While sleeping in the trees may seem like a fun idea, it’s also a dangerous one because chances are you’ll roll off the branch halfway through the night and break your neck (we don’t know how Katniss did it in HUNGER GAMES.) But now you can camp closer to leafy foliage than you thought possible!
Introducing: the Tentsile, better known as “the spider tent.” Alex Shirley-Smith, the architect from the U.K. who designed the tent, says he got the idea from watching spiders build their webs (thus the nickname.)
But it’s not an easy pop-up tent to make. Suspending the tent takes about half an hour and the trick is to find three trees that are evenly spaced so that it doesn’t hang all lopsided. Campers and hikers are also going to need a ladder, so it’s a bit more of a hassle than your regular camping tent.Plus, if you somehow manage to fall out, it’s a long way to the ground.
On the bright side, you and the seven other people who fit are safe from roaming bears, raccoons, snakes and clumsy people that can bring harm to you or your tent. The designer says that the tents can also provide shelter during natural disasters, like floods, because they put you above ground level.
With warm weather (really) fast approaching, this is something we’re still curious and excited to try!