Where Did The SHIFTPOD Come From?

A guest post from Christian, leader of SHIFT Camp, and inventor of the SHIFT Pod. There were three hundred of these on the Playa this year, and so far reports back from Burners have been overwhelmingly favorable.

I think it is great that Burners are innovating to make their camps better, and sharing their innovations with the rest of the community.

Here’s what SHIFT Camp (a registered non-profit) is about:

SHIFT is based on the following ideals

Walk in peace and with grace.
Do good unto others, without judgment, or expectation.
Love thy neighbor, and love thyself.
Practice forgiveness.
Leave places and people better than you found them.
Be proactive and participate in life.

The ethos at SHIFT it to provide the ‘set and setting’ for people to have a shift experience; a shift in paradigm. How can you contribute to this effort? How can you create this for others and how can you engage and create this space for yourself? We ask you do things you would not normally do. Get dirty, get involved, participate, pick up trash, fill your own RV and wipe your own ass.

This is not just another weekend at the disco.

SHIFT brings together art and artists from all over the world, sound and stage, hosts talks, and provides fun experiences for to help foster those SHIFTs or “Ahhhh haaa” moments. SHIFT is also active in the local community and is collecting, cleaning and donating bikes to send to kids in Cuba in 2015!

SHIFT supports art and outreach projects all over the world.

How can you make your own SHIFT experience?

by C W:

Where did the SHIFTPOD come from?

I run a camp out at Burning Man called SHIFT and have been burning since 1992. 23 years if my math is right. Prior to this I threw parties in LA and the first rave parties in Seattle. I love the EDM and BM culture and am proud to have been there from the very beginning.

Last year at our camp I found myself in a friends foam yurt, on a couch, looking around it was all decked out, with A/C, refer and a bed. I stomped my feet on the ground and said “it feels really good to be on the ground”.

My first burn I slept in the van, on the van and under the van, I had only a tee shirt and shorts, some water, bread, peanut butter and jelly and a couple of bottles of Jack Daniels. Tickets were $60 at the gate, and the population was less than 5000. Things were much different then, rough and raw, I had a massive SHIFT experience. Over the years I ended up in RVs which are high off the ground, disconnected and wiggly under every step. Being back on the ground felt very good. It felt solid and I felt reconnected with where my journey started.

I thought “I want to be in a yurt next year!” I then learned of the time required to build it, to put it up every year and to store it. Not to mention the $200 in tape required every year.

There has to be a better way. I run a huge camp, I don’t have time, I don’t have space, and all that waste every year doesn’t feel right. Tents suck and let all the dust in. They don’t hold up in the wind. They take too much time to set up and most are too small. There has to be another way.

After the burn, a few months later I started working on a ideas, sketches, and prototypes, re-engineering, testing and patent work. The SHIFTPOD was born. They really do set up in less than one minute, twenty eight seconds and strike in less than 3 minutes. They are large roomy, insulated against the heat of sun, easy to store and move.

We set SHIFTPODs up as a fundraising project for camp and began the process of producing them. We distributed our first 300 SHIFTPODs to eager donors and delivered them just before and at the 2015 burn. We were supported by Millennials, Boomers, Hippies and Hipsters, Rich getting out of RVs and Poor upgrading out of dusty tents.

Because of the demand (and exposure in Burners.Me) we were also able to send 5 SHIFTPODS ($4000+shipping) to Nepal to help earthquake victims (and 5 more to be sent as we can place them), and we were able to bring back 15 of the used PODs to offer the victims of the Lake County fires. We were also able to support our camp and our bikes to Cuba project.

One of the huge bummers of Burning Man 2015 was the wind and the dust. For us it was the best possible test for the SHIFTPODs. Yahoo reported 30-40MPH sustained winds with gusts to 90MPH, other more official reports on the playa said 50MPH. In the words of one of our new SHIFTPOD owners, “My SHIFTPOD shed the wind like it was nothing”. The response has been overwhelming and positive. The size, the set up time, the durability and mobility… all confirmed.

Now, we are poised to do more for those in need. We are setting up a program to ship SHIFTPODS to refugee camps and people in need. For every 20 SHIFTPODs sold we will ship one to a family in need. Over time we hope to get this down to every 10 SHIFTPODs sold but we have to start somewhere, right?

Live your life, party in a POD and help give someone in need a home at the same time. That’s a Win/Win in my book.

If you want to help let us know! We are looking for positive, proactive people to work with as we take the project forward. If you are into getting it done and making big things happen, please get in touch.

