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Camping under canvas - Tent talk. Advice, info and recommendations

Topic: Poles v Air

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Keith1987

03/9/2015 at 8:16pm
Location: Gateshead Kibblesworth
Outfit: Outwell Vermont 7SA

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Poles v Air

Which do you prefer and why?

myself I don't trust the air! I got my 20th air bed!!

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spiritburner

03/9/2015 at 8:38pm
Location: N.E. England
Outfit: None Entered

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Poles for now & alloy over fibreglass. Not had one break on our family tent yet but carry a couple of 14mm repair sleeves just in case.

When that tent needs replacing I may go Karsten air but hopefully a few years left in our tent yet.

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Xplore CV X8 campervan, Kangoo microcamper & tents.
2026: 53 Nights
2025: 64 Nights
2024: 60 Nights

duffs54

03/9/2015 at 9:05pm
Location: Cambs
Outfit: Ford Duetto Autosleeper

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Air definitely in our house.

used our Kampa Croyde twice this year and going away next week, would never of had 3 hols with our poled tent a Biscaya.

Hate blooming poles

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Duffs54

dubsta

03/9/2015 at 9:29pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: None Entered

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loved our old outwell pole tent, love our new vango air beam much more!!

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Mucker1884

03/9/2015 at 9:29pm
Location: Derby.
Outfit: VWT62BHiTop

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We've had an inflatable for 11 months now. Only something like 16 nights so far, in all (UK) weathers, with another 15 to come in France, starting tomorrow.

Certainly no complaints here, so far. Absolutely love it.

Shaves a few minutes of pitching time, but loads less effort.

As for you "not trusting air", I'd say you need to concentrate less on the actual air, and more on what is keeping that air (or not!) where it should be, be that the tent tubes, or the bed.

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2026: 12 nights thus far...
2025: 68 nights
2024: 43 nights
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2020: 24 nights
2019: 50 nights
2018: 30 nights
2017: 34 nights
2016: 32 nights
2015: 38 nights
2014: 34 nights
2013: 36 nights
From July 2012: 23 nights

JoggingHippo

03/9/2015 at 10:41pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: Outwell Concorde L

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Had Outwell Glendale 5 (poles) for 4 years, now have Outwell Concorde (Air) bought this year Pitching time a little bit quicker, but certainly much easier. Used 3 times this year in the UK with no problems to date.

Only concern is that I have a friend who had an Outwell Concorde beam explode on him whilst in France this year (also note a couple of other instances documented on here)

Fortunatley he has been sen a replacement, but correspondence from Outwell has informed him that if it is expected to be hot, air should be let out to allow for air expansion. Which will mean as it cools in the evening then surely a little air will need to be added?

Not a massive issue, but does mean that you effectively have to monitor your tent and weather, where as will poles it is pitch and forget.

ladycake

04/9/2015 at 5:04pm
Location: norfolk
Outfit: vango tempest 200 icarus 500

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poles. easy to repair! and cheap!

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gym bunny hugs!

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caral

04/9/2015 at 6:41pm
Location: Oxfordshire
Outfit: Vango Capri 500 Airbeam & Zetes 300

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Air for us.

I'd just posted why I chose air here, but basically, it's because we live in an apartment, very little space to pitch the tent outside and our air tent can be pitched (with some jiggling and clearly, not fully erected) inside, in our living/dining room.

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2015: Somerset, Highlands, New Forest (12 nights)
2016: France (in plan)

Keith1987

04/9/2015 at 8:04pm
Location: Gateshead Kibblesworth
Outfit: Outwell Vermont 7SA

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Thanks for some message

One of my mate said he noticed all the air tent are low height, compare the poles tents...

I went to GoOutdoors, test the Airgo Nimbus 8 Tent and realise its low height than some poles 8 berth..

Is there any air tent height are similar as the Outwell Vermont XLP?

VangoMan02

04/9/2015 at 8:21pm
Location:
Outfit:

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Pole for me, easy cheap fix if anythng goes wrong.

Air is great but longevity not really tested, would leaks be easy to find and repair by the average camper?

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It is a wise man who has something to say.
It is a fool who has to say something.

foggers

07/9/2015 at 9:35am
Location: Sheffield
Outfit: Cabanon Guadeloupe Zephyros3

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Poles, because of the extra bulk and weight of air tents. My partner is disabled so our tent has to be manageable by me on my own for those days when he can't help. We looked at air tents ( poly cotton) for that reason but the price and weight put us off. If it had not been for those factors, we would have gone for aN Outwell Concorde M.
Our canvas Cabanon Guadeloupe is spacious enough for us two, and a doddle for me to pitch single handed.... It is easy to handle as it splits into two bags, and the second hand price (£300) suited our budget too.

Your worries about airbeams are mainly unfounded. This technology has been around for a few years now and it has been developed and refined through time. Nothing is perfect, and there are lots of very good points being made about how we all weigh up the factors that are important to us in tent choice. I hope you find your way to a happy decision!

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