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For anyone looking to see an Airbeam in the flesh, Attwoolls near Gloucester will have one erected for demo by this weekend.

JayBee

Sorry, should have said - its the Infinity 800 model.

JayBee

Reply from Vango.....

Original message....

Message:Hi, really interested in your new Airbeam tents, and I'm 100% sure you have hit a winner. There is one flaw that I think I have thought of though. Am I right in thinking that the "cat flaps" to access the airbeam valves can be un-zipped from the outside? If so, they will be a pranksters dream! I know for sure some of the people we camp with will be reaching in and de-flating our tent early in the morning, it is a dead cert! Seriously though I think this could be a problem. Once people know what they are, and I dont think that will take long as they will sell like hot cakes, they will become a bit of a target. It may sound quite funny, but having your tent totally collapse at 3 am may be very frightening for some people, young children for example. It won't stop be from buying one, but I just thought I would share my views. Thanks. Andy.

Reply....

Hi, Andy.

Thanks for your mail and comments and you do raise a good point!

The flaps opening from the outside - they have to, to make the tent as simple to pitch as possible. The potential issue that you mention were considered during  the development period and different options were discussed and looked at  by the product and design teams, but this one proved to be the best, although it does have the downside that you mention of other people being able to 'tamper' with the tent.

I saw your post on UK Campsite, and am glad that you were impressed with the tent when you saw it at the NEC.  

There's a kind of unwritten campsite etiquette or code of conduct, and people who camp on official campsites don't go round pulling the pegs out of normal tents so that they collapse, so hopefully they won't go round deflating Airbeams!

Regards

Andrew Mooney