Inflatable tents, whats good?

Needs to sleep 2 and have a “living area” a 6fter won’t have to stand like quasimodo in

Found this so far http://m.gooutdoors.co.uk/hi-gear-airgo-solus-horizon-4-tent-p360420

Yes, they easy to put up. Bit heavier but in a tent that size it’s not really a consideration.

good previous thread

IainC did u get the decathlon one? Thanks for the link btw

A friend turned up with a Vango 500 air beam the other day to test in our garden. I was really impressed with it.
Says it sleeps 5 but more like 3 glamping style
Beams went up super easy and really rigid with 5/6psi in them.

Have a Decathlon one – not that heavy, goes up in minutes.
Their videos and actual user pics are worth looking at.
Plus no one else gets near their prices.

I was going to buy that Airgo one rd for a festival next weekend, but kicking myself as I’m sure it was reduced to £250 a couple of weeks back.

Makes you really resent paying £400 – especially as it’ll probably get reduced again at some point

rOcKeTdOg – Member
IainC did u get the decathlon one? Thanks for the link btw

Yes, I got the 4.1XL and it’s been ideal. Have used it twice now, me plus 2 boys, aged 14 and 11 and it’s a great size. Decent sleeping space and large living section with loads of headroom. It literally does go up and down, from in bag, to fully up and pegged out, in under 10 mins on my own, less with kids helping.

Just bought the 4.1 XL ^ for me (Mrs was coming, but now isn’t) for Y Not festival – seen it erected in Decathlon and seems ideal – will report back after the weekend, if I’m capable of typing…

Our Vango is brilliant. But unfortunately water pours in the door when you open it. So make sure whatever you buy has a sheltered door.

As above Vango Awning here and you have to use side doors and never forget to fully close the front!

I was very impressed with my Decathlon jobby at Y-Not – everyone camping with us, without exception were impressed too. Took 10 minutes to put up, has very usable living and sleeping areas – and survived torrential conditions impeccably

2017-08-09_03-17-52 by davetheblade[/url], on Flickr

P7270003 by davetheblade[/url], on Flickr

P7270004 by davetheblade[/url], on Flickr

I’m looking at one of the Decathlon jobbies, My old Vango has seen better days and I like the large porch area of the Decathlon one with enough height to sit in.

I can stand in the porch – for £189 it’s a bargain I reckon

Paid £110 for mine with pump on a deal they had.

TAFKAS, we were at Kendal Calling (also in an inflatable) the same weekend as you were at Y Not! Did you guys have to bail after the two days? We had bad mud but it looked horrendous where you were! 😡

That IS a bargain hammy!

dd – it was bad, but not THAT bad. A few bailed of their own accord – a family we know went on Friday night. The mud was nothing to what you typically see at Glasto. I was wearing my Shimano MT whatever biking/hiking boots and the mud didn’t come over the top. We picked a decent spot at the top of a hill, away from the main walkways – tent was spotless when I took it down

We were gutted when it was called off – I think the main reason was that the poo tanker couldn’t get to the loos. Bad organisation and thefts from last year was the main complaint from people

50% refund coming though

TAFKAS, thanks for posting the pics, I’m seriously thinking of getting one of those, great to see actual pics of one in situ; gutted I missed out on an offer like hammy’, though.
Only problem is I have to drive down to Poole or Southampton to get one, it’s not available online, and there’s none nearer.
Tempted by the slightly more expensive blackout one, I’ll have to see. I particularly like the fact you can stand in the porch, I can’t stand anywhere in my Eurohike tent, so that would be luxury!
Am I right in thinking that you put it up first, install the tent inner, then you only need to do it the once?
That’s what I did with mine, once it was al, clipped in place, it stays in for future use.

Only problem is I have to drive down to Poole or Southampton to get one,

Pain in the arse isn’t it? Bristol/Bath could really do with a Decathlon.

Pain in the arse isn’t it? Bristol/Bath could really do with a Decathlon.

Too bloody right! I can’t believe a city the size of Bristol hasn’t got one, especially somewhere like Cribbs, or even out at Brislington, which would be a doddle for me in Chippenham!
Poole isn’t difficult, but the roads are a bitch after Warminster.

Am I right in thinking that you put it up first, install the tent inner, then you only need to do it the once?
That’s what I did with mine, once it was al, clipped in place, it stays in for future use.

Didn’t see a blackout version of mine – although they might be available.

Easier than that – pegged 4 corners out, blew up the three ‘poles’ and pegged out the guys, job done – internal was already attached

I’ve actually just checked the F&B version, and it’s not as tall, only 1.55m, instead of 1.90, so that’s out for starters!
Good news re the inner being already attached, I’m always one for the easy life!
It’s looking ever more attractive, not that there’s anything inherently wrong with my tent, it’s served me well over the last five or so years, but it’s only me setting it up, and it’s such a phaff fannying around trying to get the poles through the pockets, going from one side to the other to work them through, I could be doing something much more worthwhile, like brewing tea, reading a book, going for a beer… 😀
Thanks so much, you’ve been a really great help, I really do appreciate it, and I can see the acquisition of one in the very near future – I’m off to Greenman Festival a week tomorrow…

The offer was online for instore pick up/home delivery

Black out version has only been available for last month or so.

