Culture > Design

Essentially, A Faraday Cage For the Outdoors

Ultralight tent blocks lightning, bears remain an issue

By The Editors
January 26, 2016 9:00 am EST
Essentially, A Faraday Cage For the Outdoors
Karol Palka

Only a fraction of the estimated 25 million cloud-to-ground lightning strikes in the U.S. last year were fatal, so the chances of receiving a direct bolt during may not be top of mind for most campers.

However, when you factor in that the energy of a standard bolt can exceed the power of a nuclear reactor, and an average strike can light a 100-watt bulb for more than three months, riding the lightning seems like a trip that should be avoided at all costs, fractions notwithstanding.  

That’s where the Bolt Lightning Protective Tents come in. A Helsinki-based designer came up with three lightning-proof concept tents which are made of ultralight materials and guard against direct strikes as well as the step voltage that’s generated when a lightning bolt strikes the ground.

The waterproof tents were tested with impulse voltage and current generators under the supervision of a former MIT researcher with a Ph.D. in industrial design and they passed with flying colors. Prices haven’t been announced, but you’ll want to keep your eye on these beauts.

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