Recently unveiled by Australian design firm Sibling, the Walking Shelter is a one-person tent stored within a pair of sneakers. The human shelter is neatly packed in a netted compartment covering the footwear and can be used pretty much anywhere.

They may not be the most fashionable sneakers out there, but you have to admit these tent shoes are pretty ingenious. Designed as a concept for shoe company Gorman, they are meant to provide instant shelter wherever and whenever it’s needed. “The Walking-Shelter is a human shelter stored within a pair of sneakers. Stored compactly in integrated net pockets within the shoe, the shelter expands out and around the body to form an enclosure that relies on the human frame as a supporting structure,” the shoes’ designers say. “The shelter accommodates for the body in a variety of ways and can be customized by the user to adapt to a variety of contexts and environments. This project was developed as a one-off prototype and auctioned off, with all proceeds going towards Little Seeds Big Trees.”

The Walking Shelter sneakers may not look great, but they beat carrying a backpack around in case of emergency. Still, it’s just a concept, and not a perfect one at that. With no poles to hold it up, the person using the tent has to use their own head, legs and arms to hold it up. Plus, it doesn’t seem to have a waterproof base, so you’re likely to get wet in case of rain. But despite its faults, the Walking Shelter idea shows great promise, and with a bit of work it might actually become usable.

Source: Sibling Nation via Gizmag