Utah-based Haven Tents launched in 2019 with a Kickstarter campaign for a lightweight hammock tent for the backcountry. Now it's hiked to the front country, introducing the Safari shelter for glamping comfort anywhere from vehicle campsites to the backyard. The new suspended shelter offers added size and ruggedness for more robust, year-round adventuring.
Haven founder Derek Tillotson explained in a blog post that the idea for the Safari came about while paddleboarding along the Hawaiian coast. Noting that every house on the shore seemed to have a hammock permanently secured to take in the idyllic island backdrop, Tillotson got to thinking about making a more rugged backyard-ready hammock – one that could be left out all year or carried along on car camping or overlanding trips as a comfortable sleeping alternative.
Tillotson brought the idea back to Utah, where the Haven team got to work exploring a heavier construction of the Haven tent design. Without having to worry about saving weight, the team swapped out the 70-denier 4,000-mm waterproof poly-ripstop used on the original Haven for a 300-denier 4,000-mm polyester canvas. The company reckons that not only does that new material make the Safari tough enough to dangle in the backyard permanently, but it also adds extra structure for better all-around performance.
The Safari includes an 80 x 30-in (203 x 76-cm) inflatable insulated mattress with pump bag. That mattress is the same size as the one on the XL model Haven added to its lineup last year, but built from thicker material with a soft vegan-suede top coat.
As compared to the bunched-end hammocks Tillotson noticed along the Hawaiian shoreline, Haven believes that its lay-flat design with the sleeping platform set well below the attachment points makes for a stabler lie-down. A strap offers quick adjustment between lie-flat position and daytime lounge position.
The big advantage the Safari offers over the standard backyard hammock, though, is that it's a full-blown weatherproof shelter that can move beyond the yard, into the backcountry. It includes a full zippered mesh bug net to keep pests out, and a waterproof rainfly tarp to shed moisture and block wind. For trips when two properly placed trees are nowhere to be found, it doubles as a ground bivy, relying on hiking poles as the frame.
The heavier construction and large size push the Safari's weight up well over that of the original Haven tent. The entire Safari kit with insulated sleeping pad weighs 11.8 lb (5.4 kg), compared to just under 7 lb (3.2 kg) for the original Haven with insulated pad, or 7.7 lb (3.5 kg) for the Haven XL with insulated pad. The Safari also supports more weight, and while Haven doesn't recommend testing it to over a metric ton (as it did during development), it slaps an official 350-lb (158-kg) rating on it. The kit with pad packs down to 20 x 10 x 8 inches (50 x 25 x 20 cm) for transport.
Haven is running an already-successful Safari Kickstarter, offering the full tent kit at early bird pledge levels as low as US$280, a savings of $105 off the planned $385 retail price. Along with the hammock, bug mesh, rainfly tarp and insulated sleeping pad, the kit includes tree straps, guy lines and stakes.
Also included as part of the Kickstarter special are a welcome mat, perfect for cleaning and/or storing shoes, and a bunting banner, both made from scrap material. Available add-ons include a handy LED light strip to hang on the ridge line and a battery-powered mattress pump. Haven says it has already started Safari production and plans to begin deliveries in June.
Source: Haven
