Inflatable Tents
Inflatable tents were possibly, once a long time ago, scoffed at. Who would want to sleep in a tent that could collapse on you thanks to a wayward stick! But tents and technology have come a long way. These days, many tents are all about speed in putting up, and minimal fuss.
Inflatable tents meet a need in the market - that of no fuss, less worry, no poles, and no experience required. Naturally, bringing along the pump is the crucial part of this tent set up.
They use stronger material than the average inflatable you might have around the house (!) and because of the better material, the cost goes up. The beams which support the tents are crucial, so you will see each brand has all this different technology/design to keep the tent up, with different terminology to describe that design feature. Of course, you may have to deal with a puncture which could cause issues in the middle of the night, but think of your tent pole like a bike tyre - it has an an inner tube, which is where the puncture would need to be fixed.
Highly recommended to use ropes and stakes, regardless of the weather conditions, but from all reports, once staked out, these tents perform very reliably in poor conditions. Without them, I can see tents blowing all over the campground which wouldn't be ideal for anyone.
This story was put together initially, about 5 years ago. The tents weren't even in Australia then (well, rarely). Now, we can readily access them thanks to online shopping. So this is an updated look at 5 inflatable tents that are available to buyers right now.
None of these tents are what you would call inexpensive, but if you are the sort of camper who loves camping and wants to do without the issue of poles, then you might want to investigate these further. Please note that some of the links below are affiliate links.
Zempire Aerodome II Pro Air Tent
The Zempire Aerodome II Pro Air Tent costs around $1500-1700, and comes with 2 rooms, so designed for the family and those wanting space. For 4 adults (so a small family). But if you are going to consider a tent of this size, there are some factors you must consider.
Weight - 47kg. That is a lot of weight and when packed up, you won't be getting this in the back of your car. You might need a trailer to get it to the campsite and them moving it around, possibly a lot of helpers or a trolley. You are paying for this extra durability in terms of weight.
Large tents need large campsites - so if you are looking at larger tents, make sure your campsite can accommodate your tent. Some sites are small and if you encroach into another site, you may have to pay double fees.
Dimensions are:
External Dimensions: 580cm L x 680cm W
Dimensions (Bedroom): (1) 300cm L x 230cm W / (2) 300cm L x 190cm W
Dimensions (Front Awning): 280cm L x 300cm W
Tent Height: 230cm
Weight: 47kg
Packed Dimensions: 82cm L x 64cm W x 54cm H
Sleeping Capacity: Up to 6 adults
Comfort Rating: Up to 4 adults
Material: 210D ripstop polyoxford material, SPF 100+, 10,000mm fly
Floor: 180gsm PE flooring, 10,000mm
Frame: Inflatable tubes
Zempire Aero TL Lite Air Tent
This tent has a price range of around $900, so considerably less than the previously mentioned tent, and a whole lot lighter. It's a smaller tent and you are looking at 4 people maximum.
Whilst its not as big as the Aerodome, this is probably a better buy. Faster set up, less fussy groundsheet required and of course price. You may not be getting the room options, but overall I think you would probably get more use out of a tent that you can carry to the campsite.
You can see videos of how to use/pack up here - at our affiliate, Tentworld.
Dimensions are:
Sleeps (Comfort): 4 People
Sleeps (Max): 5 People
Fly Material: 75D, 185T Polyester
Floor: 130 gsm PE (10,000 mm)
Fabric Treatment: Fire Retardant, UV Treatment
UV Rating: SPF 50+
Waterhead Rating: 5000 mm
Pole Material: Inflatable Tubes
Peak Height: 2.25 m
Sleeping Area: 9.5 sqm
Living Area: 10.1 sqm
Awning Area: 5.2 sqm
Internal Floor Area: 18.5 sqm
Packed Size: 74cm x 45cm x 46.2cm
Weight: 24kg
Whilst its not as big as the Aerodome, this is probably a better buy. Faster set up, less fussy groundsheet required and of course price. You may not be getting the room options, but overall I think you would probably get more use out of a tent that you can carry to the campsite.
You can see videos of how to use/pack up here - at our affiliate, Tentworld.
