Does anyone know if something like this exists commercially? A "portable" camper, not a trailer, not a truck camper, but lightweight panels of some space-age material that snap together on site? Kind of like a hard-sided tent? Maybe panels would fit in the bed of a pickup truck or inside a van (or on top)?
I was thinking along the lines of the fiberglass-paneled ODome from the 1970s. They were not portable. They were vacation homes, meant to stay where they were erected. A member of another forum (not trailers/camping) found one falling down and was fascinated by it, wanted to purchase it. He later checked it out and found it is completely fixable. Said it is held together by 147 lag screws. Wouldn't want to spend your whole camping weekend ... screwing and unscrewing.... but if another quick, portable way to fasten the panels could be found....
And the camper wouldn't have to be a dome, though that would be cute. Flat panels would be easier to transport. And if most were already attached to each other and folded (like the dog pens you see at some campsites) even better. If that was the case, they would have to be very lightweight.
Hard to find info about the ODome the on the Internet. Would be cool if somebody put them back into production with the materials available today, to meet today's codes, or drew up plans for amateur builders.
If permanent vacation cabins, they would need insulation and A/C, at least in Florida. Else you'd roast in them. But they're still cute, and a worthy inspiration for some kind of portable version.
The question is, would such a structure be allowed in campgrounds? Thinking probably it would have to be used in the tent camping areas.
I'm thinking something like this made of styrofoam panels skinned inside and out with fiberglass or painted canvas might be light weight enough. An eight by ten foot interior, slightly larger than a Shasta Compact, would surely be sufficient for camping, and not too heavy/cumbersome to transport and set up. it would have the same problems with wind that a tent does, and how well it is secured to the ground would be very important. Also, flooring... styrofoam would not do for fhe floor....
Wonder what kind of roof....door....windows... Any suggestions?
BTW, the point of this exercise is coming up with alternatives to towing a trailer and a boat from the same vehicle, or using two vehicles. If the boat isn't coming on the trip, the travel trailer could be used.