Equipped To Survive Equipped To Survive® Presents
The Survival Forum
Where do you want to go on ETS?

Page 1 of 2 1 2 >
Topic Options
#139678 - 07/15/08 02:12 PM Carry Your Own Mini Motel
Fitzoid Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 08/23/05
Posts: 289
Loc: WI, MA, and NYC
I saw this in the NY Times yesterday. It's a portable, indoor-only shelter called the Mini Motel designed for sleeping in airports, disaster centers, etc.

Carrying it for traveling is ridiculous (~5 lbs) but I thought it was pretty amusing. Does it have any real use? I suppose if a shelter ran out of cots, this might come in handy, and it certainly looks better than sleeping on a hard floor but I can't imagine they'll sell many of them. And it looks so flimsy that their warnings not to use it outdoors seem entirely superfluous.

By the way, one note about evil marketing. They told the Times it sells for $39.95 but the website lists the price as $49.95. That kind of trickery would keep me from getting one, even if I were interested...



_________________________
-----
"When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading." Henny Youngman

Top
#139681 - 07/15/08 02:55 PM Re: Carry Your Own Mini Motel [Re: Fitzoid]
Blast Offline
INTERCEPTOR
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 07/15/02
Posts: 3760
Loc: TX
I actually like the concept, but the execution leaves a bit to be desired.

-Blast
_________________________
Foraging Texas
Medicine Man Plant Co.
DrMerriwether on YouTube
Radio Call Sign: KI5BOG
*As an Amazon Influencer, I may earn a sales commission on Amazon links in my posts.

Top
#139682 - 07/15/08 03:03 PM Re: Carry Your Own Mini Motel [Re: Blast]
Fitzoid Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 08/23/05
Posts: 289
Loc: WI, MA, and NYC
Yeah, it sounded like a cool idea reading the article until I looked at the specs on their webpage.

If it simply popped open and could be used outdoors in the summer, it'd be a lot more interesting. (It would also need a better door to keep critters out.) But then you're getting into real camping gear...
_________________________
-----
"When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading." Henny Youngman

Top
#139685 - 07/15/08 03:28 PM Re: Carry Your Own Mini Motel [Re: Fitzoid]
Lono Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 10/19/06
Posts: 1013
Loc: Pacific NW, USA
There should be a slot on the side for you to add the name of the airline you're flying, maybe slide in a baggage claim ticket with the airline's logo. You know, so you can advertise to other travellers "I'm flying on [Delta Airlines] and they were too cheap to comp me a hotel room for the night." That kind of negative advertising will either get you a hotel room, or maybe thrown out of the airport.

Seriously, I don't like that it separates the traveller from his baggage, if you zip up the bivy door you either need to keep them in with you or leave them outside while you sleep. Some attached webbing that locks around the handle of a carryon wouldn't add alot of cost.

Top
#139686 - 07/15/08 03:29 PM Re: Carry Your Own Mini Motel [Re: Fitzoid]
Mike_H Offline
Addict

Registered: 04/04/07
Posts: 612
Loc: SE PA
Interesting...
_________________________
"I reject your reality and substitute my own..." - Adam Savage / Mythbusters

Top
#139688 - 07/15/08 03:33 PM Re: Carry Your Own Mini Motel [Re: Lono]
Fitzoid Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 08/23/05
Posts: 289
Loc: WI, MA, and NYC
Originally Posted By: Lono
There should be a slot on the side for you to add the name of the airline you're flying, maybe slide in a baggage claim ticket with the airline's logo. You know, so you can advertise to other travellers "I'm flying on [Delta Airlines] and they were too cheap to comp me a hotel room for the night."


This is a great idea. grin grin grin
_________________________
-----
"When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading." Henny Youngman

Top
#139695 - 07/15/08 04:25 PM Re: Carry Your Own Mini Motel [Re: Fitzoid]
Spiritwalker Offline
Member

Registered: 11/16/06
Posts: 104
A little help for people that dislike sleeping on the floor at the airport, with or without a "mini motel". It won't help in the event of an airport socked in by weather or other disasters but 90% of the time...

Stranded at the airport? Don't forget rule 240.

Quote:

...Then, a year later, I was scheduled to fly on Delta from Pensacola to Miami. When I got to the counter, the agent told me the flight was canceled. She volunteered nothing else. So I calmly suggested that she invoke Rule 240. Once she knew that I knew the rule — and only then — did she rewrite my ticket, and those of the passengers in line behind me, and we got to Miami that day on an unusual routing: Pensacola to New Orleans and then on to Miami. Rule 240 allowed me to get to where I needed to go.

I've written about Rule 240 for years. And yet, every time I tell people about it, there are those who claim that my information is either out of date or plain wrong. That's led to more confusion, and in at least one case a writer argued that I had simply fabricated Rule 240 out of thin air.

Well, I didn't make up Rule 240. It was created by the old Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) way before the days of airline deregulation. And the rule clearly stated what an airline's responsibilities were to passengers in the event of a flight cancellation or delay...


Top
#139699 - 07/15/08 04:52 PM Re: Carry Your Own Mini Motel [Re: Spiritwalker]
Mike_H Offline
Addict

Registered: 04/04/07
Posts: 612
Loc: SE PA
Interesting...
_________________________
"I reject your reality and substitute my own..." - Adam Savage / Mythbusters

Top
#139707 - 07/15/08 05:43 PM Re: Carry Your Own Mini Motel [Re: Mike_H]
Hacksaw
Unregistered


Looks like a AMK bivy with a cheap frame to keep it off your head.

