Outdoor sleep systems
Traditional tents focus on shelter. Haven focuses on sleep. Our elevated lay-flat tent systems combine shelter, structure, and pad comfort in one simple setup—so you wake up feeling like you actually slept.
Comfort outside mostly comes down to what you sleep on: a surface that stays flat and evenly supported, sits off rocks, roots and wet ground, has insulation underneath, and is protected from bugs and rain. A ground tent handles shelter but leaves comfort to your sleeping pad and the ground under it; a traditional gathered-end hammock gets you off the ground but curves your body.
Haven's lay-flat sleep systems combine the two: a suspended, flat platform with an insulated pad (R2.5-R5.3), a built-in bug net and a rainfly, so you can sleep on your back, side or stomach. The trade-offs: you need two anchor points (trees, a stand or a hitch mount) or you pitch it on the ground in bivy mode, each Haven sleeps one person, and ultralight 1-person ground shelters can weigh less. See how Haven compares with ground tents.
The basics
In one sentence
An outdoor sleep system is everything you use to sleep outside, working together: a shelter from rain, wind and bugs, something that supports you, insulation underneath you, and a sleeping bag or quilt on top.
If you're shopping for a new camping tent and care most about how you actually sleep, an outdoor sleep system is usually a better choice than a traditional ground tent.
An outdoor sleep system is the full setup you use to actually sleep outside—shelter, support, and comfort.
Most campers piece this together with a camping tent, a sleeping pad, and add-on accessories. Haven combines all three into one elevated, flat-lay tent system that replaces your tent and pad.
Fully enclosed bug net and rainfly like a tent
Tensioned bed surface that stays flat and supported
Insulated pad that locks into place so it doesn't slide or pop
Want to see how this compares side by side with a traditional tent and pad?
See Haven vs Ground TentsYour options
Every way of sleeping outside combines the same parts in a different package. Here is how the common setups compare.
| System | What it is | Suits | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tent + sleeping pad | A ground tent for shelter and a separate pad for cushioning and insulation. | Most campers. Shared space for two or more, and any flat site you can stake. | Comfort depends on the pad and the ground under it. Side sleepers often feel it at the hips and shoulders. |
| Tent cot | A small tent built onto a folding cot frame, so you sleep off the ground. | Car camping on flat sites, and people who find it hard to get up from the ground. | Heavy and bulky to carry far, still needs a level spot, and most people add a pad for warmth. |
| Swag or bivy | A swag is a canvas bedroll with a built-in mattress; a bivy is a minimal waterproof sack over your bag. Both sit on the ground. | Swags: quick setup on vehicle trips. Bivies: the lowest weight and smallest pack. | You are on the ground, with little room to sit up or store gear. Swags are heavy; bivies can collect condensation. |
| Cot inside a tent | A separate camp cot set up inside a large tent. | Base camps and family car camping with a tall tent. | Needs a big tent with floor space, two products to carry and set up, and a pad on the cot when it is cold. |
| Lay-flat hammock tent (Haven) | A suspended, flat platform with the pad held in the frame, a built-in bug net and a rainfly. | Side and stomach sleepers, and rocky, sloped or uneven sites with trees or a stand. | Needs two anchor points or a stand (or pitches on the ground as a bivy). Each one sleeps one person, with less room to sit out a long storm. |
More detail in What is an outdoor sleep system? and Lay-flat vs regular hammock.
Upgrade path
Find your upgrade to a Haven sleep system
Upgrade to: Haven Safari or Haven Tent
Gain a flat, bed-like surface off roots and rocks, with setup in about 5 minutes once you've practiced. Each Haven sleeps one person, so a family hangs one each, side by side.
Upgrade to: Haven XL or Spectre
Gain side-sleep comfort off the ground, with faster setup. Spectre's lightest kit is 4 lb 5 oz (1.95 kg) including its pad, in the range of many 2-person backpacking tent + pad setups (about 4-6 lb). Ultralight 1-person shelters can be lighter. It can also pitch on the ground as a bivy when there are no trees.
Upgrade to: Haven Safari + Stand and Mounts
Gain similar comfort in a smaller, lighter, more flexible package that doesn't live on your vehicle.
Who it suits
If you've ever searched "why can't I sleep in a tent" or "best tent for side sleepers," these are the outdoor sleep problems Haven was designed around:
“I hate sleeping on the ground.”
“I wake up sore after tent camping.”
“I'm a side sleeper or have back pain.”
“I car camp and want a super comfortable basecamp.”
“I backpack and want real sleep, not just survival.”
