This Off-Grid Desert Retreat Is Eco-Conscious & The Perfect Secluded Escape

Posted on 24/07/2024 by Srishti Mitra

Designed by the LA-based multidisciplinary architect Malek Alqadi, the Folly Mojave is a 200-acre wilderness retreat nestled at the intersection of the Mojave National Preserve and the Joshua Tree National Park. The Folly Mojave is a stunning off-grid home that draws inspiration from the region’s earthy hues and rocky textures. The Martian-esque terrain also inspired the home, allowing it to be a bold architectural statement. The Folly Mojave is one of the latest additions to Folly’s secluded stays.

Designer: Malek Alqadi

“Folly Mojave acts as a nature-derived, divine space, welcoming guests seeking wellness, healing, and self-reflection,” says Alqadi. The property includes three standalone properties which function as suites. The suites represent the four elements of nature, and they seamlessly vanish into the landscape during the day. The Water Suite perfectly merges indoor and outdoor realms and is equipped with a lovely bed, a well-designed kitchen, a walk-in shower, a loft-like ceiling, eco-friendly solar utilities, luxurious features, as well as an open-air sky terrace, which also serves as a fully functional bedroom for those who want to watch the sky at night.

The other two suites are the Fire + Stone and Wind, and they’re designed to deliver a luxurious experience amped with stunning views through the massive windows. Each suite has a raw and rustic appeal to it, accentuated by blackened steel accents and concrete shells. Wood was charred using the Japanese technique of shou sugi ban, and it adds a lovely texture to the buildings. The choice of materials incorporates a connection between humans and nature. Solar panels in the form of trees have been placed next to each suite, to encourage energy efficiency. “Folly Mojave strives to operate as a self-sufficient microgrid, with the sun reigning as the primary energy source – truly disconnecting from external utilities,” said Alqadi.

The property also includes another outdoor structure – the Mara Pavilion. This pavilion is inspired by the Oasis of Mara, which is one of the five palm oases in Joshua Tree National Park. This building is intended for self-care and wellness activities, and it will host movie nights, sound baths, yoga classes, and other intimate gatherings. The pavilion also includes a sauna, cold plunge pool, heated pool, and steam room. Therapists will also offer myriad spa treatments from a specially curated menu.

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This Eclipse-themed Outdoor Trailer is perfect for the Wanderlust who wants to live on the road

Posted on 12/04/2024 by Gaurav Sood

The most recent celestial phenomenon – the solar eclipse – has inspired a lot of things including individuals who traveled hundreds of miles to be left spellbound by the sight of a total solar eclipse on April 8. If you missed it for some reason, you won’t get another chance any time before the next predicted total eclipse to happen in August of 2026.

So, before that happens, Taxa Outdoors, the name behind the Mantis travel trailer, has unveiled a solar eclipse-inspired rendition of the Mantis. The upgraded Mantis travel trailer – Dark Sky Mantis – is sleek in design, and follows a dark color scheme to substantiate its name.

Designer: Taxa Outdoors

Taxa Outdoors has been designing travel trailers for outdoor adventures for years, and their expertise and knowledge are squeezed fully into the Mantis. This is why there is no surprise that the company chose this model to pay ode to the once-in-a-lifetime celestial magic. The resulting Dark Sky Mantis is going to be just like the eclipse itself; it is strictly limited promotional built and will be available only between April 8 and 15, 2024.

The limited-edition Dark Sky Mantis, except for the matte black color and certain exterior graphics, is almost the same as the Mantis travel trailer. To that accord, the trailer is designed for the adventures of off-grid living. It is ready to go wherever you want, following the astronomical phenomenon or just for a drive to a location in the wilderness.

The off-road capable Dark Sky Mantis – in addition to the matte back finish and special graphics on the exterior – has off-roading tires to match the dark color theme of the trailer. On the other hand, the eclipse-inspired trailer has increased ground clearance, axle-less suspension and articulating Lock ‘N’ Roll hitch. Like the OG Mantis, this new model also measures 19 feet long, enough to accommodate four adults in a bed that converts to a dining or lounging space, and an additional convertible bunk bed.

The interior space is enhanced by a pop-up roof, while the people opting for the strictly limited trailer will get a well-laid-out kitchen, equipped with a two-burner stove, cooler, and sink, and a functional bathroom. Taxa Outdoors has not named the price of the Dark Sky Mantis, but we can expect it to cost over $45,750, that Mantis fetches.

