It may be possible to turn even the most persnickety of city folk into true outdoorsmen and women with the right tent and the Siesta2 is hoping that it can do the trick. A year and a half in the making, this new outdoor habitat promises to be compact, lightweight, but most importantly, capable of blocking both heat and light so that you can sleep comfortably even without an air conditioning unit. So if you’re planning an outdoor extravaganza for this summer, this may be the accessory that you need to convince your partner in crime that sleeping outside won’t be a nightmare.
Claiming to use “next-generation performance fabric,” the Siesta2 hopes to redefine the traditional backpacking tent by combining portability with functionality. The tent features double walls with a waterproof heat and light-blocking fly, as well as a breathable inner tent. The mesh on the inner tent can be fully closed to protect its inhabitants from cold, wind, and dust. The design promises to help you avoid issues with condensation and should also help you configure the appropriate amount of ventilation depending on the weather. So while the Siesta2 is probably best for a hot summer’s day, it could also work quite well for cold conditions, too.
In fact, on an “average summer morning,” the Siesta2’s Kickstarter page purports that the interior of the tent is more than 30 degrees cooler than a typical three-season backpacking tent might be, and more than five degrees warmer than the same tent in frigid temperatures. While the team admits that this habitat doesn’t really abide by traditional categories of either a three or four-season tent, they compare the Siesta2 to a four-season tent that is “dramatically cooler than anything else in the blazing sun.”
The Siesta2 weighs in at 4.5 pounds, making it quite easy to carry, and when packed, is just 18-by-6 inches.
If you want to add a few bells and whistles, you can do so with the team’s clip-on fans. The tent is capable of accommodating up to two such fans, one at each end of the tent. While the team claims that one tent ought to be effective for most couples, two fans are useful for particularly hot climates. Siesta’s fans are powered either by a small USB solar panel or a USB power bank, which are sold separately.
Of course, you should always take any Kickstarter project’s promises with a grain of salt, and as we haven’t tried out the Siesta2 ourselves, we can’t vouch for the validity of its claims. That said, if you’re intrigued, the Siesta2 is offering early bird pricing of $200, with a June delivery date.
