Designing a new sleep system need some feedback

[Capt. Tyler]

Hey guys, would love yalls input on a new sleep system I am involved in creating.

The back story:

About 3 years ago my buddy was working in Afghanistan as a contractor and was living in a mass billeting style housing. 200 guys all living in the same tent on bunk beds with no privacy. One thing everyone did was place blankets and tarps over there bunks to gain privacy. As you can imagine it looked horrible and the military hated it. So, when he got back to the states we set out to create a privacy shelter for the contractors and military. What we came up with was an airbeam structure that was able to fit on a bunk and provide your own little privacy sanctuary.



After creating this and seeing it first hand we realized our product could be used in so many other ways from overlanding, ( I really want to build a shell for the Bunk R Bed and make a roof top tent) , to camping, disaster relief, college dorms and so on.





If you guys have a spare couple of minutes I would love some feedback and to know if this would be something yall would be interested in.

Thanks so much! we already have more prototypes on the way and if anyone would like to do some product testing shoot me an email at Info@bunkrbed.com or my personal email at Tsmithf33@gmail.com

Thanks again!

Tyler

 

[perkj]

Some comments:

(1) you'll need some air vents to ensure no condensation build up and to allow for air flow.
(2) for outdoor use you may also want to include some type of fold back top with mesh/noseeum screen underneath for star gazing. this could also align with #1 if you design it right.
(3) it'll need to be rain proof if you plan to market for outdoor use.
(4) you'll want some stake down points for the floor as well as guy outs for outdoor use in windy weather. The current shape I don't think will do well in the wind, so you may need some type of side vestibules to help the air flow over the unit.
(5) door vestibule would be nice too for a place to store a bag/pack or two since it looks like the interior space is sleeping room only.
(6) you'd want a no seeum screen on each door if intended for outdoor use.

The net of my comments is if you look to branch this out for outdoor use, it will need some work.

Also, I would be more than willing to do some product testing. Please PM me with the details.

 

[Capt. Tyler]

Perkj- thanks for the feedback!

Your absolutely right. In this next prototype model we are getting all of the doors will have an outside door and a no seeum net door like a traditional ten. We are also designing a rain fly with vestibule. Hopefully I will have some pics of that soon to show.

 

[Capt. Tyler]

here are a couple more pics

 

[Scoutn79]

I think for your initial use it is a fantastic idea. As a sanctuary for disaster relief in a indoor stadium, gymnasium etc it would be great. I always felt sorry for those who had to sleep pon a cot while in view of thousands of people.
For outdoor use with wind and snow loads the square/flat top design is going to have some serious drawbacks. Essentially once you are done designing it for outdoor use you will have the typical tent. Not saying the world doesn't need another tent. Lord knows I have never found a tent that I like 100%. It doesn't matter the cost I just can't find one.

Darrell

 

[perkj]

Perkj- thanks for the feedback!

Your absolutely right. In this next prototype model we are getting all of the doors will have an outside door and a no seeum net door like a traditional ten. We are also designing a rain fly with vestibule. Hopefully I will have some pics of that soon to show.

Cool, sounds like you guys are on the right track for bridging to an outdoor market model. I think with the right rain fly design (to help round out the squareness) and proper staking points/guy outs you can get around the unit being viable in windy conditions. However as Darrell pointed out, snow will loads will likely not hold up to the square design....though just market as a 3 season tent only as a way around that. one thought to address snow is to include additional air beams at the top to make a pyramid roof.

 

[Scoutn79]

Are the airbeams part of the final outdoor design? When air temp go from 70 in the sun in the day to 20 at night are they going to loose enough pressure to drop the tent on you?
I am not trying to burst your idea but you did ask for ideas.

Darrell

 

[Capt. Tyler]

This is the structure as of now. We have done some unofficial testing at about a 50 pound load to the frame with no deflection. Its is amazingly strong.

 

[Capt. Tyler]

absolutely darrel im open to all comments !

The Airbeam is an integral part of the design. honestly, we have not tested it from one extreme temp to the other. I will be adding that to my list of things to do this week. We have had it inflated for over 3 weeks in a constant temp with no leaking or PSI drop

 

[perkj]

Nemo Equipment made some back pack tents with airbeam support structures. I have one of their GoGo tents. You see some slight (and I mean slight) loss in pressure going from say 60s down to 15-20s but it still holds its shape very well. With their's being a small backpack tent and with the ability just to blow in some more air with a couple of buffs, it really isnt' a cause for concern. However with the large air beams in your design you may run into this being a bigger problem with air pressure as darrell called out. I'll be interested to hear how your testing goes.

 

[perkj]

This is the structure as of now. We have done some unofficial testing at about a 50 pound load to the frame with no deflection. Its is amazingly strong.

I think you'll need steeper peaks on those top cross air beams to keep the snow from accumulating on the roof...and all three will need to come to a center peak. This may even be needed for rain so it doesn't pool on top.

 

[Capt. Tyler]

I think we are going to concentrate on a really good fly apposed to redesigning the frame to be a single wall tent.

 

[trailscape]

Interesting concept here. I like the initial idea and as someone that's made those privacy walls while deployed (and been ************** at about it several times) I can attest to the usefulness of such an application. It would at the very least need some serious ventilation and I know I would like a couple pockets to stash gear. There are a number of reasons they may never fly for the military though. For those big tents you referred to, these enclosures add significant difficulty in conducting a quick headcount. They would have to be resistant to flame as that's been one of the biggest concerns of the blanket walls we made. For military and contractors, having the cover easily removable and put away while not in use would likely work best and solve potential concerns. I could see this succeeding for contractors and emergency situations, but I'd be surprised if the military would actually approve funding for soldiers using this.