as a family have been using a Trailer Tent for years but its got to the point where we have so much stuff and just in general the TT takes ages to set up. Because of this we have become reluctant to go away last minute and last year missed all the brill weather,instead waiting for our two week holiday at the end of August but the weather was disappointingly windy and cold. So we have decided we want to get back to basics to a degree so we can be spontaneous in 2015 and follow the sun! We are going to put the TT in storage in Grandmas garage (she does not know yet)and buy a quick to erect family tent.We have done a fair bit of research and come across the newish ranges of inflatable tents. We would just be interested in what folk think about these and would be interested in any of your experiences or what to look out for and avoid.
We have just come across the new range of inflatables from Outdoor Revolution. They look good but are untested.
Any help,advice of views would be most appreciated
Chris and family
------------- CJE
Don't forget to leave a review of all tents you've used, for a chance to win fantastic prizes
To be fair I have looked at a good number of inflatable tents, but it wasn't until I went to the Karsten display at Cheshire, that I realised there was only one brand that I would spend my money on.
The Karsten Tent's simply take the concept to the next level, that there is no doubt.
As for chasing the Sun, I guess your plans are not to camping in the UK!
Each to their own, but about 2 years ago we garaged the trailer, sold the bear lake 6, cleared out all the stuff we didn't use and weet back to basics. Why?, because i was fed up spending a whole day erecting tents and putting everything up and in place WAISTING OUR HOLIDAY TIME.
We now have a Vanqo Evogue with awning, back box we use on occassions and every other item we use beds etc has to fight for it's place in terms of usefulness, can it do more then one thing and is it easy to erect etc etc.
In summary, its the best thing we ever did. We can be all done within 1-2 hours, rather than nearly all day. IMHO, camping should be fun and easy so we can enjoy our holiday. I think some people love camping so much they forget about their holiday / location and spend so much time with ovens etc etc.
I can back atko up on that. Bought a Vango Icarus Airbeam 800
Last year plenty of room for us 5 using 4th double compartment as a store/wardrobe. My toddler is now 2 and is a handful and the girls are as much use as a chocolate fireguard. I can have this
Pegged out and blown up on my own in less than half an hour. Leaving them to explore. Such a bonus as we aren't getting stressed shouting at each other. Gradually everything else goes in and after about and jour and a half of not breaking sweat everything is set up. Then I call them back, time for a beer and relax :)
------------- 2 Weeks in Watergate Bay August 2017
lots of weekend escapes as soon as it warms up.
Apr - Wyreside Fisheries and Camping
May - Swiss Farm Touring & Camping
Don't forget to leave a review of all tents you've used, for a chance to win fantastic prizes
Hi, the Outdoor Rev are far from in tested, they have been making caravan and motor home awnings for years and top of the range inflatable awnings for a few years.
The Ozone 6.0 xt as been the most requested to be "notified when in stock" tent we have ever stocked. The interest is huge. The fabric is the best most UV resistant we have ever displayed (drive away awning, same as the new tent range) so I don't think you have anything to worry about re quality.
------------- Gary Cross - The masked camping guru.
Hi, atko - any tips on travelling light - or as light as you can for long trips with 3 children!? We often do multi site camping trips across France and the day packing up, travelling and then getting it all out again is exhausting. We might get an inflatable this year to make it a bit easier, anything else?
I can only tell you what we do which might be of some help. We also have 3 children 14, 12 and 9. We usually go to France end of May for a week and to be honest we stopped camping and hire a mobile home on a french site usually about £250-£300 for week so well worth doing that. In August it's a different matter and we do camp.
We have an estate car with roof box and the Thule back box which is a godsend. It means you can get so much more in and travel without towing our trailer etc.
We have a vango evogue tent(not cotton), after having many heavy, large canvas tents etc. It's not too big a size packed down, reasonably light and very easy to erect. We use good self inflatable beds as pack down really well. We take a cadac which gives us so many cooking options or a coleman dual fuel burner (both not both). We use the dvd players in car if it's raining in tent. We hire fridge from campsite, i know it's more money but they are so much better than camping fridges and this alone saves space. We also find we don't have to shop so often for milk etc. We take unltra light sleeping bags, kids alo use these for sleepovers etc. Light fold down camping chairs from Decathlon. The table we use folds in 2 so easy to erect and pack. We also only take 5 plates, bowls and cutlery. The list goes on. We stopped taking the sat, tv, oven etc etc.
