made a name for itself with its mesh-nylon tree tents, which use robust webbing to stay suspended above the ground, sort of like a campsite聽treehouse. Now the company expands聽on that concept with the Universe ($2,000), a multifunction design that can be used聽as a traditional tent, a hanging shelter, and even a walled-in paddleboard.
The triangular contraption combines an inflatable plastic bottom (essentially a giant SUP) with mesh tent sides and a 70-denier nylon fly. Tent poles anchor the corners, and the mesh and nylon pieces聽drape over the top. Set the whole thing up on the ground like a camping tent, use the straps to dangl聽it from a sturdy branch, or shove off from the beach for a luxurious聽float, with the nylon fly as a sunshade.
With 195 square feet of floor space, five feet of head space, and large pockets on the fly, the Universe has plenty of room to stash聽gear (or beer)聽and even more聽to sprawl聽out and relax. (Tentsile says it accommodates five people on the ground and three on the water or while suspended.) There are three doors, so there鈥檚聽no need to climb over sleeping tent mates when nature calls. And despite being firm enough to stand on, the inflatable floor is plenty comfortable when reclining.
The Universe isn鈥檛 light or compact. It weighs a whopping 100 pounds and requires as much storage space as a large suitcase. But all that versatility could make for some legendary car-camping trips and family excursions. It鈥檚 far too big for backpacking, of course, but it might be a comfortable聽close-to-home winter-camping companion鈥攖hat SUP bottom provides ample聽insulation to keep your backside warm when the temperature drops.
Undoubtedly, however, it鈥檚 the Universe鈥檚 water-borne potential that has us most excited. The tent is available for preorder in November and ships in spring 2019, just in time for car-camping season and聽day trips to nearby lakes and rivers. Sitting on it on the Demo Day grounds at Denver鈥檚 Confluence and Commons Parks, where temperatures crested 94 degrees, all I could think about was loading up with a cooler, a Bluetooth speaker, and a bunch of friends for some summer splash time.