Lasting, a big shout out and THANK YOU all in caps to BURNERS.ME for getting the story out and being directly responsible for more than 80 SHIFTPOD donations. Also, thank you to all of our supporters and people who took the risk with us. We appreciate you.

Please send photos of you and your SHIFTPODs! Post them on Instagram! #shiftpods And please like us on Facebook! Help spread the word!

Lets have fun and make a difference!

Christian
#SHIFTPODS

Burners.Me:

Well done Christian – I get what you’re saying about the feeling of being on the Playa, instead of isolated in an RV. Sometimes I just bite the bullet and just give myself Playa foot, it’s a way of remembering…

Glad we could help and I am most happy about 20 people getting relief homes in Nepal and Lake County. This is Burners making a difference in the world, I hope BMOrg applauds and promotes it too.

Other innovations have come from the Burn already like Google, Solar City, Google Maps, Google Earth, Firechat, The Simpsons…it’s great to see some non-profit ones emerging now too. Because that’s what Burning Man is all about, right? Let’s hope some Burners.Me readers step up to assist SHIFT with this vision, there is a lot of talent and passion in this community that I’m sure would love to get behind something that is now proven and Burner-endorsed, rather than an idea written on a hipster whiteboard in the Mission.

SHIFTPODS: The New Generation of Burnitecture

Years of Burning and dealing with yurts, tents, RVs, and everything in between, have led to SHIFT Camp developing this new solution for Playa Accommodation. They are offering them as a Gift to anyone who donates $800 or more to their camp fundraiser. They will be diverting a portion of the funds to create shelter for people devastated by the recent earthquake in Nepal, the rest goes to support their camp which is a registered non-profit. This is a way to give back to actual Sherpas!

WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN NEPAL?
We are raising funds to take 500 SHIFTPODS to Nepal to house victims of the earthquake. We are manufacturing them at cost, delivering them and setting them up ourselves as one of our camp out-reach programs. Interested? Please join us. We need funding and people. Let us know if you have something to add to the program. WE ARE SHIPPING THE FIRST UNITS TO NEPAL AUG 15TH 2015!

I have seen the SHIFTPOD in action, there was plenty of room for my 6’3″ frame. It has many features that make it superior to a yurt, including Playa-ready windows. The production model is a substantial improvement on their earlier prototypes. It’s amazing how quickly they set up and fold back down, compared to the struggle with a regular tent that many Burgins seem to experience on the Playa. When folded up, it is much lighter and more portable than a yurt – and it doesn’t need to be re-taped every year. Some people are charging more than $1000 just to rent yurts, so this $800 minimum donation seems more than fair.

Check it out – fast forward to 2:30 to see all the features of the Pod. The music gets a lot better then as well…

From the SHIFT Camp website:

THE SHIFTPOD!

FIVE MINUTE SET UP – FIVE MINUTE STRIKE WITH ONE PERSON!

HEAT REFLECTIVE AND INSULATED!

“Wow! It is so much bigger and cooler than I thought it would be!”- Most heard response

Hands down the best festival tent available!! After spending 23 years on the playa we finally sorted out the best way to tent it at ANY festival! Yep, RVs are comfortable but there is something really nice about having your feet on the ground and connected to the Earth. The SHIFTPODS make it easy. Set up in less than 5 minutes and take-down is a blur. No loose poles and connectors to manage or lose, everything is together and in place for easy pop-up. No foam panels to cut or store. Easy to carry, transport, set up, take down, clean and store… finally the perfect festival tent.

Designed by us for us, these tents reflect heat, stay cool in the heat of the day and warm in the cool of the night. The SHIFTPOD is quick set-up quick take-down high-tech 4-meter x 4-meter pop-tent you can stand up in and plenty of room for a queen size air mattress, and air conditioner or two inflatable couches that fold out into beds! You can be set up and hanging out in record time.

With high quality dust proof zippers and windows these tents feature a quick up, quick down pop-up integrated system so you wont have to keep track of poles and clips which get easily lost in between events.

Insulated reflective nylon fabric is easy to wash and blow out. The SHIFTPOD is the perfect place for a shift experience! Available in Space Ship Silver the SHIFTPODS are made with a heavy duty 3-layer insulated shell, 6 windows to let the light in, with water-proof zippers keep the rain and dust out. Reinforced corners and heavy-duty construction, large built in mesh pockets, stainless steel stakes, and heavy-duty storage bag. SIZE: 12 feet (4m) x 12 feet (4m) x 6.5 feet (200cm) tall — 64 pounds. Shipping size is 74″ x 14″ x 14″ and can be shipped UPS or taken on the airplane! Includes stakes and clips to secure the POD.

