The North Face is well-known for its high-quality outdoor gear, so its latest tent design should come as no surprise—but it is impressive nonetheless. The company has reinterpreted the teachings of Buckminster Fuller by designing a geodesic dome tent they call the Geodome 4. Fuller’s inventive genius extended well beyond architecture—his Dymaxion Map projection (1954) directly inspired the most accurate map of the world.
The company writes on its website, “The innovative construction reflects the first geodesic tent we designed in 1975 based on the design principles of noted architect and futurist Buckminster Fuller. More than 40 years later, the signature dome design still holds up.”
Thanks to its intelligent shape, the tent can withstand harsh weather conditions like heavy rain and 60 mph gusts of wind because the forces spread evenly across the structure. Along with a dual-layer water-resistant exterior to keep the tent extra dry, the item is truly a camper’s dream come true.
The geodesic form also creates ample interior space (7’5″ x 6’9″), providing enough height (6’9″) for a six-foot person to stand comfortably within and four people to sleep. The Geodome 4 has more internal room than other tents of similar size. It even has several handy internal hangers for convenient gear storage.
Other features include:
- Nonagon high-water-resistant bathtub-structured floor
- Five windows with mesh
- Two top ventilation windows with a quick-open function
- Fully seamed flysheet
- Large duffel-style stuff sack
It is easy to store and carry, weighing in at only 11 kilograms, and easy to assemble. The structure encompasses only five main poles and one equator, so setup is quick.
Previously only available in Korea and Japan, the Geodome 4 Tent is now available in the U.S. for the first time in stores or online for $2,000.
