Eureka! Freedom - A New Camping Tent!
by Lance Hegland
Outdoor recreation,
including camping, have become a popular escape from work, cell
phones, cable TV, and the Internet. Yet, according to BlueSky
Designs, the 1994 Forest Service-sponsored National Survey on
Recreation and the Environment (NSRE) found that people with
disabilities have cited physical barriers and a lack of accessible
facilities as two of the most frequently encountered barriers to
their participation in outdoor recreation. It is true that since
the Americans with Disabilities Act, public facilities and programs
at campgrounds and parks have been made more accessible. Accessibility
standards for campsites have been developed, including the establishment
of a recommended minimum number of accessible sites. Still, the
most important “facility” a camper needs is access
to a tent. That is the challenge St. Paul-based BlueSky Designs
embraced.
Basically, BlueSky
Designs is an “idea development studio” focused
on universal design. Meaning, they take a problem, develop solutions,
perform market research, establish intellectual property, identify
manufacturing partners, and create licensing agreements to bring
those products to consumers. They specialize in developing comfortable,
safe, and efficient products that are useful for a broad population
at work, at play, and at home regardless of ability level; the
unique meld of ergonomics, assistive technology, and universal
design. In relation to accessible tents, they partnered with Wilderness
Inquiry, the University of Minnesota, the University of Minnesota-Duluth’s
Outdoor Program, and Courage Duluth. Then, they commenced a research
project with funding assistance from the Small Business Innovation
Research grant offered by the US Department of Agriculture. The
resulting ideas were later tested by various inclusive or accessible
wilderness programs such as Colorado-based National Sports Center
for the Disabled, Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center, and ‘SPLORE,
an organization in Utah that took prototypes down the Grand Canyon.
One of the products developed was the Freedom tent, a new addition
to the Eureka! Outfitter tent product-line now available to consumers
through any Eureka! authorized dealer.
The unique, three-season tent was designed with ease of set up,
easy access, and a usable vestibule space for mobility devices
as top priorities. It is a five pole tapered rectangular dome style
shelter with sleeping space for two people. A patent-pending zipper-less
vestibule door requires minimal dexterity and reach. It pivots
open like a fan, providing quick entry out of the elements and
has no zipper noise. Pull handles on the internal door and window
zippers provide easy grasp and operation. The design allows easy
set up from a wheelchair, with continuous pole sleeves originating
at the rear corners and one side of the tent. The poles are slid
through one end of the sleeve and are captured in pockets on the
far end. The other pole end attaches to the tent with posts and
grommets. A large vestibule offers easily accessible and protected
storage for gear or chairs, as well as space for sitting, eating
and recreation. It can also be used for drying wet gear or a sleeping
area for pets. The combination window and side entry doors in the
sleeping area allow side transfers onto a sleeping cot while also
providing excellent ventilation. The mesh roof increases ventilation
and reduces condensation in the sleeping area.
The Freedom tent measures
6'6" wide and 11'8" long.
The height of the vestibule door is 5'2". It features an aluminum
frame, 70D nylon taffeta walls, 40D nylon no-see-um mesh, 210D
nylon oxford bathtub floor, and a seam taped 75D StormShield® polyester
fly. The packed weight is 16 pounds, 8 ounces. All this with a
price tag anywhere between $329 to $575. Be sure to search around
for the best prices and “specials.”
The tent’s licensed manufacturer and distributor is Eureka!,
a division of Johnson Outdoors. Johnson Outdoors is a well-known
leading global outdoor recreation company that turns ideas into
adventure with innovative, top-quality products. The company designs,
manufactures and markets a portfolio of winning, consumer-preferred
brands including: Old Town® canoes and kayaks; Ocean, Necky
and Dimension® kayaks; Minn Kota® motors; Hummin-bird®;
Scubapro® and SnorkelPro; Uwatec®; and, Eureka!® tents.
If you would like
more information regarding the Freedom tent, or any of BlueSky
Designs’ innovative solutions, please feel
free to browse their website located at http://www.blueskydesigns.us/ or contact them toll-free at 877-603-0828.
