Gizmodo: tents

Tent Leeches Solar Power While Campers Leech Your Wi-Fi

Mark Wilson — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:40:00 EDT

Even if this tent were just a tent, it's fashionable enough to seriously covet. But because it's a concept with ubertech, the tent produces enough electricity to power a small town and connects to the internet wirelessly.

Telecommunication firm Orange's latest eco tent concept (by design company Kaleidoscope) exploits photovoltaic fabric to produce energy without bulky, inflexible solar panels. This power feeds gadgets that are stored in a magnetic induction pouch, and also drives a flexible LCD screen with wireless internet.

The connectivity extends beyond the tent itself, however, as SMS or RFID can be deployed at any time to light up the tent, identifying your campsite (potentially, from afar). We're also guessing that the tent would obnoxiously pulsate any time you got a call to the rhythm of your ringer (Orange, feel free to use that idea, on us).

Who knows what Orange would charge for a monthly 3G tent subscription, but if you camped a WHOLE LOT... [Orange via DVICE via Bornrich]

$50,000 Treetent Blows Swiss Family Robinson Out of the Water

hook — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 15:26:16 EST

To most people, camping involves a fair share of roughing it—sleeping in a tiny tent in an uncomfortable sleeping bag on a rocky floor, but for a mere $50,000 the Treetent can spare you the grief. The 13-foot-tall tent resembles an under-inflated balloon, but it features a round hardwood floor that's nine feet in diameter and a round bed that comfortably fits two adults. The Treetent also includes "adjustable planetary landing steps" to get in and out easily. Pampered outdoorsy types can pick up a Treetent from Neiman Marcus. [Neiman Marcus via Crave]

Dress Tent Is the Campest Thing in the Art World

AddyDugdale — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 08:28:27 EDT

An ongoing art project by Robin Lasser and Adrienne Pao, the Dress Tent "poses the question of what lies under a woman's skirt in the 21st Century." Tent poles? Guy ropes? Seventeen eagle scouts? An entire platoon of infantry? Monged-out festival-goers? Knickers? My lips are sealed.

[Robin Lasser via Metro]

Solar Powered LED Tent Houses Six, Provides Eight Hours of Light

Jason Chen — Wed, 30 May 2007 18:30:27 EDT

The only time we've been camping is, well, never, so this solar powered LED tent isn't quite for us. But those of you who like to get some outdoors time with your family yet still want to keep enough light to play some Go Fish at night should look into this LED tent.

It's $230, and has an eight-hour battery to power the LEDs inside. All you need to do is keep the solar panels set up during the day when you're out doing whatever it is people do when they're camping. Poop in the woods and look for leaves to wipe with, presumably. – Jason Chen

Product Page [Eurekatent via Travelizmo via Uber Gizmo]

Solar Tent

johnb — Thu, 29 Jun 2006 17:29:03 EDT

Get all "Inconvenient Truth" on your campmate's asses with this solar tent. It has a set of panels that capture and store the precious rays of the sun to power interior LED lighting or to recharge your batteries.

It comes in 4- and 6-person versions which cost $150 and $200 respectively. They seem to be only available in Canada, so get your hiking boots on. – John Biggs

Product Page [Canadian Tire via TreeHugger]