We have seen a plethora of camper trailers over time, some high-end, others budget-friendly; some sporting a teardrop profile, the rest coming in pop-up versions. So, when I came across the Wingcube camper pod, I was awed by its design and functionality, but was left disappointed soon after. The camper pod is sadly just a prototype at this stage.
New Atlas was the first to pick up the story from CMT 2026. “We had hoped to see a real, live Wingcube in person at CMT but were disappointed to find it was still just at the pretty pictures on a computer screen,” writes C.C. Weiss, who attended the event. “Once the design is finalized, we’ll begin construction of the prototype, with a goal to complete it by the end of 2026,” Paul Schultz, the man behind the design, told the publication.
So, what makes the camper such a talking point despite being just on the drawing board for now? Well, after browsing through the pictures of the camper pod myself, I found the answer. The Wingcube is a tall, narrow box that rides above a trailer and unfolds to become a complete family home.
The trick lies in the walls, which fold down manually, pitching the integrated tent frame as they go, something similar to how the BFX off-road trailer functions, barring the fact that the latter features a folding rooftop tent. The result is a fully-fledged trailer with floors sitting well above the ground.
In the initial prototype, the camper pod features a couple of sleeping areas on either side and boasts raised floors supporting thick double mattresses that feel more like home beds than thin camping mats. The central area serves as the kitchen and bathroom, depending on the final renders. In the initial renderings, the center is partially filled by a full food pantry and refrigerator just inside the lift-up front hatch.
Other features include a table that slides out from the lower part of the hatch to seat four people for outdoor dining. An optional awning over the dining area would offer a welcome reprieve from the sun and harsh weather. All in all, the camper pod sleeps a minimum of six people. The makers, however, claim the camper pod can sleep up to eight people, a number that, quite frankly, seems like a stretch to me, unless some significant design changes are made down the line. Another impressive feature touted in the initial prototype is the inclusion of multiple skylights adorning the tent.
The tent folds down to 8 feet long, 7 feet high, and 4 feet wide, standing roughly 8.5 feet high when mounted atop a trailer. According to the creators, the targeted weight for the pod itself is 1,100 lbs. It is important to note that this excludes the trailer, which is a separate unit. That said, I am genuinely not sure if this will ever make it past the prototype stage, unless it scores big on a crowdfunding platform and the creators are somehow able to see it through.
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