Dimensions are:
Sleeps (Comfort): 4 People
Sleeps (Max): 5 People
Fly Material: 75D, 185T Polyester
Floor: 130 gsm PE (10,000 mm)
Fabric Treatment: Fire Retardant, UV Treatment
UV Rating: SPF 50+
Waterhead Rating: 5000 mm
Pole Material: Inflatable Tubes
Peak Height: 2.25 m
Sleeping Area: 9.5 sqm
Living Area: 10.1 sqm
Awning Area: 5.2 sqm
Internal Floor Area: 18.5 sqm
Packed Size: 74cm x 45cm x 46.2cm
Weight: 24kg
Bushranger Blue Gum
Image taken from: www.bushranger.com.au
Bushranger is a supplier of offroad and 4WD gear and have entered the market into inflatable tents as well.
The Bushranger Bluegum is a dome style design and features two strong and sturdy integrated air poles, and with 8 tent pegs to replace guy ropes issues.
We use dome style tents a fair bit, so this one does appeal to me in terms of how it looks and practicality for a family (once again, like the Kampa, it is more for the recreational user as opposed to the NEMO Gogo, which is designed for individuals who have to carry their tents).
Specs of the Bluegum include:
Floor: 2.75m x 3.35m Height: 198cm Weight: 13kg Capacity: Family Fly Type: Full Coverage Fly Features Door: 2 Dutch 'D' Style Doors. Bag: Duffle Style Carry Bag Windows: PVC Windows with inside privacy flaps Quick Clips: Side-Release Buckles Intake Valve: Standard Automotive Pressure Valve: Prevents Over Inflation Extras: Gear Loft, Lantern Hook, 4 Pockets Materials Tent Body: Polyester Rip-stop Screen: Nylon No-See-Um Mesh Floor: Nylon Oxford 2000mm Coating with seam tape Fly: Polyester Rip-Stop 2000mm Coating with seam tape Supports: 2 Inflable Air Poles Pegs: Aluminium Zippers: YKK
To find out more including prices. visit Bushranger.com.au
The Bushranger Bluegum is a dome style design and features two strong and sturdy integrated air poles, and with 8 tent pegs to replace guy ropes issues.
We use dome style tents a fair bit, so this one does appeal to me in terms of how it looks and practicality for a family (once again, like the Kampa, it is more for the recreational user as opposed to the NEMO Gogo, which is designed for individuals who have to carry their tents).
Specs of the Bluegum include:
Floor: 2.75m x 3.35m Height: 198cm Weight: 13kg Capacity: Family Fly Type: Full Coverage Fly Features Door: 2 Dutch 'D' Style Doors. Bag: Duffle Style Carry Bag Windows: PVC Windows with inside privacy flaps Quick Clips: Side-Release Buckles Intake Valve: Standard Automotive Pressure Valve: Prevents Over Inflation Extras: Gear Loft, Lantern Hook, 4 Pockets Materials Tent Body: Polyester Rip-stop Screen: Nylon No-See-Um Mesh Floor: Nylon Oxford 2000mm Coating with seam tape Fly: Polyester Rip-Stop 2000mm Coating with seam tape Supports: 2 Inflable Air Poles Pegs: Aluminium Zippers: YKK
To find out more including prices. visit Bushranger.com.au
Darche Air-Volution Swag
The swag just got upgraded to inflatable.
If you are solo and don't want the inflatable tent option but like the concept of a swag with inflatable poles - that are actually surprisingly sturdy, then you are going to want to look at the Darche Air-Volution Swag, at the price of around $600.
With only 1 single inflation point, the swag comes with a mattress as well. Put your swag on the ground or on a stretcher.
For availability and free delivery - see it here.
Darche Air Volution AT 4 Person
This particular tent has been designed for Australian conditions, and is using some revolutionary new technology in its design. The marketing advice says this about the tent:
By replacing traditional swag poles with easy fast set up air poles, you can inflate your swag in less than 10 seconds, whilst the inflation time for the AT4 four person tent is less than a minute. The air poles are made from puncture resistant thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), and are encased in highly durable PVC/Oxford Polyester sleeves. All this means arriving at your campsite with peace of mind, and spending more time relaxing and enjoying what matters when outdoors! Source here
At first glance, the above tent, looks very much like a Black Wolf tent, so don't get confused!
Below is the Darche set up in action. Looks good!!!
You can buy the Darche AT-6 here for around $1300 (free delivery)
The Darche AT-4 is priced at $980 (free delivery)
Size: 280cm length x 280cm width x 207cm height
Carry Bag/Fold Down Size (approx.): 120cm length x 28cm width x 28cm height
Weight (excluding pump): 17.4kg
Pump Weight: 750grams
Colour: Khaki
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