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Topic: Which air tent?

Millerblade

via mobile 04/10/2021 at 1:23pm
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Joined: 06/8/2014

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Hi.

Myself and my husband would like to start camping again. We did camp a few years ago but absolutely HATED the putting up and taking down and unpacking then packing away of everything.

My dream would be a caravan. But can't afford one so a tent it is!

So we want to try camping with the easiest tent and only taking the bare minimum.

Thinking of an air tent. Just for 2 adults and a dog. Must be standing room height. Need a little space spare about from sleeping space to put essentials.

Any suggestions welcome x

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RainMagnet

05/10/2021 at 2:41pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: Karsten 350

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Air tents have less individual items but are more bulky and heavy. What make to go for depends on your budget, they range from a few hundreds to the thousands of pounds.
Really the best option is to get to a tent shop or display and have a poke around.

taafe75

05/10/2021 at 3:06pm
Location: Manchester
Outfit: Vango Rivendale 800XL

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Taking down an air tent is still a pain.
I admit it is really easy to put up, ours is massive and I can do it on my own but putting it in the bag in bad weather will test any relationship.
Its also heavy, ours is over 40kg its the size of the bag as well as the weight that makes it diffuclt and if you go polycotton they are even heavier.
I do love our air tent but they arent without their issues.

taafe75

05/10/2021 at 3:08pm
Location: Manchester
Outfit: Vango Rivendale 800XL

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Ebay is your best bet

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WeeAlD

via mobile 06/10/2021 at 8:31am
Location: Glasgow
Outfit: Airgo horizon 4 tent

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My wife and I have an Airgo Horizon Solus 4 for our two selves. Nominally 5mx3m in size and weighs in at 14kg.
It came complete with footprint and pump wrapped in the tent. We separated the footprint and the pump into separate storage just as we used to separate the poles from the canvas with previous tents.
This makes packing and lifting much easier.
We have used our tent over the past 4 years and find it ideal for us. One bonus is that the inner sleeping tent can remain attached at all times, which makes it easier to put up and take down.
Visit a store and check out the tent for what will meet your needs for space, layout and weight of one that catches your attention.

lidds0

via mobile 07/10/2021 at 6:47pm
Location: Yorkshire
Outfit: None Entered

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Quote: Originally posted by Millerblade on 04/10/2021
Hi.

Myself and my husband would like to start camping again. We did camp a few years ago but absolutely HATED the putting up and taking down and unpacking then packing away of everything.

My dream would be a caravan. But can't afford one so a tent it is!

So we want to try camping with the easiest tent and only taking the bare minimum.

Thinking of an air tent. Just for 2 adults and a dog. Must be standing room height. Need a little space spare about from sleeping space to put essentials.

Any suggestions welcome x

What's your budget?

Mitchamitri

08/10/2021 at 4:44pm
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With an air tent you still need to peg out, you still need to unpeg and pack away, and they can be very bulky. The saving is nothing like you might think (or the press would have you believe).

We have both poled and air tents, and we think from our experience how good a tent is isnt defined by whether it is air or not.

All depends on your budget but trust me, if you have a big dog, a porch is useful and you should count one big dog as two people, so you'll be looking for a 5 man like the Kampa Hayling or similar.

If you arent sure then just borrow one and save your money.

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spudella

via mobile 16/10/2021 at 7:56am
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Joined: 11/7/2021

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I have a berghaus air 4.
It is very easy to put up alone when I bought it there was only myself and a 3 year old camping. It weighs a lot about 19kg . I can lift in and out of the car (5'3" about 9 stone )
It is very bulky so it hard to pack car up.
Although very easy to put up ( as long as your child doesn't kick the valve as soon as you take the pump off)
Putting away is 20 times harder than our old poled coleman tent.
Once you press the valve to deflate there is still quite a bit of air left in the tubes . I get the child to roll along the tubes to get the air out. Then fold and squish otherwise it won't get back in the bag.
I am now looking at a cabanon biscaya.

Fiona W

via mobile 17/10/2021 at 7:10pm
Location: Ayrshire
Outfit: Auto-Sleeper MHs

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Joined: 10/4/2007

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Love the image of a child roller. We used to fall onto our lilo (remember them?) to get the air out.

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2024 = 20 sites / 41 nights. 2023 = 9/23. 2022 = 13/35. 2021 = 11/29. 2020 = 4/20. 2019 = 13/35. 2018 = 20/33. 2017 = 10/22. 2016 = 19/33. 2015 = 15 sites / 27 nights. Didn't count 1976 to 2014.

WeeAlD

via mobile 17/10/2021 at 8:16pm
Location: Glasgow
Outfit: Airgo horizon 4 tent

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The pump which we use to inflate the airbeam can also be used to deflate the airbeam.
This is an alternative to having to squeeze out the air. We also pack the pump and the footprint separate from the tent which makes things easier for packing the tent into its bag.

CrystalCamper

via mobile 17/10/2021 at 9:59pm
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Outfit: Outwell Tomcat MP

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I have to agree with all the previous posts that say air tents are heavy and cumbersome to pack away. Before the campervan (self-built and VERY basic), we had a three-person poled tent for two of us and a dog. It was far too small to comfortably do anything but sleep. Heaven forbid the weather confined us. We bought a five-person Outwell Tomcat. Brilliant for space and easy to stand up in, but if it was wet it was horrible to pack away, too difficult to dry out and made camping a chore. We used it for one season and sold it for £200 less than we bought it. We considered it a cheap lesson! Next, we bought a five-person Vango Dunkeld. It was great as it had a living area that allowed you to stand up and a porch for storing dog stuff and wet boots. It was lightweight and easy to put up and so much cheaper than our air tent. For me it’s a no-brainer.

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