How to Store Your Tree Tent and Hammock for Winter

Quick answer

Clean and fully dry every fabric and strap, inspect for damage, then store your tree tent and hammock loosely in a breathable bag or bin in a cool, dark, dry place. Never pack them away damp or leave them compressed in a stuff sack for months. If you have a rainfly, store it separately so you can check it before the next trip.

Tree tents and hammocks are built to handle weather, but months of idle storage can do more damage than a weekend of rain. Damp fabric grows mildew, UV light weakens coatings, and rodents will happily chew through webbing if your gear sits in a shed or garage. A short, deliberate winterizing routine prevents all three.

This guide walks through the order that matters: clean, dry, inspect, then store. It takes an afternoon, and it protects the investment you made in gear like the Safari Stingray or Trillium. If you're storing a camping hammock alongside a tree tent, the same steps apply to both.

Why winter storage matters more than you think

Most fabric damage happens off the trail, not on it. Mildew from a single damp pack-down can stain and weaken coated fabric permanently, and UV exposure through a garage window degrades coatings over months. Rodents nest in folded fabric and chew webbing and straps, which are often the hardest parts to replace.

Heat is the other quiet enemy. A sealed attic or metal shed can swing from freezing to very hot, which stresses coatings and adhesives. A cool, stable, dark spot is always the better choice, even if it means storing gear indoors under a bed or in a closet.

• Choose a storage spot that stays cool, dark, and dry year-round
• Avoid attics, metal sheds, and anywhere with visible moisture or rodent droppings

What you'll need before you start

Gather a few basics: a mild soap or gear cleaner, a soft brush or sponge, a large breathable storage bag or cotton sheet, and a clean, shaded area to dry everything. Skip harsh detergents, bleach, and machine drying, which strip coatings and weaken fabric.

Set aside enough time for a full dry. Depending on humidity, fabric can take several hours to a full day to dry completely, and the straps and webbing often hold moisture longer than the main body. Rushing this step is the most common reason gear comes out of storage smelling musty.

• Use mild soap only, never detergent or bleach
• Dry in shade, not direct sun, to avoid unnecessary UV exposure

Step 1: Clean the tent and hammock

Set up your tree tent or hammock in a shaded spot and wipe down the fabric with a damp sponge and mild soap. Pay attention to the underside, where sap, dirt, and moisture collect, and to the webbing and ratchets. Rinse with clean water and avoid soaking hardware more than necessary.

For a hammock like the Trillium Giant 3-Person Camping Hammock, the same approach works: mild soap, soft brush, gentle rinse. Don't scrub aggressively at seams or coated areas, and never put fabric in a washing machine, which can distort the shape and damage coatings.

• Spot-clean stubborn marks instead of soaking the whole tent
• Keep soap away from ratchets and metal hardware where possible

Step 2: Dry it completely, then dry it again

Hang or pitch the tent and hammock in shade with good airflow and let them dry fully, inside and out. Flip and reposition fabric partway through so trapped moisture can escape. Webbing, straps, and corners need extra time because they hold water in their weave.

The checkpoint: run your hand over seams, corners, and strap ends. If you feel any coolness or dampness, keep drying. Packing away even slightly damp fabric is the single most common cause of mildew and that unmistakable storage smell.

• Dry in shade with airflow, not in direct sun
• Check seams, corners, and webbing by touch before packing

Step 3: Inspect for damage and wear

While everything is clean and visible, look for abrasion, small holes, loose stitching, and worn webbing. Check zippers and any buckles or ratchets for grit and function. This is also the moment to note whether your rainfly has weakened or delaminated, so you can replace it before next season instead of mid-trip.

If you use a Spare Rainfly for Safari Stingray 3-Person Tree Tent, inspect it separately, since rainflies often wear faster than the tent body. Catching a small issue now is far cheaper than discovering it during a storm.