Top
#139710 - 07/15/08 06:25 PM Re: Carry Your Own Mini Motel [Re: ]
dweste Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 02/16/08
Posts: 2463
Loc: Central California
There's mention of a cushion of air, so is there an air mattress incorporated into the product?

Top
#139716 - 07/15/08 07:13 PM Re: Carry Your Own Mini Motel [Re: dweste]
stevenpd Offline
Journeyman

Registered: 09/15/07
Posts: 81
Loc: SoCal
Originally Posted By: dweste
There's mention of a cushion of air, so is there an air mattress incorporated into the product?


Quote:
Quality Materials and Construction

The Mini Motel is designed for easy set up and includes complete instructions for quick assembly. The Mini Motel is made of durable, high quality materials and includes many accessories to provide you with many of the "comforts of home." Every Mini Motel includes the following:

* Air Mattress
* Pillow
* Bed Sheet
* Alarm Clock
* Reading Light
* Tooth Brush & Tooth Paste
* Ear Plugs
* Eye Shades
_________________________
“Always remember the 6 P’s”
(Prior Preparation Prevents [censored] Poor Performance)

Top
#139735 - 07/15/08 09:12 PM Re: Carry Your Own Mini Motel [Re: stevenpd]
horizonseeker Offline
Journeyman

Registered: 07/12/05
Posts: 84
interesting concept, at $50 though? it's a bit steep, and I have a hard time seeing myself in a little tent in the corner of the airport. probably get a lot of attention which may or may not be a good thing.

Top
#139755 - 07/16/08 12:33 AM Re: Carry Your Own Mini Motel [Re: horizonseeker]
RobertRogers Offline
Survivor
Member

Registered: 12/12/06
Posts: 198
It's just a cheap, flimsy, one man tent
_________________________
FireSteel.com

Top
#139769 - 07/16/08 01:50 AM Re: Carry Your Own Mini Motel [Re: RobertRogers]
SARbound Offline
Addict

Registered: 06/08/05
Posts: 503
Loc: Quebec City, Canada
I know *I* wouldn't be sleeping in that in an airport. I'd much prefer stay awake and walk around, and just live it through.

Geez... would any one actually travel with one of these, just in case? I think this is pushing it a bit.
_________________________
-----
"The only easy day was yesterday."

Top
#139779 - 07/16/08 02:25 AM Re: Carry Your Own Mini Motel [Re: SARbound]
tomfaranda Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 02/14/08
Posts: 301
Loc: Croton on Hudson, NY
The NY Times article states that hotel and food vouchers are a "thing of the past" when an airline screws up and they cancel a flight or you miss a connection.

However that wasn't my experience last Thursday with British Airways, when due to a "systems problem" with baggage on our connecting flight from Manchester, they failed to get myself, wife and two kids to our flight on time out of Heathrow to Newark, NJ with Virgin Atlantic. VA Flt was due to go out at 8:20pm and we missed the closeout time of 7:20 by 35 minutes.

BA put us up in the Hilton hotel at Terminal 4 in Heathrow, gave us the equvalent of $60 in food vouchers, and then flew us to Newark on their first flt the next morning at 9AM.

So the moral of the story might be, forget the mini motel and always fly British Airways.

Top
#139840 - 07/16/08 05:53 PM Re: Carry Your Own Mini Motel [Re: dweste]
Bushie1 Offline
Stranger

Registered: 07/16/08
Posts: 3
That looks rather neat actually... I see using it in various situations, not just emergency... there is a ferry to Newfoundland for fishing trips we've taken and rather than curling up under the staircase as per usual on the long ride, this would be much nicer than having dirt fall on your face smile
_________________________
Life is short no matter how long you live... so live it!
-annonymous

Top
#139868 - 07/16/08 07:55 PM Re: Carry Your Own Mini Motel [Re: NightHiker]
nursemike Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 11/09/06
Posts: 870
Loc: wellington, fl
You could achieve the same effects with a an air mattress and a medium sized paper bag, worn over the head for privacy, light and sound reduction. The bag also eliminates the need for oral hygiene. Once the planes are moving again, you will be awakened by passengers walking on you-no alarm clock needed.
_________________________
Dance like you have never been hurt, work like no one is watching,love like you don't need the money.

Top
Page 1 of 2 1 2 >



Moderator:  Alan_Romania, Blast, cliff, Hikin_Jim 
May
Su M Tu W Th F Sa
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30 31
Who's Online
0 registered (), 280 Guests and 2 Spiders online.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Newest Members
Explorer9, GallenR, Jeebo, NicholasMarshall, Yadav
5368 Registered Users
Newest Posts
Bird Flu (H5N1) found in cattle -- are Humans next
by dougwalkabout
05/10/24 01:28 AM
My Doug Ritter Folder Attacked Me!
by dougwalkabout
05/04/24 02:30 AM
People Are Not Paying Attention
by Bingley
04/28/24 03:24 AM
Corny Jokes
by wildman800
04/24/24 10:40 AM
USCG rescue fishermen frm deserted island
by brandtb
04/17/24 11:35 PM
Silver
by brandtb
04/16/24 10:32 PM
EDC Reduction
by Jeanette_Isabelle
04/16/24 03:13 PM
Newest Images
Tiny knife / wrench
Handmade knives
2"x2" Glass Signal Mirror, Retroreflective Mesh
Trade School Tool Kit
My Pocket Kit
Glossary
Test

WARNING & DISCLAIMER: SELECT AND USE OUTDOORS AND SURVIVAL EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES AND TECHNIQUES AT YOUR OWN RISK. Information posted on this forum is not reviewed for accuracy and may not be reliable, use at your own risk. Please review the full WARNING & DISCLAIMER about information on this site.