Inflation, tension and compression come together to create the new Exod Home, a tent unlike any other. At first glance, it looks like the latest exoskeleton inflatable from Heimplanet, but unlike anything we've seen from that German maker, the French-designed Home leaps up into the trees when you tire of the ground. Whether you're camping on a treeless stretch of desert sand, in a dense forest or under the only sturdy tree for miles, the Home adapts to the environment to shelter you in comfort.
Winding its way toward an official introduction, the Exod Home relies on the architectural concept of tensegrity, structural integrity through a stabilizing mix of tensive and compressive forces. Its primary frame is an inflatable tubular exoskeleton that takes shape in a mere 30 seconds of pumping. Once inflated, the tent stakes down for a traditional camping experience in the dirt or grass.
Those wishing to get up off the ground and into the air have two options, each relying on Exod's telescoping carbon/alloy frame to shore up the floor structure. To hang from one point, such as a tree branch, the corner straps simply extend upward and converge into a single hanger. For a stretched, multi-point hammock-style hang, an X-like configuration of straps extends off the ends to secure to multiple trees or anchor points. When hanging, what appears to be a droopy tent floor is actually an outer fabric that provides insulation from cold air below while also offering a large storage compartment for packs and gear.
Inside, the Home is a basic tent designed for one or two people. It includes a translucent panel in the middle of the roof, serving as a skylight.
Exod is readying the Home for a crowdfunding campaign to launch in the coming weeks. Specs and pricing are subject to change, but the company tells us that the full kit with tent, carbon/alloy frame, hanging hardware and ground stakes will launch at a price between US$1,199 and $1,299. It will weigh in around 12 lb (5.4 kg). Exod also plans to offer the 6.4-lb (2.9-kg) ground tent only for a price between $499 and $599.
Exod certainly has a striking design on its hands and some impressive photos with which to market it. A year ago, with glamping and other extravagant forms of camping riding high, we could have imagined it selling, but given the current environment of pandemic, shutdowns and economic fragility, a $500 ground tent and $1,300 ground/air tent seem like the types of luxuries for which the market might not have an appetite. Exod acknowledges this unfortunate timing in admitting that its planned Summer 2020 launch hinges on whether or not the manufacturing sector is back up and running in time. We'll watch the crowdfunding space to see if the company is able to get traction behind the project.
Source: Exod
