Swiss Room Box

It’s the size of two large suitcases and offers the comforts of a large travel trailerI love road trips.

Nothing compares with the fun of camping near Shimla or Jaisalmer, or in the mountains of Ladakh. While a Bollywood hero can flit across these landscapes in his trailer, they are too expensive to own for most. An MUV, or an SUV at best, is what most people can afford to satisfy their motor adventure lust.

But there is an alternative to trailers now. Just as the Swiss invented a compact knife that could replace a boxful, they have now invented a portable box that will fit into your car and provide all the comforts of a room, wherever you want. And you don’t even need a great big car to carry it. The makers of the Box can customise it to most makes of cars, and it can even fit into the small hatchback you may be using for your office commute. Although, at about Rs 5 lakh a unit, it could cost more than that office car.

The compact box has all the hardware and provisions you need to cook, eat, shower and sleep comfortably. It takes 15 minutes to load (or unload) into a car, and it can be assembled without any tools. It uses an elaborate but easy-to-use system of elastic cables, pulleys and mechanical arms to set up the ‘room in a box’.

It has an inverter that can convert the car’s battery power into 220 volts, and let you run the bundled refrigerator or charge your computer. If a shower is your more immediate need, just park the car next to a water source and turn on the pump and boiler.

The only rider is that it will take up most of the car’s luggage space. And, because the Box will take up most of the rear seating in a hatchback or even an MUV, you will also have to travel with fewer people. This compromise could be worth it, because this kit also has the option of an integrated portable toilet. Anyone who has travelled long distances in a car knows the value of a personal toilet available 24 hours.

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