Been looking for a new tent. Got a vango 5 man steel pole jobbie at the minute and on longer trips it’s just to small. So we want a bigger tent and just wondering if the inflatable ones were worth the extra pennies. Or would it be better spending the extra money on a poly cotton one.

Budget?

Given the choice between polycotton and inflatable I’d go for polycotton every time, they’re just a much nicer place in which to spend time. I’d caveat that by saying if you go for lots of weekend/short stay camps then I’d probably go for inflatable.

Given the choice between polycotton and inflatable I’d go for polycotton every time

You can get polycotton inflatable tents, I was looking at an outwell one last week. Spendy though.

Karsten are good but premium prices.

You can get polycotton inflatable tents, I was looking at an outwell one last week. Spendy though

Yes I’m aware, however given the choice between one or the other. it’s polycotton for me, with the inflatable you might save 30 minutes to an hour on pitching and packing, not exactly a big deal if you’re somewhere for a week.

We’ve just kicked off the season in our new Vango Rivendale 800.
Great size and really easy to set up.
They do a polycotton version, I think its the rhapsody?
That’s a very nice tent indeed but too expensive for us and at 60kg ish, a bit of a lump.

have you had a look at the Decathlon ones ?

recently got a 4 man ‘air seconds’ from them and very impressed with it. here’s the 6 person version

Glad you like iain. I remember the thread.

We’re very pleased with our Coleman Valdes (6L). I imagine the 6XL is even roomier if you’re looking for 6-8 man.

The packed down tent is bloody massive though. I’m currently looking for roof boxes as the tent takes up around 2/3rds of the boot. 😆

We’ve recently got a gerlert Bala air 6 it’s very good and goes up in about five minutes

I have actually been debating selling it though as tbh it’s a big too big for us but I’m not certain as it really is very good lol

iainc – Member
have you had a look at the Decathlon ones ?

Guess where I’ve just come back from?
🙂

If it’s anywhere near as good value as the 2+ my mate has just bought, you’ll be quids in.
Even the basic models seem well designed and very decent quality.

Had a good look at the inflatable models they have set up outside.
They seem robust and have a feeling of spaciousness that belies their size.

Cheapest ever Decathlon trip for me, £12.99 for a pair of running shoes for work.

Do want a Triban 520 though, 9 speed Sora Triple, practical frame, not ugly.
£480?
I’ve spent more than that restoring my old roadie, and it’s still not finished.

the decathlon inflatable tents aren’t terribly big though – enough room for a small family, but the living space isn’t anywhere near what you get at some of the other brands

Ah, fair enough, only saw two of the smaller ones and I’ve not got Much to compare them to.
🙂

They’re the only ones I’ve seen for ages and they seemed like they’ve come on quite a lot.

I’d consider one for car camping.
Have a Doblo so size not an issue.

Actually, thinking about it, cheaper just to sleep in that.
🙂

5lab – Member
the decathlon inflatable tents aren’t terribly big though – enough room for a small family, but the living space isn’t anywhere near what you get at some of the other brands

We went from a Vango 5 person poled tent to the Decathlon Air Seconds 4.1xl, which is labelled as a 4 person tent. The sleeping end is slightly smaller than the 5 person Vango and the living area is significantly larger than the Vango…

Kampa poly cotton inflatables are more…. affordable…just!

20% off at Blacks today if you can get what you want there.

We went from a Vango 5 person poled tent to the Decathlon Air Seconds 4.1xl, which is labelled as a 4 person tent. The sleeping end is slightly smaller than the 5 person Vango and the living area is significantly larger than the Vango…

they’re not smaller than *all* tents, granted, but if you compare the size of that living area (approx 3×2) to something like a outwell clarkston 6a (which has approx 3.5 x 5.5), the living area in the outwell is over 3 times the size. If the OP is asking for a 6-8 man tent, I figure 6m” area isn’t quite enough

Still toying with the idea of getting one of those Decathlon inflatable tents, I remember in the previous thread someone mentioning using a ‘footprint’; I think I know what this might be, but a clearer explanation would help, please.

We’ve got a 6 person Kampa Croyde polycotton inflatable. It’s massive and I can’t even lift it. It fills over half the boot of my Skoda Superb. The 8 person would need a trailer

in the previous thread someone mentioning using a ‘footprint’

usually it means putting a groundsheet the same shape as the tent on the pitch first so that the underside of the actual tent stays dry and clean – you can hose down and dry a separate groundsheet far more easily than the one sown into the tent itself.

They do a polycotton version, I think its the rhapsody?

We have a rhapsody (they changed the name this year I think).

Bloody nice tent. Bloody heavy tent.

Yes, think it’s the illusion this year.
Very nice indeed.

Thanx, I thought that was probably the case, I only wondered if there was some sort of specific sheet with eyelet holes for pegging down; the basic idea makes perfect sense, if only I’d thought of it when I bought my tent, would have made life much easier…
I’ll see about finding something for when I go to Greenman next month, and camping in September/October.

You can get ones specifically shaped for your tent but we just use a big rectangle folded to the right shape – just bang a peg straight through it at the corners to hold it in place.