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09/3/2025 at 1:10pm
Location: London
Outfit: Lunar Cosmos 524
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Can't really find much fault with the ease of erection/breakdown with an Air Beam Tent, BUT you pay for that in the as already mentioned relative all in weight and holdall bulk!
Airbeam tents can be more robust than poled tents in bad weather, as the air beams have a lot more scope for deflection in strong winds than poles which can bend in the case of metal ones or snap if fibreglass. BUT, air beams can puncture, more often than not, it's not a true puncture in the sense of something external putting a hole in a tube, it's a joint failure which becomes unsealed. Worst case is the enclosing reinforced fabric tube splits and allows the inner bladder to bulge out and pop! .... replacement bladders are often not easy or impossible to find once the tent is no longer a current model! Either multiple inflation points on isolated/individual tubes, or single inflation point with tube isolation valves between them stops a tube puncture rendering the whole tent unusable, otherwise with linked un-valved tubes, a single puncture collapses the WHOLE tent!
You REALLY need to check the packed weight and dimensions firstly, as you may not comfortably be able to handle either - AND check fit in car boot! Then there is the dragging it into general lay flat shape to peg the groundsheet, that is also heavier than a poled tent and requires a little more effort! And let's not forget, you need to pump it up! - with a manual pump that'll likely make you break into a bit of a sweat! Electric pumps available, but make sure you have either the 12v or 240v external power available on pitch, very few self powered ones to be found! .... and the hose couplings/inflation valve are not universal, typically unique to a tent brand, so pump needs to be compatible! Car tyre type pumps are NOT generally suitable, you need high volume and only very modest pressure, likewise airbed type pumps don't have sufficient pressure, dedicated Air Beam pumps are really what you need.
It's all doable if reasonably fit and strong, I'm well into OAP territory, yet can still hump my 20kg (44 Lb) caravan air awning around OK on my own, but you do get a bit of a workout! ... and I do use an electric pump powered from caravan battery as hand pump is just too big an ask! Perhaps wise to look to the future and ponder just how much longer can I do all this when splashing the cash afresh!
Some poled tents are not beyond erecting on your own, I've got a fairly cheap and cheerful Eurohike Rydal 500 5 berth, 3 hooped poles tunnel tent that I did a test erect in the garden (camping trip it was bought for has been cancelled twice so far!), and had little trouble erecting that solo, even though not at all familiar with it.
Have to say, I quite like air beam tents (and caravan awnings), but it's not all pros and no cons! Careful choice of a poled version IMHO can be just as useable.
As to recommending any particular tent, I think that's a VERY personal choice, and best for the individual to make up their own mind on, based on their own needs and preferences, I'll limit input to Pros and Cons of various options.
Good luck.
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Topic: AIR TENTS
via mobile 09/3/2025 at 3:44am