• Photograph any damage so you can compare it after storage
• Order replacements before the season starts, not during it

Step 4: Pack loosely and store correctly

Resist the urge to cram everything back into its original stuff sack. Long-term compression creates hard creases that can crack coatings over time. Instead, fold or roll fabric loosely and place it in a breathable bag, cotton pillowcase, or open storage bin that allows air to move.

Store the tent, hammock, and rainfly separately so moisture can't transfer between them and so you can grab just what you need next season. Keep the bin off concrete floors, which can wick moisture, and away from walls that stay cold and damp.

• Never store gear compressed in a stuff sack for months
• Keep bins off the floor and away from exterior walls

Step 5: Protect against pests and moisture

Rodents are the biggest storage threat to webbing and straps. Use a sealed bin or bag, add cedar blocks or a moisture absorber if your storage area is humid, and check the bin once or twice over the winter. If you find droppings or chew marks, move the gear immediately and inspect every strap.

Avoid mothballs directly against fabric, since the odor can linger and the chemicals aren't fabric-friendly. A clean, sealed, dry container does most of the work on its own.

• Inspect stored gear once mid-winter, not just in spring
• Use cedar or a moisture absorber rather than mothballs against fabric

Step 6: Check in and prep for spring

Mid-winter, open the storage bin briefly to confirm everything is still dry and pest-free. This five-minute check catches problems while there's still time to fix them. When spring arrives, pitch the tent and hammock in shade, inspect seams and hardware, and re-check your rainfly before your first trip.

If anything smells musty, wash and dry it again before use. A little attention now means your gear is ready the moment the weather turns.

• Do a quick mid-winter inspection of bins and bags
• Re-pitch and inspect everything before the first trip of the season

Winter storage checklist

1. Clean with mild soap: Wipe down fabric, webbing, and hardware with a damp sponge and mild soap, then rinse gently. Avoid detergents, bleach, and washing machines. Checkpoint: no visible dirt, sap, or residue left on fabric or straps.
2. Dry completely in shade: Pitch or hang in a shaded, airy spot and let everything dry inside and out. Reposition fabric partway through so trapped moisture escapes. Checkpoint: seams, corners, and webbing feel dry to the touch, not cool or damp.
3. Inspect for damage: Look for abrasion, holes, loose stitching, and worn webbing. Test buckles and ratchets, and check your rainfly separately for wear. Checkpoint: note or photograph any damage so you can order replacements before spring.
4. Pack loosely, not compressed: Fold or roll fabric loosely into a breathable bag or open bin. Store the tent, hammock, and rainfly separately. Checkpoint: nothing is crammed into a stuff sack for the off-season.
5. Store cool, dark, and dry: Keep bins off concrete floors and away from exterior walls. Add cedar or a moisture absorber if the space is humid. Checkpoint: storage spot stays stable in temperature and shows no signs of moisture or pests.
6. Check mid-winter and before spring: Open the bin once mid-winter to confirm everything is dry and pest-free, then re-pitch and inspect before your first trip. Checkpoint: gear is clean, dry, and ready to hang when the season starts.

Gear notes that affect storage

• Safari Stingray 3-Person Tree Tent (3.1): Built with military-grade 600D Dacron fabric and rated for 3,500 hours of UV exposure. Heavy-duty fabric still benefits from shade drying and dark storage, since UV exposure is cumulative even on tough materials.
• Spare Rainfly for Safari Stingray 3-Person Tree Tent: Rated at 3,500 UV hours and a Hydrostatic Head of 8,000mm, and fits both Gen 2.0 and 3.0 Stingray range. Store the rainfly separately and inspect it each season so you can replace it before a trip rather than during one.
• Trillium Giant 3-Person Camping Hammock (3.0): Patented anti-roll technology creates three separate bays for comfortable lounging. The multi-bay design means more fabric and seams to dry thoroughly; check each bay before packing it away.

Winter storage isn't complicated, but the order matters: clean, dry fully, inspect, then store loosely in a cool, dark, dry place. Do that once, check in mid-winter, and your tree tent and hammock will be ready to hang the moment the season turns.