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Land Cruiser-based Infanta 4×4 Inkunzi camper takes off-roading fun to the extreme

Posted on 29/03/2024 by Gaurav Sood

Based on the Toyota Land Cruiser chassis, the Infanta 4×4 Inkunzi camper is a South African camper cruiser designed for off-grid living with an impressive design to showcase. It looks like a random ride on the unbeaten paths when closed, but the moment you open its wings (slides and pullouts) you have a camper most delightful to see and use.

For the love of adventurers at the park or campsite, the Inkunzi, which translates to bull in Zolo, is fitted with an electric pop-up roof and has big windows in canvas covers to keep the interior both airy and fresh. The roof lifts at the push of a button, while the passenger side of the camper has five hatches, one of which houses the kitchen and the other the bed.

Designer: Infanta 4X4

The Infanta 4×4 Inkunzi camper cruiser is designed to share the “same personality traits of a bull,” from where it gets its name. “Stubborn, strong-willed” in equal measures; the camper, molded from composite aerospace pre-impregnated fiber, weighs 644 kg when packed with all the accessories, and has a body measuring 9.8-foot-long. With all the versatile sliding and folding antics, the Inkunzi is effortless to setup, and takes only two minutes

The space within the camper is more focused on space utilization while all the things like the shower, kitchen and even the bedroom are designed to open outwards. The bed is placed in the front bedroom cabin that slides out from the main body and is provided with a headboard and storage cubies. Infanta uses the standing height space on the entry for dressing, while its slide-out kitchen on the passenger side spans almost the entire length of the camper.

Situated directly behind the cabin area, the fold-down kitchen has a two-stove burner, dishware, cookware, and utensils. Other kitchen compartments feature a 90-L fridge, shelves for storage, a collapsible basin, and a second worktop. An outdoor shower enclosed by drop-down curtains draws water from an onboard 120-L water tank connected to a 220V water heater.

Since the stout Inkunzi is made for off-roading, it comes with a 105-Ah battery, Victron charger and battery monitor, and an option to include an inverter and solar panels. The camper starts at R524 000, roughly $28,000 (without the truck), and has the option to add a 270-degree awning for additional usable outdoor space.

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The Timber Craftsmanship On This Off-Grid Tiny Home Is Its Aesthetic USP

Posted on 02/03/2024 by Srishti Mitra

Portugal-based Madeiguincho is created by a family of carpenters and the firm’s home truly showcases their expertise in wood and timber craftsmanship. The Vigia perfectly demonstrates their exceptional skills, and functions as a light-filled home that can run off-grid. Meaning Lookout in Portuguese, the Vigia is founded on a double-axle trailer and has a length of 23 feet. It is finished in wood, both inside and out, and is equipped with loads of glazing, which allows natural light to stream inside. Wood shutters have been installed as well, to control and regulate the amount of light that permeates within.

Designer: Madeiguincho

The center of the home leads to the outside through glass doors. This central space is occupied by the kitchen which contains a sink, an electric cooktop, custom cabinetry, and space for a fridge/freezer. The living room is adjacent to the kitchen, and it seems quite comfy with an L-shaped sofa, a wood-burning stove, a decorative window, and some storage space.

The bathroom is located opposite the living room and includes a composting toilet, a sink, and a shower. This bathroom also includes a secondary entrance, and this can be accessed from the outside. The Vigia is equipped with only one bedroom, which is essentially a loft space that can be accessed through a fixed ladder. It is similar to the bedrooms you typically find in tiny homes, with a double bed and a low ceiling,

The Vigia has the ability to run off-grid, as it is equipped with a solar panel array on the roof, that can be angled towards to sun, to maximize the amount of energy produced. This panel is also connected to a battery system. Tanks have also been installed for water. The home is adorned with specialized and stunning timber craftsmanship from Madeiguincho, which truly sets the home apart from typical tiny homes on the market. The woodwork is the home’s USP, and places it high on the aesthetics and looks scale.

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The Konga Off-Grid Tiny Home Features A Well-Designed Kitchen Made With Offcuts

Posted on 19/12/2023 by Srishti Mitra

Lithuanian kitchen maker Konga used the hefty supply of offcuts they had to create their own line of prefabricated tiny houses. They used the surplus material to build a good-looking and minimal non-towable home that can run both on or off-grid. The dwelling has a pretty low starting price point of US$59,000. The home isn’t built entirely from offcuts, but they have been used in the construction of the tiny home’s kitchen.

