What started off as a cruel, cruel joke has turned into reality.
For April Fool's Day this year, online geek supplier ThinkGeek.com put up a fake listing for a Star Wars Tauntaun sleeping bag. Complete with an internal intestine-like patten and a lightsaber zipper pull, the bag references the scene in The Empire Strikes Back where Han Solo slices open the bipedal beast and places a frostbitten Luke Skywalker among its entrails to keep him warm on the planet Hoth.
Star Wars dorks like myself were fooled and saddened by the prank, but following a huge response from fans, ThinkGeek went out and sought a license from Lucasfilm to actually make them.
That brings us to now. My pre-ordered Tauntaun sleeping bag arrived in the mail over Thanksgiving break, and what follows are photos of the unboxing:
China, Hoth... same thing.
Not a fake this time: The certificate of authenticity.
Yes, I was excited... and only a little bit ashamed.
The lightsaber zipper pull.
Did you know that Tauntauns are made up entirely of intestines?
Unlike the original fake version, the real sleeping bag fits adults (though I am arguably the size of a small child).
The Tauntaun sleeping bag is available at ThinkGeek.com for $99, though it's currently backordered.
More on Time.com:
The 50 Best Inventions of 2009
I wonder if I'd fit into it.
Peter Ha
Dec. 3, 2009 19:24:pm
at 19:24:pm
I think you would.
Tracey John
Dec. 3, 2009 19:28:pm
at 19:28:pm
Wow very nice but kinda expensive lol
hotpocketninja
Dec. 3, 2009 20:29:pm
at 20:29:pm
@hotpocketninja - True, but you do get a lot of Tauntaun for the money. I can barely hold the thing.
Tracey John
Dec. 4, 2009 04:24:am
at 04:24:am