By Editors

As a natural pessimist who assumes everything could go south at any given moment, this video piqued my interest. Take a look at the LifeCube emergency shelter, a tent system with an integrated hard floor that serves as its own heavy plastic shipping container when not deployed. The cube has detachable hoop wheels so it can be moved over uneven terrain. Once the whole thing unfolds, it forms a raised 144-square-foot platform.

Check out the video of it’s 5-minute deployment, and try to ignore the corny music if you can.

According to the website, the inflatable canopy is manufactured by the same company that makes life rafts for the Navy and is tear-proof, fire retardant and can withstand 50mph winds. Multiple cubes can even be lined-up and zipped together to create multi-room units. With obvious military and humanitarian applications, the shelter is also marketed to civilians and comes with different packages of supplies and tools as specified by the customer.

The commercial version includes: “sleeping bags, inflatable mattresses, First Aid kit, propane cook top, dining utensils, tools, a water filtration device and food and water supplies.” All that and an elevated, hard floor...and it deploys in five minutes with no external equipment. Awesome. However, the site is completely devoid of price tags.

They've been around in the US since 2009, so has anyone seen one of these deployed or used one? If so, what did you think and do you have any idea how much one would cost?

Comments (9)

from rock rat wrote 1 year 46 weeks ago

A web site I sometimes post to was sending what sounded like similar to Haiti and were fund raising on line. I don't remember specifics, numbers in the single thousands including sleeping bags, water filter, etc.

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from rugerlady wrote 1 year 46 weeks ago

Kind of a cool concept. Any port in a storm I guess.

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from bdarak wrote 1 year 46 weeks ago

I want one, but hwo do you think it will hold up against a zombie attack?

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from Brian W. Thair wrote 1 year 46 weeks ago

How long, do you suppose, would it take an amateur to repack that thing? Is that possible?

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from country road wrote 1 year 46 weeks ago

As soon as I get the Powerball numbers right, I'm gonna get me one of them things.

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from 1uglymutha wrote 1 year 46 weeks ago

if these things pack up as easily as they deploy-and if the price is right- they'll sell a zillion of them. i want one.

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from shane wrote 1 year 46 weeks ago

Considering what serious backcountry hunting parties have packed in on their backs or maybe a few horses' or mules' backs, that thing should pop out the Taj Mahal.

I have seen these before and hear they are very expensive.

Alaknak, anyone? Simple tent? If only everyone was an outdoorsman, the world's problems would be solved.

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from JDubYa wrote 1 year 46 weeks ago

this is pretty sweet and my wife is already sold... me not so much, looks ridiculously expensive. I have and old school military canvas tent with the heavy duty metal bars. It suits me just fine lol

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from Dave_Maccar wrote 1 year 46 weeks ago

Brain W. Thair & 1uglymutha: I wondered the same thing, but couldn’t find any info on the site about the breakdown procedure. Since it appears to be an inflated tube skeleton that holds the whole thing up, I can’t imagine it would take long to deflate. The size would still make it a tough task for one person, though I can’t imagine many people would use something like this solo in any situation.

But if the direction of the pump that inflates it so quickly can be reversed, then it could break down pretty fast, even with one person. Still, these seem to be designed for extended periods of use once deployed, not really a pack-and-go item.

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from bdarak wrote 1 year 46 weeks ago

I want one, but hwo do you think it will hold up against a zombie attack?

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from shane wrote 1 year 46 weeks ago

Considering what serious backcountry hunting parties have packed in on their backs or maybe a few horses' or mules' backs, that thing should pop out the Taj Mahal.

I have seen these before and hear they are very expensive.

Alaknak, anyone? Simple tent? If only everyone was an outdoorsman, the world's problems would be solved.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from JDubYa wrote 1 year 46 weeks ago

this is pretty sweet and my wife is already sold... me not so much, looks ridiculously expensive. I have and old school military canvas tent with the heavy duty metal bars. It suits me just fine lol

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from rock rat wrote 1 year 46 weeks ago

A web site I sometimes post to was sending what sounded like similar to Haiti and were fund raising on line. I don't remember specifics, numbers in the single thousands including sleeping bags, water filter, etc.

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from rugerlady wrote 1 year 46 weeks ago

Kind of a cool concept. Any port in a storm I guess.

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from Brian W. Thair wrote 1 year 46 weeks ago

How long, do you suppose, would it take an amateur to repack that thing? Is that possible?

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from country road wrote 1 year 46 weeks ago

As soon as I get the Powerball numbers right, I'm gonna get me one of them things.

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from 1uglymutha wrote 1 year 46 weeks ago

if these things pack up as easily as they deploy-and if the price is right- they'll sell a zillion of them. i want one.

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from Dave_Maccar wrote 1 year 46 weeks ago

Brain W. Thair & 1uglymutha: I wondered the same thing, but couldn’t find any info on the site about the breakdown procedure. Since it appears to be an inflated tube skeleton that holds the whole thing up, I can’t imagine it would take long to deflate. The size would still make it a tough task for one person, though I can’t imagine many people would use something like this solo in any situation.

But if the direction of the pump that inflates it so quickly can be reversed, then it could break down pretty fast, even with one person. Still, these seem to be designed for extended periods of use once deployed, not really a pack-and-go item.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

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All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.