Everything from electronics to concrete is getting the self-healing treatment nowadays, but the technology rarely seems to make it to commercial products. Now, Imperial Motion is pitching a self-healing tent, made out of a proprietary material it calls Nano Cure Technology (NCT).
To gain its healing superpowers, the material starts with a nylon ripstop fabric that is sandwiched between two layers of water-resistant silicone. According to Imperial Motion, when the material is punctured it doesn't actually break – instead, the nylon threads are just pushed apart. They can be coaxed back together by rubbing the puncture wound with your finger for a few seconds, leaving little to no trace that anything was ever wrong.
The company cautions that it only really works on small holes and tears, but the ripstop design should help keep the small ones from getting too big anyway. Imperial Motion has been putting the NCT material to work in backpacks, duffel bags, hammocks and jackets since 2016 (and other companies have since followed suit with similar products like Slughaus' Wolverine Pack), but this sounds like the first time it's shown up in a tent.
The self-healing ability is the obvious headliner here, but even aside from that Imperial Motion's Nano Cure Tent sounds like a decent piece of equipment. It measures 9 ft x 7 ft (2.7 x 2.1 m) at the base and stands 5.5 ft (1.7 m) tall, with a waterproof tarpaulin floor and a rain fly that's also made of the NCT material.
The tent can sleep four, and apparently it's easy enough for "anybody" to set up in three minutes. At the end of the trip, it all packs away into a bag measuring 2 ft (0.6 m) long and 7 in (17.8 cm) high and wide, weighing just 8 lb (3.6 kg).
Imperial Motion is currently funding the Nano Cure Tent on Kickstarter. Pledges for the tent itself start at US$200, although for lower bids you can get NCT hammocks, backpacks, and jackets. So far it's raised just over $10,000 of its $100,000 goal and if all goes to plan, the Nano Cure Tent is set to ship in December 2018.
Check it out in the video below.
Source: Imperial Motion
