick nylon, while the upper is completely mesh. This will be great for hanging out in the summer. The rain fly is waterproof sealed nylon and should be pretty solid once it is staked out. I left the tent up overnight and it rained. I didn't have the sides and corners pulled tight and I think this led to the drips and wetness inside. I also did not have the tent level and I think the rain ran down the support straps and got the interior wet.

Overall, I am very happy, impressed and excited about my new Tentsile Stingray. I was also very happy about the customer service that I received from Tentsile. I had some doubts about the website they were offering their discount through - I like to deal with companies directly or with known outfitters - and they reached out to me through social media (both Instagram and Facebook) to assure me that they would be fulfilling the orders directly from their own warehouses. After my order, I contacted them through their website because I didn't get my ladder with my initial order. Within an hour, I had a personalized reply and a new tracking number. The ladder shipped from London because their US supply ran out - and this didn't cost me another dime in shipping costs!

If you love hammocks, make the splurge and go get a Tentsile tent. I am so glad I did! Also, look for more reviews of our favorite gear coming on WNC Outdoor Life.