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Are Inflatable Tents any good? How long do they take to put up?

What would you recommend?

Cheers

Nick

I really love the Karsten , I posted a thread about them a while ago think it was called 'im such a tart ' ?

check this link someone else has been asking about them

http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/chatter/display_topic_threads.asp?ReturnPage=Thread&ForumID=3&TopicID=33531&PagePosition=1&ThreadPage=1

good idea i didnt know about them

I have to agree that they are expensive, but fantastic or what?? It means that I, as a Disabled person now have access to easy camping, which is a superb idea.

I will be recommending this to alot of other disabled people who always wanted to go camping etc, but never had the energy to be able to put a tent up.

I had a thing called an Igloo (?) and that was an inflatable tent: Everytime time the wind blew hard it used to knock flat and then spring back up again. This was in High summer in France before some-one says "They're not a 4 season tent" - Hope these Karstens don't do that

edit for spelign

Karsten does not knock down. The neoprene tubes really are as strong as normal poles. They tested one of the smaller type (the 200x200 one in a windtunnel up to Beafort 12 (!!, hurricane force) with other brands tents. The Karsten was the only one to stay completely upricht and pitches. No doubt Bf 12 will be a bit more difficult for the 350 tent (as I still have) but it will survive heavy weather. In fact I had thunderstorms with gusts, no problem at all.

The advantage is the much easier pitching as compared to other tents. Less pegs and still very stable. But you should realize that they are heavy tents (the 350x350 one is 34 kgs). The basic module has SIG of heavy quality, hence one piece to be lifted at once in your boot. But again very stable, very durable.

I asked the manufacturer when I bought the tent. They had never yet received any message of a puncture. By than the tent was on the market already for over 15 years.
Also from fellow campers and on tenting sites I never heard of any puncture, as the neoprene tubes are extremely strong and very well protected.

But just suppose one would experience a puncture: The neoprene tubes can be taken out of their sleeves and repaired by the repair kit. Repair in theory can even be done on the inside of the tubes!
In fact they are long tubes that are cut of on both sides, but closed by pressing two metal 'blocks' that are tightened to each other by a pair of screws. These can be unfastened and than if you wish reverse the tubes inside outse. However outside repair is the most logical. The repair will be kept on the tubes by the glue as well as by the fact that this one too will be within the (very strong) outer sleeve. This is comparable to the inside tyres of a bicycle.

As the tubes can be taken out of their sleeves one can search for the pinhole by keeping the tube under water, which will always reveal the puncture.

But again, in all those years no punctures have been registered. But as one cannot afford the risk a repair set is delivered with the tent.

my grandad ordered on last september. It should be ready in march. I can't wait to see it as he has been so excited about getting it.

He is 84 and now struggles a bit to put a tent up on his own. He is convinced that this will be no problem for him. He went to campingdirect as he camps a lot at west runton and got them to give him a demo of their display one. My grandad has camped for over 40 years in many different types of unit and if he is impressed then i think they must be good.

I think he paid about £1400 for his. I think it is a 300 but with a few extra bits and modifications.

Ive got one and will never go back to any other tent. I can put my one up on my own with all three pods whilst hubby clears offf with the kids lol

julesrush