Lights and TWO-TUBE air-conditioner recommended but not included.

A great amount of thought has gone into this design.

The SHIFTPOD stuffs the best lessons of camping on the playa for 23 years into a fast set-up and fast take down weather, wind, rain, dust and UV proof living POD. Don’t blow the excitement of arrival on the playa with an hour or set up, a SHIFTPOD can literally be set up in ONE MINUTE and 28 seconds (not including hammering in the stakes).

Hung over and burned out after a week at a festival in the desert? How about three weeks if you are helping build a camp? Not to worry the SHIFTPODS can be taken down and stuffed in the bag in less than 3 minutes. Hard to imagine but very true. Check out the video: HERE (NEW INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS COMING SOON)

The SHIFTPODS can be used anywhere. With three layers of welded UV reflective insulated fabric, waterproof zippers, sewn in screens, “black out” sunshades, heavy YKK zippers, the PODS are ready for anything.

They weigh in at less than 65 pounds and the packed size is airline compliant so they can be taken with you on trips all over the world. Heavy travel bags with wheels are also available.

For the burn and other hot festivals, the SHIFTPODS are designed to be used with two-tube air-conditioning units which are available at Home Depot, Lows, Walmart, and many other retailers as well as Ebay and Amazon. These units cool the inside of the SHIFTPODS without as much of a vacuum inside of the POD. You can use the single tube systems in a pinch but it is highly recommended to use the two-tube system or make filters for the outside of one of the windows.

If you are hardcore you can forgo the AC units and the extra $400 or so for the AC. SHIFTPODS have two 6 inch ventilation ports with filter pockets to help keep the dust out. The windows also zip out for better ventilation, cleaning, and replacement.

The SHIFTPODS are built strong and and can be set up and taken down many many times or left up and used as a small house. We have several farmers using them as seasonal housing, we have people traveling with them and we are working with a UN group to use the PODS as shelters for the homeless and disaster victims around the world.

SHIFT Camp are bringing in the first load of Shift Pods as a camp fundraiser, but they have opened the offer to anyone else who wants to support them. More than 100 Burners have already taken up the offer, and there could be as many as 300 SHIFTPODs at Burning Man this year.

Donate here to support SHIFT Camp and gets yourself a SHIFTPOD for this year’s Burn.

SHIFTPODS 2015

CAMP SHIFT FUNDRAISER

SHIFTPODSUPDATE

AFTER MANY ADJUSTMENTS AND UPGRADES WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE WE WILL BE SHIPPING OUR FIRST CONTAINER SOON!ONCE THE SHIFTPODS ARRIVE THEY WILL HAVE TO CLEAR CUSTOMS AND BE DELIVERED TO OUR WAREHOUSE IN SONOMA, CA. FROM THERE WE WILL BE SHIPPING YOUR ORDERS AND LOADING THE TRUCK TO GERLACH, NV.

IF ALL GOES WELL WITH CUSTOMS WE EXPECT TO BE SHIPPING BY AUGUST 10 – 2015.

NEW UPGRADES:ROUND WINDOWS:We have upgraded the windows to a new design which eliminates the leaks we found during rain testing. This new design also allows for sewn in screens which reduce the number of loose parts and additional zippers. The new design incorporates three weep hole which allow the windows to shed even large volumes of rain. The shades roll down and fold neatly out of the way.BETTER FABRIC COATING: The new coating is more reflective and cooler. It reduces the amount of heat inside of the POD and reflects more of the UV light from the sun.STAINLESS STEEL STAKES: After a lot of testing we found the titanium stakes we planned on using were just not durable enough to meet our requirements. We have designed new heavy duty stakes and made them out of stainless steel so they will not rust and will last for years. The stakes are designed to be pounded in flat so people don’t trip on them and then pulled out easily when you are ready to go.AC PORTS: After looking at the worn out elastic on and old pair of boxer shorts I thought “Hhhhmmmm maybe we should not use elastic on the SHIFTPODS“, that day we upgraded the AC ports to a draw cord with a clasp. This allows you to cinch the AC tubes in tight and gives you more options for hose sizes.VENTILATION PORTS WITH FILTER POCKETS: We have built in filter pockets to help reduce the amount of dust in the PODS. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER: ALWAYS LEAVE THE VENT PORTS OPEN WHEN IN USE. CARBON DIOXIDE (FROM YOUR BREATH WHILE YOU SLEEP OR BREATHE) CAN BUILD UP IN CLOSED AREAS AND KILLYOU.