Thanks so much, you’ve been a really great help, I really do appreciate it, and I can see the acquisition of one in the very near future – I’m off to Greenman Festival a week tomorrow…

No worries – I’m not exaggerating, when I say everyone to a T were jealous of it. Next time will be even easier. The key point for me though, beside smug points, was it’s sturdiness in some foul weather – it really stood up to a battering in high winds and bad rain

The wind resistance does seem to be a feature of inflatable tents, last time I went away, there was a steady Easterly Force 5-6 for seven out of eight days, blowing more or less directly at my tent! Fortunately it was steady, and caused no problems other than the noise from the hedge/trees behind and to the side, and crashing sound of the waves on the single being carried up the valley I was at the top of, and which nothing but earplugs can help with, but it’s good to know they can withstand some pretty foul weather.
I’m liking the ease of setup more and more…
And I’m not working tomorrow… 😀
Hmmm, TomTom says about an hour and a half to Poole, which isn’t much more than getting to Bristol, and I’ve not been to Poole before… 😀

Well, contrary to when I looked the other day, it appears home delivery is available. My new tent arrives on Friday morning!
😀

I bought the decathlon one. It survived horrific 2412 24hr race weekend conditions superbly. Even my camping phobic OH suggested she might like to use it for camping holidays at proper campsites. Win!

Nice one!

As mine is going to be at a fairly urbane setting that is Greenman, then later on in October in South Devon, it should prove to be more than up for it. Even if the weather turns manky in Devon, at least I’ll have that lovely big lounge area to sit around in and read, which’ll make a huge difference.
I love this site, I’d never, ever have looked at the Decathlon tent without seeing them on the relevant threads.
Thanks all! 😀

One of the good things about Decathlon is that all their kit is genuinely tested in a wind tunnel with water and a turntable.
So when they say it’ll be good for Xmm/ph it really is

CountZero – make sure you order the pump as it doesn’t come with it. Only £15 – every man and his dog borrowed it for their airbeds too

I wonder if you could rig something up with CO2 cannisters so that you don’t even need to pump it up?? Or use a battery operated pump??

It has to be a quite specific 7psi. Battery pump would work, but it only takes a couple of minutes with the hand pump

The Decathlon pump is a 2 way one, only takes about 10 strokes to blow up each of the air beams – literally takes seconds.

Yeah, stick with the pump and Pressure gauge. You’re better off with not quite enough than too much air in there – especially if it gets sunny. We’ll be in C France for a week at the end of August – if it’s particularly hot, I’ll be letting a few psi out before we leave for the day – have heard a few scary stories of people coming back to exploded tubes after a hot day – though I do realise a few manufacturers have release valves to mitigate against this. Ours doesn’t.

I’d echo above comments re stability. Excellent in wind.

CountZero – make sure you order the pump as it doesn’t come with it. Only £15 – every man and his dog borrowed it for their airbeds too

Ha! I wondered if someone was going to point that out, yes I made sure I added the pump to the order.
Arriving tomorrow it seems, which is pretty good seeing as I ordered it in the early hours of this morning!

One thing I remember from the other thread was a reference to a ‘footprint’, using a sheet of something waterproof under the tent to keep the underside of the groundsheet free of mud, damp grass and various molluscs and invertebrates, is there anything specific that anyone recommends? Obviously it needs to be fairly robust, but not too bulky and heavy for folding up, I was thinking just thick clear plastic sheet, but I’m not sure where to source a sheet big enough for a tent the size of the Decathlon.

I just bought a generic groundsheet that was near enough the same size. Seemed to work well

What RD says.

CZ, not sure which one you bought, but the Decathlon website will have a drawing of the footprint of the tent. Just go to ebay, search for tarpaulins and find sellers that sell loads of different sizes. Ideally, you need something a bit smaller all round – or same size at most. Think you got the 4.1xl? Same one as TAFKAS? So footprint is 4.8 x 2.9 – but it narrows a bit at the front. So, something 4.5 x 2.5 would give you good protection for most of the tent. Best thing about having one is the underside of the tent not getting filthy. And having something clean and dry on which to fold up the tent when you’re done. When it gets wrecked, you can chuck it and get another one. You should be able to find something for less than £20.

You don’t really want anything bigger than the tent, as any rain that falls can wick and pool under the tent. I guess you could buy something bigger and with a bit of faff, fold it back – just makes it more faff to peg it down.

You might have to do a bit of hunting around ebay/online to find something the size you need and before Green Man. Don’t forget the plastic round headed stakes to bang it in. They usually have eyelets every 1m.

After nearly 2 weeks of near gale force winds some days the neighbours decathlon inflatable was absolutely rock solid.

Very impressed.

Anyone want a massive 8 sleeper with enormous middle area.

DD, that’s excellent info, thanks for that, makes it much easier than trying to figure out what I need having not done it before. You’re right about having a clean, dry surface to fold the tent up on; it’s such a pig to do when the tent’s been up for some time and there’s been a fair amount of rain or heavy dew every night.
I had considered the water collecting under the tent so realised the sheet needed to be kept inside the overall area covered by the tent.
Cheers all, a bit more Googling needed, I think. Looks like the tent will be here tomorrow, judging by the last communication from Decathlon – I thought their estimation of today was wildly optimistic!
Really looking forward to using it for an extended period in October, and having the space to move around standing up, not bent over, and having that big ‘living room’ to be able to lounge around in! 😀