The Cave from Heimplanet

© Heimplanet

Back in 2003, two German surfers named Stephan were camping on the beach in Portugal when they came up with an idea for a tent that could be pitched in minutes and give them more time to hit the waves. Fast forward to 2008, that idea became a reality with the creation of Heimplanet and their line of inflatable tents.

The genius behind the tents lies in its geo-desic design utilizing AirBeams for the frame. With only an air pump (not included), campers can inflate the Heimplanet Cave in 60 seconds, unless you need guy ropes, which will require another minute to set-up. Within a few minutes, you have a complete tent ready for use.

The tent is made of a 100 percent polyester 75D 190T Ripstop, PU 5.0 mm fly sheet and a 100 percent nylon taffeta 70D 210T, PU 7.0 mm groundsheet that are waterproof and wind-resistant. The air frame is also capable of the more rugged adventures, made up of five individual beams, so if one of them punctures, the tent and frame will remain rigid. The one drawback of the design is its weight, at 11.5 pounds, which might be too heavy for backpackers, especially when carrying a pump.

The breathable nylon interior keeps the inside cool in the heat, and allows a good deal of light to enter the tent even on cloudy days. There are integrated side and ceiling pockets to store your things, and even a small vestibule at the entrance to keep shoes and prevent muck from entering the sleeping area.

Inflatable tents garnered an amateur reputation in the outdoors scene, but Heimplanet’s AirBeam technology and geodesic design make it a serious contender for the serious camper. Learn more about The Cave on Heimplanet’s website.

The Cave – Setup from HEIMPLANET on Vimeo.