US Patent: 10,934,740 Tent Shelter
The Problem:
Zippers fail, especially when you need them or with sand and dirt. Zippers also add weight, and are always a balance between weight, stress, and performance.
Architecture:
Patent 10,,934,740 addresses this shortcoming of zippers. This has been field proven, proven commercially, and has numerous reviews online. See Below
Field Proof:
This technology has been proven in the sand, in the winter, and all points in between.
Licensing Direction:
I would prefer to license this instead of building it in on BearingCo because I believe it will better serve the customer. From my previous experience building an outdoor brand, I know it can be difficult for one brand to build a strong tent, and then a very light tent. The messaging gets mangled, production style are different. In my perfect world I would
- License the technology to one brand that makes very good tents - Perhaps a 30D fabric, or that these are all capable of being double wall shelters.
- License the technology to another brand more aligned with lighter weight, where the materials are lighter and the tents are possibly not double wall and fully integrated.
Other Designs:
This can be implemented in other geometric designs. I have also done designs that had a zipperless inner as well (though conceptually different). Personally, I thought this design had some benefits over the traditional zippered inner as well.
Reviews and Media:
https://sectionhiker.com/seek-outside-silex-zipperless-shelter-review/
https://gearjunkie.com/outdoor/hunt-fish/minimalist-tent-seek-outside-silex
https://www.outdoorlife.com/gear/best-ultralight-tents/
Review Except:
All the testers for this tent were effusive in their praise. “Easiest trekking pole tent to set up I have ever experienced,” said Helmuth. While the Seek Outside Sunlight is noticeably more expensive than the Gossamer Gear The Two, which has a similar silhouette, there are several reasons to choose this version. First off, this tent has incredible interior space, by far the most of any two-person tent we looked at. Two large and tall individuals will easily fit inside this tent without feeling overcrowded. It’s also made from 30D nylon, which should have a longer lifespan than the Gossamer Gear’s 10D. I also appreciated a unique feature, where a sliding toggle on the middle edge of each vestibule allowed you to easily access the zipped mesh door. “So simple and fun,” noted Helmuth. “Why aren’t all tents like this?”
https://benkilbourne.com/blog/2020/9/14/seek-outside-eolus-tent-with-nest-review-section-hiker
https://blog.outdoorprolink.com/proview-seek-outside-guardian-2p-xl-with-stove-jack/
