Parisian tent maker Exod pursues product design with the objective of "reshaping how humanity conquers the most remote corners of the Earth." So far, it's been chipping away at that objective one to four people at a time, with modestly sized offerings for tree and ground. With the all-new Base-01 tent, it takes a bigger bite out of "humanity, expanding out into full group camping territory. The Base-01 features an inflatable exo-frame holding up a weatherproof skin to serve as a transportable, fast-pitching sun shelter, mobile garage, mission control center, and roomy hostel for you and up to nine of your closest friends and allies.
By leaving behind the intricate hard-pole systems that need to be pieced together by hand, segment by segment, inflatable tent makers have found a smart shortcut in creating large, larger and absolutely huge tents and structures that aren't held back by slow, tedious setup or multiple sacks worth of packaging. Roll the deflated skin out of the carry bag, hook up an electric pump to the valve (or valves), hit the "on" button and watch the majestic structure burst into full 3D form while you grab a snack.
The Base-01 is the latest product to package that ease of use in big, bold team/group form, designed to accommodate everything from a race team, to a fleet of mountain bikes, to the back of your pickup truck. More specifically, the Base-01 stretches out over a patch of earthen floor measuring 183 sq ft (17 sq m) – about the same amount of floor as this handsome Ikea tiny home. The base package also includes a standalone ground sheet for covering over the bare ground to create a cleaner experience inside – just leave the dusty boots and sandals outside the entry.
The Base-01 relies on a set of ruggedly constructed poly Dacron-TPU inflatable legs spread out in an insectoid-like sextet, three to a side. Each left and right trio of legs is connected by a beam running front to back, while the left legs connect with their right counterparts via transverse crossbeams, creating a big rectangular roof frame.
With help from stakes and guy lines, the air beams then hold the tent fabric high and taut, creating a voluminous cabin ready to house a tactical table and everyone who has a stake in drafting the master plan. With its available sun-deflecting bright-white fabric and huge garage door-like entryway, the tent makes for a natural day shelter for events out in the sun, rain and wind. Use it to make plans, relax and spectate, operate a mobile workshop for equipment repairs, store gear overnight, and/or otherwise escape the raw outdoors for some shade and shelter. The tent has a peak interior height close to 8 feet (2.4 m), so no matter what you use it for, everyone can gather comfortably without ducking or crouching.
With the included interior sleeping tent, the Base-01 transforms from a breezy day shelter into a full-on overnight mini-barracks. Buyers can opt for the smaller inner tent, which takes up roughly half the floor area of the outer tent, securing into place to sleep five people. The other half of the floor is then an empty vestibule for sheltering all kinds of gear and luggage.
For bigger parties, buyers can opt in on the full-size inner tent, which stretches out across most of the floor area to sleep 10 people. That gives it the same sleeping capacity as the 142-sq ft (13-sq m) Heimplanet Mavericks Blue Ice, another inflatable exo-framed tent with a more intricate geodesic frame design and slightly heavier build at which we looked a year ago.
As you might guess, the Base-01 isn't the lightest, most compact tent you'll ever carry from car to camp, but it isn't that cumbersome, either. The whole tent deflates rapidly and packs into an accompanying duffel bag measuring 32 x 22 x 16 in (80 x 55 x 40 cm). The package weighs 44 lb (20 kg) so it's light enough for one person to grab and carry to the pitch spot.
Exod has been teasing the Base-01 this month but is holding the full detail drop for closer to a Spring 2027 (Northern Hemisphere) launch. Hopefully those details will include an estimate of setup time, as it looks to be quite fast and simple but we'd love to know just how fast and simple.
For now, Exod just says it's "quick and easy" enough to be handled by just one person – definitely easier than the traditional 10-person tent setup process of multiple guys and gals working and arguing atop each other while trying to piece shock-corded pole segments together and into sleeves and clips.
Those who feel comfortable enough to put money down early can enjoy a discounted preorder price of €2,990 (approx. US$3,350), €500 off the €3,490 MSRP. No, that's still not particularly affordable, but if you split it up among you and your nine best camping mates ... well, that's still a very expensive $299 for a 1/10 tent share. But for companies and teams touring events regularly, adventure guides and other businesses, this seems like a solid, low-hassle choice as a base of multi-day operations. For the rest of us, it's a reminder that while inflatable tent makers might have made large tents easier to set up, they haven't necessarily made them any cheaper to buy.
Source: Exod
