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Topic: To airtent or not to airtent? And which?

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TheMouse

18/2/2019 at 10:29pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: Cabanon Estoril. but seeking update

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With a heavy heart, we have decided that the time may have come to replace our beloved old Cabanon Estoril...

We were initially thinking along the lines of the Vango Orava 600XL.

On the other hand, we are now continually being seduced by targeted ads for the OUTWELL CHATHAM 6A. We feel a little nervous about the idea of air tents, but idea of the Outwell seems incredibly attractive, with such quick and easy pitching. But the lack of reviews yet makes it a bit of a gamble.

Is the airtent model becoming established as a reliable way forward now?

Any thoughts (or alternate suggestions) would be gratefully received!

The £750 mark is really the top of our budget. We're looking for 3 separate sleeping compartments, as the kids don't want to share.

Thank you!!

Post last edited on 18/02/2019 22:37:02

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Francais

via mobile 18/2/2019 at 10:52pm
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The only air tent that I would consider is the Karsten, all the rest are poor imitations of the concept.

Thankfully as our tent is a Cabanon Cotton tent with ZiG, changing to an air tent is something that I don't have to consider.

TimCESmith

via mobile 18/2/2019 at 11:10pm
Location: London
Outfit: Karsten 350 + SE CA EA RA FW & ZIG

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I’d check the second hand market for 2016 or later air tents. 2016 is pretty much when they stopped exploding, so no you don’t need to worry about them as a technology.

There are many, many posts on here about how air tents are fab / rubbish / only Karstens are good enough, but I’d say the thing to be aware of is the bulky pack size and weight. You can’t separate them into two bags, so they pack big and heavy.

Also, might your children be ready for pup tents of their own? It would widen your options.

Good luck and let us know what you go for.

lidds0

via mobile 19/2/2019 at 7:54am
Location: Yorkshire
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The two models you've linked to are both polyester, the tent you're thinking of replacing is breathable cotton canvas. First thing to think about, surely, is if you'd be happy with that trade-off.

Yours has a strong and dependable steel frame, albeit bulky and heavy. Those 2 models have air beams which make the pack size bulky and heavy. Would I personally like to entrust my hols to those particular airbeams? Nope. Karsten are the only ones I'd trust as much as I trust the performance of a Cabanon tent.

Pegging and buying on those two models will be the same (if not more) than on the Cabanon.

The only obvious benefit (from my perspective) is the SIG.

It's horses for courses and we all make our own minds up about what sort of tents we prefer. What one person loves, another might not like at all. Can you go to a display and get a feel for the tents you're interested in?

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woodman2

19/2/2019 at 8:37am
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For what it is worth, I am a firm believer in the old adage

"Just because you can, does not mean you should"

Technology constantly develops bringing "New" ideas to the market, and not all of them are improvements on the existing ways of doing things.

Air tents are a perfect example of this. Some people will always buy these tents because they are "new" and therefore perceived to be better.

I personally would never touch one with a barge pole.

TheMouse

via mobile 19/2/2019 at 8:41am
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Outfit: Cabanon Estoril. but seeking update

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Thanks v much for the input into the problem!

It's a hard call as we haven't really got the budget to replace the Cabanon with the modern equivalent, quality wise. On the other hand, the vast majority of tents we see around us seem to be this sort of thing, so we figured they are probably OK?

We had a crisis last summer, when my husband did his back in, and I had to take down the cabanon by myself (with the 'help' of my oldest daughter). Even with both of us, it still takes such a long time. And I'd love a SiG!

I wonder what we'd have to spend to get something approaching comparable?

TheMouse

via mobile 19/2/2019 at 8:46am
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Outfit: Cabanon Estoril. but seeking update

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We're not stuck onairtent of course - it just looks like an interesting idea. We're just looking for the best (and easiest) big tent for the budget.

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woodman2

19/2/2019 at 10:11am
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Have you checked out the "free adverts" section of this site?

I would certainly consider a second hand tent.

Some people try camping and find it is not for them so sell virtually new tents at bargain prices.

Take a look.

