
Inside, the simple layout feels pleasantly roomy, the 6.5sqm living area blessed with an extra generous 1.9m high ceiling, and features some very welcome mosquito netting.

Moreover, that Fresh & Black material provides decent blackout performance for the sleeping area – very welcome on those bright early summer mornings – while the UPF 50+ sun protection helps keep occupants cool, or ‘Fresh’, aided by the ample high and low vents. Indeed, Decathlon reckon it’ll deliver decent shelter in winds of up to 60 km/h. For starters, it’s got decent waterproof and windproof qualities. Sporting an elegant sand coloured, white-accented livery it answers some key asks at a keen price point. Great value active and outdoors chain Decathlon currently features nine inflatable airbeam tents but for my money this model, suitable for small families, couples or anyone else willing to snuggle up in that 280cm-wide sleeping space, offers the best bang for your buck.

Just don’t forget the pump.īest for: airbeam tent for affordable family fun Read on for more of a taste of what’s currently on the market and prepare to smile smugly as your tent breezily blows up in front of you on the campsite while others around you wrestle with their fiddly old school tent poles in the wind.
NEBO AIRBEAM TENT PLUS
Ouch.Īll that aside, the inherent plus points can be nothing short of game changing with 15 effortless minutes being typically ample to erect even the most lumbering, multi-chambered model singlehandedly – often a lot less – allowing for troublefree camping that’s pitch perfect every time. Prices also vary markedly from affordable offerings from the like of Decathlon to hardy budget-busting options like the €5,499 Euro Mavericks from Heimplanet. That said, pioneers such as Alpkit do feature lighter, more compact offerings better suited to hikers and cycle tourers.

It must be noted though that airbeam tents can be remarkably heavy and bulky – the saying ‘light as air’ having little muster here – making them best suited to car camping.

Simply inflate the big tubes to the right pressure and that's it. If you've not tracked with these things, Vango's AirBeam tents are put up with a foot pump and no poles.
