Skip to main content

Camping in Extreme Conditions is Easier with this Inflatable Geodesic Tent

As kids, fun looked like inflatable bouncy castles and slides. Now, as adults, it’s the inflatable tent, Heimplanet Mavericks, we’re eager to play in.

A Mavericks tent is as architecturally advanced as it is cool-looking. With an astounding 142 square feet of ground area — it can house up to 10 explorers (or just you and a shit ton of gear) — you’d think it would take a small village to pitch this beast. Au contraire. Intuitive and extremely quick, Mavericks use an intuititve One-Pump System allowing set-up with one pair of hands and a simple, quick procedure: roll out, inflate, finished.

Related Videos

Modular, double-layer air beams enable this easy and quick set-up, which could make all the difference between getting frostbite and staying warm at basecamp. These inflatable tubes stand up to the elements thanks to a resistant double-layer construction comprising of an extra airtight thermoplastic polyurethane bladder that keeps the inflated air inside for an extended time. (Nothing like that dinky inflatable pad you’re sleeping on that sags during the night. Why aren’t you using Klymit Sleeping Pads?) Meanwhile, the simplistic outer jacket uses tried and true high-tenacity polyester fabric. What more could you really want.

Mavericks

While the air beams get all the acclaim, the true hero of the Mavericks design is the shape. The Heimplanet Mavericks is a geodesic dome— a design you’d ordinarily see used for greenhouses. These domes use triangular elements to distribute structural stress, allowing the tent to handle extremely heavy loads for its moderate size.

The American Institute of Architects calls the geodesic dome “the strongest, lightest, and most efficient means of enclosing space known to man.” This material-to-volume ratio appealed to Heimplanet, and, as a result, the brand invented the Inflatable Diamond Grid (IDG) of air beams seen in the Mavericks.

This design also protects itself against collapse. Let’s say your ordinary tent gets a tear. The rest of your structure is therefore screwed. This isn’t the case for the Mavericks. A patented Multi-Chamber Safety System enables you to divide the airframe into separate chambers in the event that any part becomes damaged. (i.e. if one air beam is accidentally torn, the rest won’t go down with it.) You can then localize the defective part and easily repair it, keeping everyone dry and out of the cold. However, a teat is unlikely because the Mavericks is built t withstand winds over 111 miles per hour.

Anyone else suddenly itching for an Arctic road trip?

To be frank, we’re not Arctic (or Antarctic) explorers and would probably never need a $6,500 tent … but on the other hand, the aesthetics of the Mavericks alone are deserving of exhibition. We love backyard camping in the summer, so why not Mavericks-up and pitch a tent during the next winter storm.

Editors' Recommendations

Burton just gave you the perfect reason to go snowboarding this weekend
We don't ever need an excuse to go snowboarding, but this one from Burton is a good one
a day for jake snowboarding burton snowboards 2023 group

Fun fact: the original moniker for snowboarding is “snurfing.” It’s a mash-up of “surfing” and “snow,” which was how the forefathers of snowboarding viewed the sport. (And honestly, snurfing is a bit more fun to say, we should have kept that name.) Jake Burton Carpenter, the founder of Burton snowboards, is considered by most the inventor of modern snowboarding, along with Tom Sims. Every year, Burton celebrates Jake with “A day for Jake,” a loosely organized worldwide day of riding. This year, A day for Jake will be this Saturday, March 11.

In 1977, in a barn in Vermont, Jake founded Burton snowboards. The original board had no bindings; it was basically a toboggan you stood up on. A rope tied to the nose of the board was all you had, and hey – best of luck in staying on top of a board without bindings. Here's why Burton snowboards was started, in Jake’s words:
I was working 12-14 hours a day and not loving it. I also (in the back of my mind) knew that surfing on snow could become a sport. So I bailed on my New York job, moved to Londonderry, Vermont and started ‘Burton Boards’ out of a barn in a house where I was the live-in caretaker and tending the two horses. By night, I bartended at the Birkenhaus Inn. By day, I built makeshift snowboard prototypes and tested them in the back hills of southern Vermont.

Read more
Improve your snowboarding edge transition with this easy-to-follow rule
Linking turns is a fundamental of learning to snowboard. This advice will help
how to set your snowboard stance snowboarder cranks turn on mountain slope

The key fundamental of snowboarding and the aim for all beginners is the hallowed ground of linked turns. Most likely, you'll start by side slipping, with a little falling leaf to move across the hill — using your edge to zig-zag down the hill without turning. Then you'll want to start working toward S turns, and this means transitioning from heel to toe edge or vice versa.

Every snowboarder you see has been in this position — yes, even that guy carving a snowboard and sending huge spins off jumps. Linking your turns together isn't easy, but without it, you'll find yourself stuck in a thigh-burning position all day. Perhaps the biggest challenge associated with linked turns is edge transition. This is the moment when you shift your weight from one edge (the uphill edge) to the other (the downhill edge) in order to initiate your snowboard turn. Doing this at the right moment, without tripping over that edge, requires practice, but we've got a gem that can help you out next time you're hitting the slopes.

Read more
Burton Family Tree Hometown Hero snowboard review: Powder lovers apply within
Snowboard review: What do we really think about the powder-plowing Burton Family Tree Hometown Hero?
burton family tree hometown hero snowboard review

Saying “fresh pow” to a snowboarder is like saying “walkies” to a dog. Ears perk up, heads tilt, eyes widen, and the mind spins into overdrive about how much fun can be had outside. For many, the lack of a proper snowboard equipped to handle deep powder detracts from heading into the snow altogether. Some take their main all-mountain ride into deep powder and hope for the best. For us, Burton snowboards rule the mountain, on and off-piste, so we were excited to give the Hometown Hero a shot at proving itself in powder. The Burton Family Tree Hometown Hero snowboard wants to help powder hounds achieve more – but is it worth the spend? Moreover, is it great in all conditions, or should you leave it on display until powder days arrive?

I recently tested the Burton Family Tree Hometown Hero in various conditions and on various terrain. Here’s my unbiased take.
The type of snowboarder I am
I am highly technical. If you want to nerd out on down-unweighted turns, I’m your guy. I plan my lines and execute them. I don’t crave speed, and I’m not reckless. I’m not always a park rider, but I’m not afraid of features. For me, side hits are far more fun to me than a terraformed park. I ride in the Pacific Northwest most days but often travel to go snowboarding.
The conditions for my Burton Family Tree Hometown Hero review
This board was tested on Mount Hood in Oregon and at Vail Resort in Colorado.

Read more