We all have those friends (or maybe we are those friends) who refuse to go camping unless there is, at the bare minimum, some sort of yurt situation. Be it the bugs or the cold, hard ground, communing with nature isn’t on their list of the top 10 ways to spend a weekend. The Autonomous Tent might be the answer to their glamping (that is, glamorous camping) demands.
Designed by Harry Gesner and Patricia DiMario, the structure is meant to be both luxurious and low-impact, meaning it doesn’t require a foundation and you can take the solar-powered tent with you when you leave the wilderness. That’s good, because it will set you back $100,000 for the smaller, 700-square-foot Cocoon version and $200,000 for the 1,000-square-foot Tipi. That’s more than a few nights in some five-star hotels, but the creators envision its wealthy clientele will be more intrepid and take the tent off the beaten (or paved) path.
Included in that six-digit price tag are steel or aluminum tubes or laminated beams and “high-tech, translucent fabric, which is mildew, rot, and pest resistant,” according to the company. It’s built to withstand 90-mile-per-hour winds and heavy snow. Both designs sit on raised decks.
With the solar panels, the tent can run LED lights, pumps, water filters, and a composting system. Either solar water heater panels or a propane water heater make showers a possibility, with a graywater system filtering the H2O for a greener experience.
If you can’t afford to buy one yourself, there are a few resorts that have them set up. For $495 a night, you can stay in a 500-square-foot version at the Treebones Resort in Big Sur, California, according to Dwell. Complete with a sink and shower, it also has a gas fireplace and comfy bed.
We can almost imagine Phyllis Nefler deigning to spend a night here. Almost.