Designer: Konga

The tiny home is designed by the Danish architect Mette Fredskild, and it is finished in charred wood, giving it a rather unique and appealing look, while also providing protection against insects. It also helps to preserve the home, while accentuating its distinctive appearance. Generous glazing has been applied to the home, and most of it is operable. It is a well-insulated home that can deal with the cold weather and snow loads quite efficiently.

The interiors are well-designed and inviting. They measure 28 square meters, which is covered entirely on one floor, and feature a shared open-plan living space. The walls of the home have been clad in wooden oak veneer panels and teamed up with oak flooring. The cabin is filled with natural light, owing to the generous amount of glazing.

The kitchen is amped with a lot of features and amenities. It showcases a fridge, sink, and propane-powered gas stove, with loads of cabinetry and shelving. There is also a living room area with a sofa, a small dining table, as well a wood-burning stove to provide warmth. Two bedrooms have been positioned on either side of the kitchen. One of the bedrooms can be transformed into a home office, with sliding doors being installed to offer some privacy if need be. Both the toilet and the bathroom with shower are located in different rooms. The home also accommodates a small utility room, as well as a couple of storage nooks that have been nestled away throughout the house.

The cabin runs from an RV-style grid hookup, but buyers can opt for an optional rooftop solar panel setup and rainwater collection system. The wood-burning stove can be connected to a hot water system as well. The tiny home features a freezing toilet, instead of a composting toilet, and it basically freezes waste, ensuring the space stays odorless.

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This modular camper rig fits any mid-sized truck bed for year-round escapades

Posted on 30/05/2023 by Gaurav Sood

As the demand for versatile and compact camping solutions continues to rise, Scout Campers has attended to this need with their latest Scout Tuktut. Designed to transform mid-sized pickups into fully functional campers, the Tuktut offers a convenient and affordable way to embark on outdoor adventures without sacrificing comfort or mobility.

The hardtop rig is apt for seamless integration with mid-sized pickups without breaking the budget. Built specifically for the Ford Maverick, the Tuktut attaches to the truck bed, creating a cozy living space that can comfortably accommodate two people. The camper’s lightweight construction ensures it remains agile, allowing for easy maneuverability, both on and off the road.

Designer: Scout Campers

Despite its compact size, the robust module makes intelligent use of its available space. The camper features a foldable and comfortable queen-sized bed, providing a sleeping area after a long day of adventure. It even comes loaded with a convenient kitchenette equipped with a sink, stove, and mini refrigerator, allowing campers to prepare meals and store perishable goods without relying on external facilities. The camper shell boasts ample storage compartments for camping gear and other essentials, ensuring a clutter-free living space.

One of the standout features of the Scout Tuktut is its off-grid capability. The camper is equipped with a sizeable lithium battery and a 175W monocrystalline solar panel system, so that adventure seekers can power their electronics, charge devices, and run essential appliances. This freedom allows campers to immerse themselves in remote locations, away from crowded campgrounds to experience the serenity of nature without any worries.

The modular design adds to its versatility to the rig as campers have the option to choose additional add-on modules such as a rooftop tent or a shower enclosure. The quick and easy installation process allows for seamless customization based on individual preferences and camping requirements. Whether embarking on a weekend getaway or a long-term expedition, the Tuktut can adapt to different scenarios, making it a flexible and reliable companion.

Scout Campers initiated preorders shortly before the public unveiling of the camper Overland Expo West 2023 held earlier this month. The camper’s base model, dubbed Minimalist configuration, starts at a price of $16,500. For those seeking additional customization, Goose Gear Explore modules are available, with prices ranging from $595 to $2,395. Delivery of the Tuktut campers is scheduled to commence in the third quarter of 2023.

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Storage-friendly skoolie incorporates two fully-functional offices, epic kitchen and a spacious bedroom

Posted on 22/03/2023 by Gaurav Sood

Living on the road and off the grid sounds easy but many people find it difficult to spend their nights inside a compact trailer and miss the comforts of home. Despite teardrop trailers being a cheap and fancy alternative to suffice wanderlust, travel enthusiasts don’t resonate with the idea of spending their nights inside an aluminum box that lacks enough headroom, and a spacious bathroom in particular. This is where a bus home or a skoolie takes home the advantage.

An ideal alternative to towing trailer, a skoolie boasts spaciousness, features plenty of room for storage, and can even be customized as per the user’s needs. Aurora is one such bus home conversion that ticks all the requisites. As big as two European tiny house, the 40-feet long, 2004 International RE-300 school bus with a DT466E engine has been successfully converted into a mobile home by a Dokata-based couple, Josh and Emily.

