Hammock tents are nothing new. We’ve seen plenty of brands release their own version of these suspended shelters over the years. What makes the TravelBird SkyNest different, though, is that it integrates a camping hammock, a rainfly tarp, and a bug net into one ensemble that can be collapsed together and deployed in a single installation, which simplifies and speeds up your setup time at cap.
Even better, each of those three components can be taken out of the assembly and used independently. That means, you can set it up, then take the tarp and bug net off for those times you just want an open hammock. You can also take the tarp and use it as a standalone shade to keep out sun and rain, with the tarp design allowing you to set it up in various configurations.
The TravelBird SkyNest houses everything in a stuff sack measuring 11 x 6.7 inches (height x diameter), making it quite the convenient item to take along even when you’re going on foot. To set up, the outfit recommends thinking of it as installing the tarp. Basically, you tie the two ends of the tarp on a tree, much like a hammock, then take the four integrated guy lines and anchor them to the ground. Once that’s done, the tarp should be in place, along with both the hammock and the bug net, so you can simply slip inside and get comfy lying down in a covered shelter.
Inside, the hammock tent offers ceiling storage, with multiple pockets for small gear and even a bottle holder. Don’t want the mosquito net? You can simply roll it up on the underside of the tarp, which should put it completely out of the way. The hammock itself has a dual-layer bottom that supports weights of up to 240 kgs (529 pounds), although you’ll still have to be wary of whether the rope (or the structure it’s tied to) can support it. According to the outfit, you can insert a personal-sized camping mat in between those two layers, in case you want a firmer surface to lie on, as well as hang a warm quilt underneath it using the built-in hooks during colder days of the year.
The TravelBird SkyNest uses simple zippers to connect the tarp and the hammock, so you simply unzip them to separate the two items for using them separately. This also makes connecting the tarp and hammock easy, since you only have to zip them back together (the bug net looks permanently connected to the tarp). You can set up the tarp separately by using trekking poles (not included) like a regular tarp, along with the built-in guy lines. They even have a recommendation for setting it up like a ground tent using a pair of poles, three sets of ropes, and ground stakes. Yeah, it doesn’t look comfortable, but it looks like it can work. Construction is 20D nylon for the hammock and tarp, with accompanying DWR treatment on all the outer panels.
A Kickstarter campaign is currently running for the TravelBird SkyNest. You can reserve a unit for pledges starting at $179.