Born of Australian Camper Tradition, This Smart Tent Is the Answer to Family-Ready Summers

Ladies and gents, lovers of the outdoors and extended families, lend me your eyes for the next few minutes so that you can get to know an outdoor tent dubbed the T46. It's the majestic and sprawled-out habitat you see in the gallery, and believe it or not, it's born of some rather solid RV and camper heritage.

That's because the T46 Smart Tent, as it's called, is the design of none other than one of Opus Camper's off-shoot brands, Opus Tents. If Opus Camper sounds familiar, it's because we've featured this team's works before, mainly the Lite and OP series.

All you really need to know about Opus is that they've made a name for themselves by simply crafting some of the world's most dependable hybrid campers. Yes, "hybrid," since their habitats often revolve around a hardshell lower half and a forward-fold (FF) or double-fold (DF) design with an inflatable roof and walls that make up the living space. Well, it's this very same tech that Opus uses to bring to life the T46 and the experience it has to offer.

Now, what makes the T46 so dang special are a few features, but first and foremost, allow me to point out that this baby won the 2024 Red Dot Design Award. That should already tell you a bit about the level at which Opus operates.

Speaking of operation, to get a feel for what the T46 can do, let's kick back for a few minutes and pretend we own one. To do so, you'll need to dish out £2,450 (around $3,200 at current exchange rates). Yes, British Pounds because, for the time being, only UK citizens can have access to this beauty; if you have acquaintances across the Atlantic, now's the time to get ahold of them, and here's why.

As I mentioned, Opus considers this unit a Smart Tent, and one reason for this is the fact that this is a self-inflating tent. All you have to do is prep everything, press a button, and let the integrated pumps work their magic. While the action unfolds, you'll sit back and watch a massive structure come to life, one that has space to accommodate up to six guests in two rooms, has a massive living space, and even a patio, too; that's nuts!

While six people are the standard number of guests this tent is built for, the large living room at the front lets you nearly double that number by bringing along some cots. Is anybody planning an e-bike trip and needs a garage to keep their babies safe? This could be a place where this event unfurls. Then again, maybe it's a good idea to have a dining table somewhere in this mobile home.

Regarding the sleeping areas inside, two areas are created with a canvas partition, but, most importantly, these spaces are ventilated and can be closed off for even more privacy. Storage pockets for smartphones are also in there somewhere. A side entrance to this space is also present, so you don't have to disturb anyone in the living room, and vice-versa.

Speaking of smartphones, one of this tent's neat twists is that it's designed to work with a detachable power supply. Overall, five 3 Ah of batteries can be brought along on trips, mainly to be used by the pumps. Still, they're also suitable for recharging devices and operating the LED lighting that can be added inside. A sixth Opus Blow Bank is thrown in. This one even has a recharge hub and cables in place.

Finally, allow me to point out that you won't have to worry about any insects or critters with the T46, mainly because the groundsheet is fully sewn-in, the presence of mesh windows and doors, and against the elements, taped seams, and three-layer window system is what you can look forward to.

Oh, and the T46's building block is also designed to be completely waterproof; it's Opus' proprietary FSG300 fabric. Throw on a UV cover for temperature regulation, storm straps, and a few others, and we're looking at a tent that weighs 61.1 kg (135 lbs), so you'll need help setting it up. Luckily, there's a wheeled carrying case in the box.

When I started this article, I mentioned that you don't need a whole lot of cash to hit the road with the family and enjoy a trip by the lake or the middle of nowhere for a few days. If $3,200 is a lot to spend on a mobile habitat like this one, then I need to start looking for a different purpose in life.

Oh, and if you plan on staying out in the wild for more than a couple of days, be sure to look into features like portable solar panels, a larger battery bank, a portable cooking set, and even a bathroom tent annex; there are countless options on the market to expand an already massive campsite. It's your money; spend it wisely.