The SHIFTPOD stuffs the best lessons of camping on the playa for 23 years into a fast set-up and fast take down weather, wind, rain, dust and UV proof living POD. Don’t blow the excitement of arrival on the playa with an hour or set up, aSHIFTPOD can literally be set up in ONE MINUTE and 28 seconds (not including hammering in the stakes).

Hung over and burned out after a week at a festival in the desert? How about three weeks if you are helping build a camp? Not to worry the SHIFTPODS can be taken down and stuffed in the bag in less than 3 minutes. Hard to imagine but very true. Check out the video: HERE (NEW INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS COMING SOON)

The SHIFTPODS can be used anywhere. With three layers of welded UV reflective insulated fabric, waterproof zippers, sewn in screens, “black out” sunshades, heavy YKK zippers, the PODS are ready for anything.

They weigh in at less than 65 pounds and the packed size is airline compliant so they can be taken with you on trips all over the world. Heavy travel bags with wheels are also available.

For the burn and other hot festivals, the SHIFTPODS are designed to be used with two-tube air-conditioning units which are available at Home Depot, Lows, Walmart, and many other retailers as well as Ebay and Amazon. These units cool the inside of the SHIFTPODS without as much of a vacuum inside of the POD. You can use the single tube systems in a pinch but it is highly recommended to use the two-tube system or make filters for the outside of one of the windows.

If you are hardcore you can forgo the AC units and the extra $400 or so for the AC. SHIFTPODS have two 6 inch ventilation ports with filter pockets to help keep the dust out. The windows also zip out for better ventilation, cleaning, and replacement.

The SHIFTPODS are built strong and and can be set up and taken down many many times or left up and used as a small house. We have several farmers using them as seasonal housing, we have people traveling with them and we are working with a UN group to use the PODS as shelters for the homeless and disaster victims around the world.

SHIFTPODS come with 6x 8″ STAINLESS STEEL stakes with clips and lines to hold the PODS to the playa even in the strongest winds.

SHIFTPODS offer enough room to hold a queen size bed or two inflatable couches, a small refrigerator, table, and more. You can find these on Ebay or Amazon.

ALL DONATIONS GO TO SUPPORT SHIFT AND SHIFT PROJECTS. HELP US MEET OUR GOALS AND GET THE BEST CAMPING POD ON THIS PLANET!

I ORDERED A SHIFTPOD ALREADY!! WHEN WILL I GET IT?
Thank you for your support! Your SHIFTPODS will be in the order currently being built and shipped. The shipment is expected on August 10th and can be shipped directly to you, picked up in Sonoma, CA or they can be delivered to Gerlach, NV.CAN I GET IT SOONER?
Yes. We will have a limited quantity available June 29th that can be shipped by air for an ADDITIONAL rush fee of $250 plus US shipping or pick up fees.HOW MUCH ARE SHIFTPODS?
Right now they are available as a gift for any donations of $800 or more.DO THEY COME WITH AC, BEDS OR ANY OTHER ITEMS?
Nope. It is up to you to outfit your PODs. The SHIFTPODScome with; The POD itself, the stakes, lines, and the storage bag. They have five windows, AC ports, power cord ports, and two doors.WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN NEPAL?
We are raising funds to take 500 SHIFTPODS to Nepal to house victims of the earthquake. We are manufacturing them at cost, delivering them and setting them up ourselves as one of our camp out-reach programs. Interested? Please join us. We need funding and people. Let us know if you have something to add to the program. WE ARE SHIPPING THE FIRST UNITS TO NEPAL AUG 15TH 2015!WHAT IF MY WHOLE CAMP WANTS SHIFTPODS? DO YOU OFFER DISCOUNTS?
Yes! It’s good to want! Contact us for more details. You can sign up to be an affiliate and earn money for your camp for every SHIFTPODS donation you bring. We also offer discounts FOR VOLUNTEERS, VETERANS and on bulk orders of PODS.Have other questions? Let us know!

~TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK~

THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT!

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*SHIFTPODS is/are NOT affiliated with Burning Man, Walmart, Costco, Ebay, Amazon, Home Depot or Lowes. they all respectively own the rights to their names, logos and their IP. 🙂

GET A SHIFTPOD NOW!

Transforming Castle Truck Becomes 3-Story Tiny House

The tiny house movement is gathering speed worldwide, and starting to build on the Playa too.

In 2011 the Tiny House Blog published a post featuring The Tiny Houses of Black Rock City and they followed this up again in 2014 with The Tiny Houses of Black Rock City: Caravansary. We’ve also featured the Golden Rebar award for Burnitecture in 2013 and 2014. Reno Artist Matt Schwartz is an enthusiast who hosts Tiny House Tuesdays at The Generator.

burning-man-tiny-house24

Tiny House at Burning Man 2014. Image: Tiny House Blog

a tiny house and a hexyurt together

a tiny house and a hexyurt together

This three story off-grid micro-mansion from New Zealand is in another league.