Designer: Josh and Emily

Thoughtfully designed, it weighs 35,000 lbs and incorporates a full kitchen, bathroom and bedroom inside its robust build. However, the biggest highlight of the school bus conversion is its utilization of space that allows two fully-functional offices (with two monitor screens each) to pack inside its steel body. One of the offices is adjacent to the L-shaped kitchen, and the other one is located at the back of the bus. The office at the front end can actually be utilized as kitchen counter space too, while the one at the rear can function as a quaint working area.

Facing the front home office is a white couch that can be extended into an L-shape sofa, ideal for sleeping a single guest. The home offices’ desk drawer can come out and transform the space into a nice dining table. The kitchen space lying next to the office is like none other. It is equipped with every minute item from electronics to storage sections that are required for a comfortable stay. With a plethora of wooden cabinets gracing the interior, the kitchen is also equipped with a full-size fridge, propane-powered stove and oven.

Another major highlight of Aurora is its intelligent use of space. At the entrance of the bus home, you are graced by stairs and a dash that features storage compartments to house shoes and other nitty-gritty items. Even the top of the dash is being utilized as a shelf to house various items, with the likes of plant pots. Not to mention, there is a litter box for the couple’s cat that lives with them. The windows of the bus home make the space seem really open and allow lots of natural light to pass in, hence acting as a source of energy for plants too.

Next, there is a bedroom that mainly constitutes a queen-size bed and features some overhead storage. The bathroom falls second to the bedroom and features a sunken shower. In addition, the bathroom door has been designed in a manner that it ends up separating the front section of the bus home from its rear.

The whole build is incredibly well-planned. The duo spent two years of DIY labor on finalizing the layout, interior design and other modifications before they unveiled their stellar bus home conversion to the world. Another impressive highlight of the skoolie is its off-grid capability. Flanking three extendable awnings, the bus home features a raised roof covered in a 2,400-watt solar panel system powering the devices inside. Furthermore, there are three 40-gallon gray and black water tanks mounted within the floor of the bus helping it to stay fully off-grid for about ten days or so.

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This shirt was made from the same fabric used by Egyptians to wrap mummies… and it’ll last decades

Posted on 31/08/2022 by Sarang Sheth

If you ever looked at a nettle (those plants that give you a nasty sting) and thought – hey, this could make a great fabric for clothing people, chances are you’re either Egyptian, or you’re someone at Vollebak. The London-based alternative clothing brand is known for working with kinds of materials that you’d never find at your local GAP or Forever 21. After having somehow integrated materials like ceramics, carbon fiber, kevlar, and even Dyneema into their clothes, the company’s now managed to find a way to turn the hostile nettle into a soothing, comfortable fabric that you can wear for decades… centuries even. Although they weren’t the first.

Five thousand years ago, the Egyptians developed a method to turn the nettle into fibers that could be woven into a durable, comfortable fabric that resists heat and humidity well. They used the same fabric to wrap their mummies, and those threads lasted 5 millennia so there’s no reason Vollebak’s shirt won’t. The fabric, now commonly known as ‘ramie’ is now mostly seen being used to build parachutes… and it’s the primary fabric used in Vollebak’s Off Grid shirt.

Designer: Vollebak

The Off Grid shirt, as its name suggests, was built to live off the grid. It uses materials that existed long before the grid was even a fleeting thought, which works because these shirts were built to withstand ‘unconventional living’…

The Off Grid shirt works rather well in heat and humidity, and just by virtue of its fabric, has these unique wrinkles on the shirt that contribute to its character. The shirt uses a proprietary blend of ramie (nettle fabric) and Pima cotton. As a fiber, ramie is incredibly resistant to bacteria and mildew, and unlike other fibers, grows stronger with time (it’s no wonder the mummies look so good, eh?) Pima cotton, on the other hand, gives the shirt its softness and keeps it light. The blend of cotton also wicks moisture rather well and dries off pretty fast, making it perfect for humidity.

Vollebak doesn’t stop there, though. The shirts, once stitched, are dyed with either leftover Japanese turnips, or with blueberries. “The Turnip edition is dyed using red turnips from the Japanese mountain town of Kiso. Despite their red outer skin, the turnips have white flesh which produces a light-colored dye,” say Nick and Steve Tidball, the twin founders of Vollebak. “The turnips we use are excess ones left over from the production of sunki pickles. Rather than let them go to waste we use them to make 90% of the dye for the shirt”, they add.

While the off-white variant of the Off Grid shirt uses turnips, its slightly darker, almost mauve-colored sibling uses unwanted blueberries from a Japanese fruit farm in the Nara prefecture. “Some blueberries don’t make the cut during harvesting because they’re damaged or oddly shaped. So rather than let them go to waste we use them to make 90% of the dye for the shirt”, Steve and Nick mention.

