Paddling News

Eureka! today announced that its Freedom Tent has been awarded the prestigious da Vinci Award® by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society – Michigan Chapter, for its design innovation which provides increased access and independence for people with disabilities. {mosimage}BINGHAMTON, N.Y. - Eureka! today announced that its Freedom Tent has been awarded the prestigious da Vinci Award® by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society – Michigan Chapter, for its design innovation which provides increased access and independence for people with disabilities.

The da Vinci Awards® recognize individuals, organizations and corporations in the engineering, construction and technical fields whose design innovations help empower people with disabilities and exceed government mandates. The Eureka! Freedom tent was one of six products recognized in 2006 international competition.

“The Freedom Tent is the first tent of its kind to offer, as its name implies, freedom and independence for campers with disabilities,” said Linda Grebe, product manager of Eureka! tents. “We are proud to have worked with Blue Sky Designs to help deliver this innovation to the market and pleased to be recognized by the NMSS for our efforts to provide safe, reliable and comfortable tents to the disabled community.”

The Eureka! Freedom tent sleeps two and features a pole, sleeve and grommet design which allows easier set up from one side of the tent or from a wheelchair. It has a combination side entry door/window in the sleeping area that provides extra ventilation and allows for a side transfer to a cot. Its roomy vestibule provides room for wheelchairs, gear, chairs, or sleeping space for the family dog. The patent-pending zipper-less vestibule fan door opens easily and is operated with minimal dexterity and reach. To learn more about the Freedom Tent visit www.eurekatent.com or www.blueskydesigns.us.

The Freedom tent is the collaborative effort of Eureka! and BlueSky Designs, a design firm in Minneapolis, noted for its work in rehabilitation engineering and assistive technology. Together, the companies incorporated ergonomics and universal design principles to create a tent that people with disabilities could more easily set up and use independently, making it much easier for independent or assisted transfers, offering storage space for mobility devices, and providing conveniences not found in other tents.

Eureka! is part of the Johnson Outdoors’ family of innovative, market-leading brands and offers a wide variety of high-quality tents and sleeping bags for a wide spectrum of campers and environments. Johnson Outdoors is a leading global outdoor recreation company that turns ideas into adventure. The company designs, manufactures and markets a portfolio of award-winning, consumer-preferred brands across four categories: Watercraft, Marine Electronics, Diving and Outdoor Equipment.