From Living Big In A Tiny House:

Completely folded up, it would look very similar to a regular house truck were it not for the two turrets on the back that give a hit of what it becomes. Once parked, the house truck completely folds out and transforms into a fantasy castle.

When traveling, the entire house truck is a compact and tidy package. The roof retracts, the sides of the walls fold in, the turrets rotate inwards and it’s ready to go. When compacted for travel mode, the house easily meets all the minimum road clearances and is therefore very easy to travel with.

Once parked however, the castle truck comes to life, expanding to create a beautiful little home for its builders / owners Justin, Jola and their son Piko. The family have a very active lifestyle and the indoor outdoor flow of the house was a central theme in it’s design.

The castle-truck is completely off-the grid. It is solar powered, heats water through a mixture of solar panels on the roof, a wetback fire, and gas, and it captures rain water from the roof that is then stored in water tanks below the truck.

Inside the house is just as impressive with beautifully crafted living and working areas providing all the necessary comforts for this busy family. The kitchen has been created as the central feature of the home. All of the appliances are full-sized and the kitchen is a wonderful space for this family who love to cook.

Perhaps one of the most impressive things about this truck is the amount of storage space that is built into it. Huge wardrobe and cupboard spaces fill up all corners of the house and easily allow enough storage space for all the families’ belongings.

A magical sleeping loft raises up from above the truck and creates a wonderful place for the family to relax and sleep. The wallpaper was created by Jola who spent many hours cutting out music and lyrics from old song books. Each of the songs sing about beauty, love, and sleep and set the mood for this tranquil space.

Climb up even further and you will find yourself on top of the world. The castle truck boasts an impressive roof-top balcony, with panoramic views of the surrounding landscape, a hammock, solar food dehydrator built into the roof, and even a roof-top bathtub! This is pretty much the pinnacle of motorhomes for anyone looking for motorhome, campervan, 4WD and RV rentals.

To the rear of the truck you’ll find the bathroom turrets. The turret to the left is the composting toilet, and to the right is the shower turret which also is home to a small washing machine. In addition to being a very unique feature on the house, this design also has the practical benefit of separating the bathroom from the living space.

Justin and Jola have created a truly spectacular home. The engineering that has gone into the house is pure genius and it is both skilfully and beautifully executed. In my mind, this House Truck has single handedly raised the bar on what is possible in small space design.

From collective-evolution:

The average house size has increased substantially in recent decades, and in response, there is a growing movement of people seeking alternatives to large, expensive, and energy-intensive housing. Australia currently holds the record for the country with the largest homes; the average size of a new Australian house increased from 162.2 square metres (1,742 sq feet) in 1984 to 227.6 square metres (2,444 sq feet) in 2003. The average new Australian home is now 10% bigger than even its U.S. equivalent.(1) Australia is closely followed by the U.S., Canada, and New Zealand for having homes either over or just under 200 metres squared (2,200 sq feet). In contrast, there are a number of countries with significantly smaller homes as the standard, such as: Germany (109 m2), Japan (95 m2), Sweden (83 m2), UK (76 m2), China (60 m2) and Hong Kong (45 m2).

While the trend over the last decade has been for larger homes, the tiny house movement is becoming popular among those wishing to be more sustainable and wanting to live simpler, less consumerist lifestyles. The small house movement is about reducing the overall size of dwellings to less than 1,000 square feet, or approximately 93 square metres. Following the Global Financial Crisis and Hurricane Katrina, both of which helped spark interest in the small home movement, there is a small but growing younger demographic moving towards living with less. While still a relatively minor sector, the tiny house market is set to see more interest over the coming decades. As housing affordability deteriorates in tandem with economic conditions, people will seek alternative ways of living. (2)

One such couple who have embraced the tiny house movement with their passion and skills are Jola and Justin from New Zealand. They have combined the functional and practical with quirky and fun, creating a three level road-worthy house truck replete with its own turrets! The 40 square meter “Castle” truck is an engineering masterpiece. It includes biofold doors, a loft, a rooftop bathtub, a large food dehydrator, and a full working kitchen complete with oven cook top and refrigerator. The bathroom facilities include a shower (within one of the turrets) and composting toilet (in the other turret) and a washing machine. Solar panels pull out to provide power for the family and recycled materials have been used throughout the vehicle. (3)

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