The Dookan Is a Two-Story Loft Tent That You Can Pitch Anywhere, Even on Water

The first part of the paragraph above is misleading: of course unicorns exist in fairy tales. As far as products that come even close to unicorn-level of “magical,” The Dookan is the tent equivalent of a camping unicorn, because it proposes nearly unlimited functionality, unprecedented versatility, stability, and premium quality. It is, or wants to be, the companion you never leave at home, whether your adventures take you out on the lake, to the beach, up the mountain, or only as far as your backyard.

The Dookan is from startup Handybro and is currently crowdfunding on KickStarter, where it debuted at the end of last month and was able to exceed its goal by many times in just days. The promise of a camping unicorn would naturally have a huge draw, and the team behind the product swears the promises they make will hold water upon delivery.

Let’s have a look at what they are.

According to Handybro, The Dookan is versatile, adjustable, high-quality, wind-resistant and waterproof, comfortable, stable, and ideal for whatever use you have in mind for it. Take that literally, because this is a tent that you can pitch in your backyard, on the sandy beach, on rocky and uneven surfaces, or even out on water using a couple of paddleboards for buoyancy.

Comprised of a platform that sits on aluminum, adjustable stilts, The Dookan can be anything from a beach lounge to a two-story habitat. At the heart of the product is a collapsible square-tube aluminum frame with a 79 x 79-in (201 x 201-cm) elastic platform. The stilts can sit 16 inches (41 cm) off the ground or as high as 47 in (119 cm), in which case you will need a ladder to reach the second floor.

As the video below shows, you create that second floor with a seemingly-regular tent skin that uses bendy aluminum poles for the structure. The walls are completely removable or collapsible, in which case, you can create a second habitable space underneath the loft. Or you can use the mosquito nests for that very end, and you have a separate area where your young’uns can be protected from the pesky insects while they play.

The ground floor can be arranged whichever way you need, either as another sleeping area (on the ground, this time), or as a lounge where you can hang as many as four front-facing hammocks. Handybrok says that the entire structure comes with a maximum payload of 660 pounds (300 kg), so you’re in luck in terms of occupancy and usage, if your family or friends are on the lighter side.

Setting it up is a one-man job that takes under 15 minutes, on the condition that the man is up for hauling 93 pounds (42 kg) of Dookan gear to the campsite.

The skin tent is made of weatherproof poly-cotton fabric, with openings and a mesh roof for ventilation. You can add an extra see-through layer to protect against the rain and the cold, and awnings to expand the living / play area beyond the actual, physical confines of the structure. You can also take the platform with or without the tent and use it on water, either during fishing expeditions or as some sort of water retreat that offers protection against the sun.

The idea of a two-story tent, let alone such a versatile and potentially elaborate structure, is appealing, but what about windy weather? If you’re thinking the whole thing could collapse with a breeze, don’t worry: Handybro says that The Dookan has been tested for winds of up to 44 mph (70.8 mph) while loaded, and has performed satisfactorily.

With 12 more days to go into the campaign as of the time of press, The Dookan will start worldwide deliveries in April 2023, just in time for a new season of on-the-road adventures. MRSP is estimated at $2,487 for the full two-story set.