The lineup
Each system is designed to replace your tent and sleeping pad
The original lay-flat sleep system: lighter and more compact than the XL, and a good fit for average builds. Replaces a traditional tent + sleeping pad with a flat, supportive bed surface.
Best for Camping and backpacking, average builds
Wider (30 x 80 in) elevated sleep system for bigger frames and taller campers, up to about 6'6" lying stretched out. Replaces a tent + sleeping pad for car camping or backpacking.
Best for Car camping and light backpacking
Ultralight elevated sleep system for serious backpackers who refuse to compromise on sleep quality. Replaces a backpacking tent + sleeping pad: the lightest kit is 4 lb 5 oz (1.95 kg) including its pad, in the range of many 2-person backpacking tent + pad setups (about 4-6 lb).
Best for Ultralight backpacking trips
Heavy-duty elevated sleep system for overlanding, extended trips, and larger bodies. Built for durability and long-term comfort. Replaces heavy-duty tents and rooftop tents.
Best for Overlanding and heavy-duty use
In the box
A full kit is the shelter and the bed in one box. These are the contents listed on each product page.
| Included | Haven Tent | Haven XL | Haven Spectre | Haven Safari |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hammock body with bug net | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Rainfly | Included | Included | Dyneema or Silpoly | Included |
| Insulated air mattress with pump bag | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Spreader bars (2x) | Aluminum | Aluminum | Carbon fiber | Aluminum |
| Tree straps (2x) | 6 ft / 182 cm | 6 ft / 182 cm | 12 ft / 366 cm | 6 ft / 182 cm |
| Carabiners (2x) | Included | Included | Ultralight | Included |
| Guy lines (4x) and stakes (4x) | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Gear sling | Included | Included | Included | — |
“No Rainfly” and “No Pad” kits leave that item out; everything else is the same. Haven Seconds come with the same contents as new. Full checklist: Hammock tent gear checklist.
Each kit replaces your tent and sleeping pad. Bring your own bedding for the season.
Every trip
A sleeping bag or top quilt, which is not in the kit. Choose one rated for the lowest temperature you expect, and bring a pillow if you use one.
Summer
A lighter bag or quilt for warm nights. The kit's insulated pad stays under you either way.
Spring and fall
A bag or quilt rated for the night's low. Wind under a suspended bed takes heat away, which is what the insulated pad is there for.
Winter and cold nights
Add the Insulated Pad Cover for more insulation under your core, and a bag or quilt rated for the conditions. See How to hammock camp in the cold.
Add-ons
Every Haven comes as a complete kit, ready to use out of the box. These categories offer additional gear to take your already incredibly comfortable setup even further.
Pads, covers, pillows, and sleep accessories that complete your Haven sleep system.
Lights, pumps, beds, and add-ons that fine-tune your sleep comfort and camp setup.
All the structure you need when there are no trees—turn your Haven into a tent-like sleep system anywhere. Or, use your Haven as a ground bivy without any suspension for ultimate versatility.
Shop by activity
Comfort-first sleep systems for weekend trips and family campouts.
Lighter sleep systems that still feel like a real bed.
Heavy duty sleep systems that live in your rig.
Compact, packable sleep systems for two wheels.
Stable, elevated sleep systems for sandy and rocky river camps.
Transform your backyard into a comfortable outdoor retreat with a Haven sleep system for naps, reading, and stargazing.
FAQ
Yes, for one person. Each Haven kit includes a hammock body with a built-in bug net, a waterproof rainfly and an insulated pad (unless you choose the no-pad option), so it replaces both your tent and your separate sleeping pad. Instead of a tent floor plus pad, you sleep on a flat, suspended platform. Bring your own sleeping bag or top quilt. See what comes in each kit, or read What Is an Outdoor Sleep System?
Bedding (a sleeping bag or top quilt, and a pillow if you use one), plus whatever you would bring on any camping trip. Where there are no trees, add a stand or hitch mount, or use trekking poles to pitch in bivy mode. See the hammock tent gear checklist.
It depends on how and where you camp. A ground tent makes more sense if you want shared space for several people, camp somewhere you know is treeless and don't want to carry a stand, expect to sit out long storms inside, or want the lightest possible 1-person shelter. A lay-flat system like Haven makes more sense if your priority is sleeping flat and off uneven ground, especially on your side. Read the full Haven vs ground tents comparison or our post Hammock Tent vs Ground Tent.