TheMouse

19/2/2019 at 11:45am
Location: None Entered
Outfit: Cabanon Estoril. but seeking update

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That is a good point. I've had a wanted advert for a Cabanon Awaya or Biscaya on this site for a couple of years now, but I don't think those tend to come up second hand very often! Maybe I should bump it up though.

woodman2

19/2/2019 at 12:03pm
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What about this?

https://www.gumtree.com/p/tents/cabanon-montpellier-6-man-tent/1329565591

Don't know how old it is, but can't be bad for £100.

TheMouse

19/2/2019 at 1:38pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: Cabanon Estoril. but seeking update

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Hehe, thanks for the suggestion but that's exactly the kind of thing we're looking to move on from!

Ideally looking for something significantly easier to pitch, with integral groundsheet. Wondering how likely we'd be to regret it, if we went for something like the two I linked to in the very first post...

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Marshyson

via mobile 19/2/2019 at 8:14pm
Location: Hampshire
Outfit: Royal Barcelona Vangos Sunncamp & E

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Just a suggestion, but have you looked at royal tents, I've got a Barcelona 6 and its a very big and very well equipped tent, sadly no longer made, but they make others like the Charlecote 6. I think you may get one of those for your budget.

fin676

19/2/2019 at 10:23pm
Location: Banffshire
Outfit: 2008 Adria Twin

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I have had 2 air beam tents the first was a vango dont remember the exact model but a 450 only ever used it in Scotland easy to pitch waterproof stood up to strong winds was a bit of a pest to get back in the bag only issue was door was on the side so when raining and door was open the groundshhet got wet
Then got a kampa breen 4 air which was a similar size but had the door on the end with a small canopy over it so i could cook outside without the groundsheet getting flooded
the vango was the better quality but the kampa stood up well
wife made me sell both when we bought a campervan so now when camping back to a 20 year old lidl special offer tent with a dome and tunnel but is a pain faffing about with the poles but as it is still watertight we will use it

But give me an airbem tent any day for ease and speed of pitching
It is possible to get a tent at a reduced price at a show and you get a good day out looking at all the latest stuff for oudoor living

Brian

Broadside

via mobile 19/2/2019 at 10:37pm
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We are a family of 5 and have been camping with an 8 man tent for the last 7 years. 3 years ago we switched away from pole tents to air and would not look back.

The pole tent was a 2 person job every time to pitch and take down, the air tent I can do single handed in half the time.

Your link to the Outwell tent looks good, I think that is a lot of tent for the money, Outwell’s 2019 range has come down in price a lot and I think the new styling looks really good.

WeeAlD

via mobile 20/2/2019 at 11:00am
Location: Glasgow
Outfit: Airgo horizon 4 tent

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Returned to tenting after a break of about 10 years. Previous tents included. Canon Rotunda when the kids were with us (even the kids had to help erect it and take it down)
When it was just myself and my wife we bought a 4 berth Hawley Goodall cotton frame tent and then moved to a nylon tunnel tent. It was the Marechal Vario 5 as reviewed by this site.
Now we have an Airgo Solus 4 (bought at a very good price) from GO Outdoors.
Been away a couple of times so far and absolutely delighted with it. So easy to erect compared to the fiddling with the poles. Also a SIG makes it so cozy and draft free.

Messy71

20/2/2019 at 1:04pm
Location: Essex
Outfit: Voyager 6 Elite

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Air tents or poles? Ok, here are some pros and cons for both:

Air tents: Pros- ease of pitching, strong in the high winds and the technology is far more reliable than when they first came on the market. Cons - higher in price, larger pack size and heavier to lift.

Pole Tents: Pros - cheaper, smaller pack size, poles can be carried separately if pack weight is a problem. Cons - takes longer to put up, can be weaker in very strong winds.

In my dream world (where my bank account generates money out of thin air, our car is a Tardis and our muscles belong to Superman) we would have a polycotton air tent. In reality, we have a nylon pole tent and get on just fine

Some people will swear blind that one type is better than the other, but really it's just down to which suits your needs and fits your budget best. . .

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