Once woven and dyed, the shirts are finished using Ōmi sarashi, an ancient Japanese kneading technique that helps make the fabric soft yet rugged, and gives them their signature wrinkled pattern. Steve and Nick don’t quite mention how long the Off Grid shirt is supposed to last, but given their track record of making garments that can last well over a hundred years, it’s fair to assume these shirts should easily be in your wardrobe for the rest of your life!

Each Off Grid shirt comes with two large chest pockets for carrying your belongings in.

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Built on Humvee trailer chassis, tiny BluMobile produces its own power and water for unmatched off-grid life

Posted on 29/07/2022 by Gaurav Sood

As a weekend warrior ready for an Overlanding expedition, what do you want from the trailer you’d be towing along? If it’s robust off-roading capability, water, power, work desk, lots of storage, and overnight accommodation; you can strike a deal with BluOasis’s BlueMobile.

Based on a Humvee trailer chassis, this ultimate off-road-ready trailer is ideal for Overlanding or off-grid camping. This we say because, in addition to its military-grade off-road chassis, this guy can generate its own solar power and water from an onboard atmospheric water generator.

Designer: BluOasis

We have definitely been through hordes of trailers with impressive off-grid capabilities, but the differentiator here is that the BlueMobile packs 1.5kW of external solar panels and water-making capabilities in a petit form factor mobile trailer. The deployable solar panels on the rooftop would be nothing without matching power storage. The BluMobile trailer puts power storage on the forefront with a 15kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery pack.

BluMobile trailer is primarily designed as an off-grid base camp of sorts for adventurers or perhaps a tiny accommodation with requisite supplies on a remote job site. The trailer features 4,250 liters of internal storage that can accommodate your equipment and cargo. As an RV it also makes room for up to four people to sleep in. The additional room for a queen-size bed (besides a double bed below) is made possible with the pop-up roof.

It’s not the most comfortable trailer, but for off-grid living, the BluMobile uses BluOasis’s water generator which condenses humidity from the air and runs the separated water through a UV-enabled filtration system. At about 60 percent of humidity, the atmospheric water generator can generate 38 liters of drinking water in a day, which can be stored in an onboard 150 liters tank.

The power requirement for remote working, cooking, and overnight parties is all taken care of by the interesting electrical setup connected to the solar panels and storage batteries. Without the solar panels, the BluMobile starts at $24,500. The cost of the trailer appropriate for permanent off-grid families – increases with add-ons and customization.

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Australia’s first self-inflating off-road camper sets a new bar for glamping

Posted on 20/04/2022 by Shawn McNulty-Kowal

The Space X Air trailer is Australia’s first automatic opening, stabilizing, and inflating off-road camper for the ultimate glamping experience.

There’s camping and then there’s glamping. For those who’d rather not go without a shower and spend the night on the forest floor, glamping offers campers the opportunity to still sleep under the stars, and running water is always a stone’s throw away.

Designer: Mars Campers

Delivering one way for campers to enjoy the great outdoors with a bit of glamour, the Space X Air from Mars Campers is Australia’s first automatic opening, stabilizing, and inflating off-road camper. Attachable as a flatbed trailer, Space X Air self-inflates with the push of a button to reveal a spacious, integrated living space.

When fully expanded, the trailer is large enough to accommodate four adults and two children. Then, when the trailer is closed, it folds down to 5900mm L x 2340mm W x 1560mm H. While the trailer is small and lightweight enough to attach to most automobiles, Mars Campers has been anything but skimpy on the built-in features.

When it comes to cooking, the Space X Air comes equipped with a full kitchenette and a dinette for sit-down dinners. The kitchen is complete with a Dometic SMEV 8003 3-burner stove, chopping board, sink, cold water tap, 20L mini bar cooler, external pantry, waterproof speakers, TV bracket, and two toolboxes. When it comes time for bed, the dinette lounge converts to a sleeping area.

On both ends of the trailer, campers can rest throughout the day on high-density, double-bed mattresses. While the roomy lounge area might be enough for some to stay comfy while glamping, Mars Campers equipped their latest trailer with off-grid perks as well.

Ensuring that no matter where off-roading takes campers, the designers at Mars Campers were sure to include two 100L water tanks, a portable toilet, and a 200W portable solar panel in addition to supplementary features like a water heater, batteries, a charger, as well as internal and external LED light fixtures.