Honestly, We take the minimum, but still want to clamp and it's improved our holiday experience so much.
As ballycfc said above, my wife and i would also argue so much putting the tent up etc, now it takes so little time it's a much better start to our holiday.
------------- atko
Don't forget to leave a review of all tents you've used, for a chance to win fantastic prizes
Hmm the Thule Back Box? Is that the 949 Easybase, I'm looking at one of these. If so do you just use the base or do you have the hard box aswell. Been trying to justify the extra price of the box. Might just buy the base this year and the box next year.
------------- 2 Weeks in Watergate Bay August 2017
lots of weekend escapes as soon as it warms up.
Apr - Wyreside Fisheries and Camping
May - Swiss Farm Touring & Camping
Quote: Originally posted by ballycfc on 06/2/2015
Hmm the Thule Back Box? Is that the 949 Easybase, I'm looking at one of these. If so do you just use the base or do you have the hard box aswell. Been trying to justify the extra price of the box. Might just buy the base this year and the box next year.
I've recently sold my base and cycle holders, but am now "lumbered" with the Easy Bag (948-4) (That's the "soft box" not the hard one).
I really ought to put it up for sale, but I'm not into advertising/having strangers round/Ebay etc.
If it interests you, give me a shout, see if we can sort something out?
Perfect condition, all the straps etc, used just twice (we replaced the Astravan for something bigger! ) Holds 315 litres (110 x 55 x 53cm).
We're talking about the bag only... the base has been sold...
And no... you can't have my private reg, despite it being considerably better than yours!!
thanks for all the replies. I have had a look at Karsten inflatables but I think they are going be a bit too pricey for me. Like you all say being able to put the tent up quickly on your own is the thing.The Mrs called me some terrible names last year, worst rows we have ever had. Off to Winfields of Chester to see a few inc the Outdoor Rev 6xt tomorrow.
As regards to the thule base, yes that's the one. We only use this base so we can use the hard thule back box, which we like as more secure, weather proof and hard wearing. We've had ours for years and it's very robust.
I love this bit of kit because you can pack loads in it and strap some things to the rear in between the box and the car. This is much better than taking the tailer i.e you don't even know it's on the back, can go faster, feels secure, adds loads of extra space, reversing is easy, easy to get on and off and much cheaper than pulling that anssems gt750 trailer of mine.
In other words i love it!
------------- atko
Don't forget to leave a review of all tents you've used, for a chance to win fantastic prizes
Thanks for the tips atko! It doesn't sound like we take much more than you in terms of camping kit. It's probably the 5 bikes, balls, bats and other kiddietainment paraphernalia that takes the time to pack!
We're thinking of the Croyde 6 Air, I'm wondering if the front porch would mean we could get away without taking our tarp...and would the pump do bike tyres? I think I need to free up some extra space because the Croyde pack size is twice as big as our current tent
That's the reason we bought the canopy. Some Vango tents come with built in canopy, but we tried these with a table and 5 chairs underneath, but canopy was not big enough, so we went for the vango evouge with seperate canopy which was much bigger.
We don't take the cycles, if we did it would be a trailer job.
Hello all
oh well,in for a penny in for a thousand pounds!
Went to Winfields in Chester yesterday where the Outdoor Rev 6xt is on display just to see it. Anway due to the fact that this tent ticks all the boxes for us and because we were offered £125 discount we bought one. This tent looks and feels fantastic with many small design features that indicate that the manufacturer really knows about camping. Off to buy a second hand trailer today which the tent and all the other equipment will be stored in. Then just hook up on a sunny Friday and off we go. It takes 16 pumps to fill each air tube of which there are five and in less than 10 (more like 5) mins it is up.
Can't wait to go, wonder if it will be warm enough at Easter.
Chris
Nice one Chris. We are getting our new tent at the end of the month. After posting on here about inflatables and weeks of Internet searching and lots of trips to various tent shops. We have decided upon Kampa Hayling 6 Air.
Can't wait to get away for the first time with it. Pick daughters up from school on a Friday and within an hour we should be almost set up. We have around 6 trips penciled in on the calendar for 2015 so far.
Happy inflatable camping!
Col.
------------- April/May 2016 Dumfries
June 2016 Austwick
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Should we buy an Inflatable tent!
) Holds 315 litres (110 x 55 x 53cm).
