CeramicSpeed x HEIMPLANET
To further elevate our field testing setup, we have partnered with the German outdoor specialists from HEIMPLANET to create a shelter designed to withstand the most challenging conditions.
It’s no secret that we go through great lengths to perfect our products. As an engineering-based company, we spent countless hours shaping, refining, and tweaking product iterations at our HQ facilities and test labs.
But even though our test labs contain torturous machines purposely designed to push products to their breaking point (and beyond), our products are ultimately designed to perform in the unpredictable nature of real-life outdoor conditions. As such, there is no substitute for the great outdoors as the ultimate proving ground.
Just as we constantly challenge our partners when sourcing the best materials for our products, we have long been on the hunt for a field testing setup to match our uncompromising standards. When you venture into the depths of the outdoors, as we do in our field testing, standard equipment will only get you so far.
Through the discovery of the Hamburg-based outdoor company HEIMPLANET, we knew we had found our match.
The Right Tools for the Job
Born in stormy Northern Europe and shaped by German engineering, HEIMPLANET have been innovating in the outdoor space for over 15 years, making waves since their inception. The brand’s journey began with The Cave, the world’s first inflatable tent, an idea sparked when the two founders endured a miserable camping experience on a Portuguese beach during a surf trip.
Even though HEIMPLANET are rooted in the world of camping, their commitment to precision, respect for design, and passion for performance when the stakes are highest mirror our own development DNA.
In short, we are both companies that know no detail is too minute to obsess over when you’re trying to reach perfection.
For our desired field testing setup, we worked with a set of clear criteria.
First and foremost, we needed a mobile shelter with exceptional strength and durability to withstand the harsh conditions we’re regularly immersed in during product testing.
Secondly, we needed the shelter to be highly adaptable to meet the shifting demands of race scenarios when we're supporting in the field. Picture the fast-paced mayhem of the feed and mechanical support zones during the world's biggest gravel races, and you'll know there's no time to waste on fiddling with space setup and take down.
Strength and adaptability often come at the expense of one another, so we knew we were putting out a tall order. But, when we presented our needs to HEIMPLANET, their solution came without hesitation: a custom CeramicSpeed Edition of their renowned Cloudbreak tent.
Large tents often demand long setup times, effectively tying you to one location. Cloudbreak changes that - its inflatable frame allows it to be pitched and taken down within minutes.
Originally, the Cloudbreak was designed for camping scenarios, hence why the inner layout features a separate sleeping cabin and a designated living area. To address our needs, we reimagined the concept together with HEIMPLANET's product team: instead of dividing the space, we removed all barriers.
At the core of our custom edition Cloudbreak is a single, open, multifunctional interior. Here, we can work on bikes and offer our athletes and field crew shelter from the elements. It's a base camp that is strong, adaptable, and ready to meet the shifting demands of life on the road.
The Ultimate Test
After months of dialing in and tweaking the details of our new field testing shelter in close collaboration with HEIMPLANET, we finally received the custom edition Cloudbreak with child-like joy of anticipation.
But, in true engineering fashion, we couldn't allow ourselves to get lost in a dreamy state of admiration for too long, so we put our new tent to use straightaway. And what better place to test it out than the rugged West Coast of Denmark, which surrounds our HQ. A true baptism of fire.
When we received our new tent, we were conducting a test process of some new chain wax formulas. To stress test the new wax formulas, the sandy dune landscape of the West Coast allowed us to mix beach riding featuring saltwater splashes with long stretches of dusty gravel paths.
In this scenario, our custom edition Cloudbreak provided the perfect base. It easily held its own against the notorious western winds that sweep along the coast of Denmark, while offering a warm shelter for our field crew between test rides.
The open interior space of our new tent functioned exactly as intended, allowing our crew to move freely within, while having ample room to place a bike stand for switching between chains and to create a makeshift field office to keep track of important findings.
So far, HEIMPLANET's innovative Cloudbreak has proven to be the answer to all our previous field testing setup woes, and we can't wait to push its use even further as we continue our endeavors on the road
