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Alex Shirley-Smith – The Man Behind The Tentsile Tent


First off, tree houses are awesome. And, just when I thought it was a dying craft, I discovered the incredible designs of UK architect Alex Shirley-Smith. But it’s not his tree houses (though they’re deserving of their own spotlight) that even sparked my interest in the first place. It’s his new, versatile design for tents. And just like his houses, they sit in the trees.

 

Let me explain.

 

Tentsile Town

Bad joke. Sorry. What’s important here is Alex’s new design for the “world’s most versatile tent”, which he’s aptly named Tentsile.

 

 

Essentially, it’s a tent for trees. It combines the versatility of a hammock with the security and comfort of a tent. And it keeps you away from all those pesky bears and snakes and things.

 

Sustainable Design

Alex also keeps sustainability in mind with all of his designs. Tentsile is no exception. It’s made with fair trade, minimal materials (recycled where possible) and it has many uses.

 

It’s a portable habitation…and, it’s immensely awesome. So awesome that after the startup launched in May 2011, the camping crowds went wild, and the little bespoke tent-making company went from 10-15 projected units to 40,000 interested customers.

 

To keep up with the demand, Alex is in the process of designing Tentsile 2, which makes it easier to manufacture in large quantities, along with other new cool features.

 

The Gadget Show

Tentsile was reviewed on Britian’s, gadget and technology testing program, The Gadget Show. Not surprisingly, host Jason Bradbury was thrilled with the awesome tree habitat. Check out the review below.

 

 

If you’re a camping enthusiast, design buff or just…well…awesome, definitely check out Alex’s incredible Tentsile and sleep in the coolest room in the woods.

 

Photo Credits

tentsile.com / indiegogo.com

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