Haven was designed with side sleepers in mind. The platform lies flat instead of curving like a gathered-end hammock, and the insulated pad is shaped to the frame so it stays centered. Compared with a pad on the ground, that flat, evenly supported surface reduces pressure on hips and shoulders, and many owners tell us they wake up less sore. We can't promise it will help a medical condition, and comfort is personal, so check our returns policy before you buy. On size: the Haven XL is wider (30 in vs 24 in) for bigger frames, while average builds often prefer the original Haven Tent (how to choose). More in Hammocking for Side Sleepers and Camping With Back or Joint Pain.
Usually, yes. Air moving under a cot or hammock takes heat away, and a sleeping bag flattens under your weight, so it insulates little beneath you. That is why every Haven kit includes an insulated pad held in the frame, unless you choose the no-pad option. More in Do You Need a Sleeping Pad If You Sleep Off the Ground?
Yes. When you drive to camp, weight matters less, so you can choose for comfort and durability. The Haven Safari uses heavy-duty 300d polyester and is rated to 350 lb (158 kg); the Haven Tent and Haven XL are lighter options that also work for backpacking. Where there are no trees, use the Haven Stand or a hitch mount from Stands and Mounts. Each Haven sleeps one person, so families and groups hang one each, side by side.
If you want to sleep flat on the trail, look at the Haven Spectre: it has the Haven XL's dimensions at about a third less weight, and its lightest kit is 4 lb 5 oz (1.95 kg) including the R2.5 Spectre Pad and Dyneema rainfly. That's in the range of many 2-person backpacking tent + pad setups (about 4-6 lb); ultralight 1-person shelters can be lighter. The Spectre's mesh hammock body isn't waterproof (the rainfly does that job), and above treeline you pitch it on the ground in bivy mode with trekking poles. The Haven Tent and XL also work for backpacking if you accept more weight; see Haven Tent for Backpacking.
Every Haven has a built-in bug net that zips closed, and sleeping off the ground keeps you away from most crawling insects. You can run the net fully closed, partly open for airflow, or stowed in the end pocket when bugs aren't an issue. Small holes can be fixed with Bug Net Patches. See the bug net guide.
The main way to change how you sleep is to get off the ground: camp cots, traditional hammocks with an underquilt, bridge hammocks, and lay-flat sleep systems like Haven. Haven doesn't do away with the pad: its insulated pad (R2.5-R5.3) is part of the structure, but it's held flat in a suspended frame instead of lying on rocks and roots, and it stays centered rather than sliding around. On cold nights, add the Insulated Pad Cover for more insulation under your core.
A regular gathered-end hammock curves, which suits lounging and back sleeping, and it is lighter and cheaper. A lay-flat hammock tent holds a flat platform with a pad in a frame, so you can sleep on your side or stomach, and it adds a bug net and rainfly. Read Lay-Flat vs Regular Hammock and Are Lay-Flat Hammocks Worth It? for the pros and cons.
Almost anywhere. If you have two anchor points (trees, a vehicle roof rack, etc.) 12-15 feet apart, you can set up a Haven. For treeless areas, use our Stands and Mounts to create your own anchor points. In a pinch, you can pitch your Haven on the ground as a bivy without any suspension, and you still sleep on its insulated pad. Hammock rules vary by campground and park, so check before you go: see which national parks allow hammocks.
Yes, for many beginners it's simpler than buying a tent and a pad separately, because everything comes in one kit: wrap the tree straps, clip in the suspension, insert the spreader bars and pad. It takes about 5 minutes once you've practiced; your first setup takes longer, so try it at home first. Our setup guides have a video for each step, from hang angle to the rainfly. New to camping in general? Start with Camping for Beginners.
It's neither—it's an outdoor sleep system. Haven combines the comfort and view of a hammock with the flat sleeping position and weather protection of a tent. Think of it as a suspended tent with a bed inside.
Yes. Use our Stands and Mounts to set up your Haven anywhere: beaches, deserts, parking lots, or your backyard. The stands create stable anchor points just like trees would. The Haven Stand weighs 17.1 lb (7.75 kg), so it suits car camping best. And if you find yourself without trees or stands, your Haven can work as a ground bivy, still on its insulated pad.
Many Haven owners keep their tents as backups or for specific situations (large groups, extreme weather), and many tell us they now reach for their Haven first because the sleep quality is so much better. You're not abandoning your tent—you're upgrading your outdoor sleep experience.
Haven sleep systems are 3-season with the insulated pad; add the Insulated Pad Cover for 4-season use. Pair it with a top quilt or sleeping bag rated for your conditions. More in How to hammock camp in the cold.
