Tree Tent Design

Dear freaking lord, hasn't anyone been able to come up with a decent tree tent design? I want something that is firm to stand or sleep on (like a portaledge), remotely affordable (unlike a portaledge), can be suspended from a single attachment point, can be fit into a backpack, and can be assembled in the tree...
I realize this is a lot to ask, but does anyone have ANY input??
I have checked out all the hammock designs (I want something to truely CAMP OUT in, not just sleep in), Trease sucks, treeboats are too small (glorified hammocks), and nothing else really seems to fit the bill.
Does anyone have any input?

cmon, anybody??

Make one yourself. All it takes is some aluminum tubing, nylon and some tools.

I think that in short order you'd find out why portaledges cost as much as they do. The alloy tubing is spendy. Even the cheapest nylon material costs a bunch. There is lots of waste when you make funky shapes.

I have a page bookmarked for a build it yourself pl out of pvc tubing. You's still have to sew a tent structure.

I found a Eureka Zeos single wall tent that fits on the deck of my PL. The whole kit is heavy but it works.

Tom

Tom,
How do you attach the tent to the ledge - just secure the stake areas around the aluminum tubing? We're thinking about doing a tent on a ledge, but instead of the PVC that Krusty uses, we're hoping to use aluminum tubing (we have a discount source). Any other observations you could give us?

If you are serious about camping in trees, you should check out the expertise of a distinct group of treeclimbers. They maintain a presence in treetops with the intention of preventing trees being harvested. These people are much more abundant west of the cascades and north of san fran.
Ask around and I'm sure you can make some mututally beneficial connections.

Using small cord to tie the tent to the frame works fine. I'm going to have to make up a spreader for the straps on the PL. Mine is a six strap, if I had to do it over, I would get a four strap. Mine was too cheap to pass up though.

Have you looked into the Zeos?

If you make a PL I think that finding some sturdy web material would be good to allow water drainage. I picked up some stuff that is a lot like trampoline bed.

A cheap PL can be made from a sheet of plywood and cords. Tie cords to holes on the edge of the deck and then tie an adjustable hitch like a distel or VT/MT with heavier cord for the legs. I got the idea from a guy who rents PLs to people for climbing in Yosemite Valley. It would be super cheap and durable enough. If the pack-in were short the bulk wouldn't matter.

Tom

Tom

Make a "treepee" out of a trampoline suspended from above using rope around the leg sections,wrap tarp around rope in a teepee fashion. Oh yeah,and stay tied- in while aloft of course! Thanks to Dan House for this cool idea!
-Carlton:cool:

Dan has actually expressed that great idea to me himself -- the only downside is inability to hike with such a setup...
Still, compared with 2x4's and plywood and it relatively transportable, and to help conquer any "sag" that might occur in the middle of the trampoline, I think that extra support could be added to the "screen" floor by tightening strands of 1' webbing in a star pattern under bottom of the trampoline. This would keep it from stretching much under the weight of two humans...