A few days ago, we wrote about the unfortunately named, but nonetheless “great accomplishment,” Traft: an inflatable raft that doubles as a tent.
The caveat? The company specifies camping “ON LAND ONLY PLEASE!” (Their styling, not ours.)
Thankfully, for those who prefer their water still and their camping afloat, there’s the Shoal Tent.
Made by fly fishing outfitters SmithFly, the new contraption is an inflatable floating raft topped with a pole-less, inflatable tent. The base is 8’x8’ and a 6”-thick drop-stitched floor on top provides cushioning that’ll beat out the rocky, insect-infested, bear-patrolling land any day.
It’s a dream come true for anyone who knows the disappointment of laying out under the stars on a swim platform only to swim for shore when the mosquitoes inevitably start biting. But as a new product in the market — that’s only available for pre-order with delivery in December or January — there are a few reservations.
While SmithFly touts the tent fabric as “heavy duty, waterproof, sealed with heavy duty #8 zippers,” they don’t actually state the material. And while the picturesque photos show an anchor connection on the side of the raft, there’s no mention of it. But you can bet if you float this puppy into even the most serene waters and forget to moor it, you’ll be waking up downstream or worse (to water seeping in when the raft deflates after washing up on sharp rocks).
But hey, that’s just the inner dad talking. The Shoal Tent is truly the manifestation of a summertime fantasy, and you can pre-order it now for $1,499.
h/t Cool Material
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