Best Air Tents in 2021

best air tents 2021 best inflatable tent uk usa australia

If you are looking to get a new air tent in 2021, its worth having a look around the market right now. There are some pretty great inflatable tents available at this time of the year on a heavily reduced price tag (if you are looking for the best air tents to buy), and as the new models will roll in there will surely be some bargains to grab too.

To find the best air tent, well, you need to consider a lot of factors.

  • How many of you are going to use the air tent?
  • How often are you going to use it?
  • In what weather conditions are you expecting to use it?
  • Are there any features that you insist on? Living space vs. sleeping area? Porch? Blackout Bedrooms?

Let’s have a look at the best air tents for each category:

Part 1 (This Post)

Part 2 – Best air tents / inflatable tents with blackout bedroom

Part 3 – Best air tents with sewn-in groundsheet

Part 4 – Best air tents in wind

Part 5 – Air tents with the largest porch

As I live in the UK, and the biggest choice of inflatable tents can probably be found in the UK, don’t be surprised that the tents mentioned in this article may not be available in your country. In that case, as far as I could dig into it, I tried to highlight the next best alternative.

Those findings – for inflatable tents in the US and air tents in Australia – are highlighted after each section.

Best Air Tents for Couples in 2021

You have plenty of options to choose from: the list starts with the minimalist end of inflatable tents with one bedroom and a small porch area for the hiking gear; and you can spend the price of a used car on a high-tech air tent with extraordinary weather protection and premium features.

When recommending the best air tent for 2, I tried to limit myself to recommending 4-person tents. There is always the option to buy something bigger. So for the sake of this review, my limit is 4-person size (they are never that big).

As the air will be small enough for you to carry in hand, in case you can’t access the campsite by car, you can literally have any tent fabric you like from polyester to polycotton.

What you need to consider though, is that how often you are going to lay out / unpack your air tent. If you are going to move a lot, then you’d probably better off looking for a polyester tent. When it gets wet, polyester is slightly quicker to dry out compared to polycotton tents, so you can be on your way earlier in the morning.

On the other hand, if you plan to use you inflatable tent in colder / windier weather, it may be wiser to pick one with thicker, polycotton fabric that has better insulating properties.

Best budget option(s)

The Airgo Air Genus is the absolute low and you can get, in terms of price and in terms of quality / size. So if you are on a budget, the Eurohike Genus 400 is probably you’re best friend for a starter. My detailed review of the Air Genus 800 may give you an idea of what you can expect (the Air Genus is a 2019 model, the Eurohike is a 2020 model)…but always bear in mind that we are talking about the cheapest air tent on the market.

Related posts:

If you think it’s too risky, the Eurohike Air 400 is much superior in every aspect, and only a slightly more expensive. (Detailed review on the Air 400 here). I was also glad to notice that GoOutdoors now stock the Eurohike Air 400 at an introductory price, which is £50 cheaper than anywhere else.

inflatable tents usIn the US, the best budget option air tent for a couple is probably is the SereneLife Outdoor Inflatable Camping 2 in 1 Airbed Tent. It’s reasonable priced, easy to carry and the mattress is already included. Sadly, the air tent market in the US is nowhere near the huge choice that you can get in the UK or, even in Australia.

inflatable tents australiaThe best budget air tent in Australia for a couple is probable the Outdoor Connection Adventure Air Pole Tent sold by tentworld.com.au. It is small, there’s only one air beam that needs inflating so pitching is quick and easy. The tent is double layered, with a 100D thick 2000mm HH flysheet. It is surprisingly roomy, there’s more than 5 sqm inside which is more than plenty for 2 people and their gear. The whole pack weighs less than 8 kgs including the pump, so it is a nice little package for a very reasonable price.

The Middle Ground

Obviously, the largest group of inflatable tents, so it is really difficult to find something that’s THE BEST in every aspect.

If I was to pick one, without having any special requirements and I just wanted to enjoy the outdoors with my other half (and our dog maybe); and I didn’t want to worry about poor material quality, rainwater leaking in, collapsing roof in the middle of the night etc.

So a decent air tent that would probably last longer than this summer.

I must stress that there are 10 other air tents that I could have picked…but I think that the Kampa Kielder 4 is the best in the ‘middle-ground’ category. To be fair, it could be in the ‘Best Air Tent for 4’ selection too. (Detailed review of the Kielder 5 here)

The Kampa Kielder 4 has large blackout bedrooms, a normal size living room (plenty for having the gear protected from weather, plus have a table and a couple of chairs too), and a smaller porch too (in case the gear is too mucky).

The specs are pretty awesome: sewn-in ground sheet, 6000mm HH waterproof 150D (that’s thick) flysheet with Weathershield protection. The flysheet is light grey so it lets plenty of light in, there’s a large plexy window on side, mesh door on the other side, and a large front door to the porch.

The whole tent feels airy, yet durable. And it’s right at the middle of the ‘mid-range’ price tag, you will struggle to find any air tent that has better specs and not twice as expensive as the Kampa Kielder 4.

inflatable tents usIn the US, the best mid-range air tent for a couple is probably is the Moose Outdoors Inflatable tent for 4 person. Well, it’s not big enough for 4, as the sleeping area is only 245cms wide, and 60cm per head is…well…not that roomy. But it is great for 2 people and their gear, or even for a third person. There’s a small porch too. It’s still not big enough for you to stand up in it, but the 130 cms internal height means that you can comfortably sit / change clothes etc. The pricing is more than reasonable, especially if you take into account the sewn-in groundsheet (the ground sheet under the porch can be rolled up), the UV resistance, the increased wind-resistance (up to 33 mph), and the Rip-stop tent walls, which is not common at all in this price category.

inflatable tents australia

Although Kampa have an Australian website (ikamp.com.au), unfortunately, I couldn’t find any retailer who’d stock Kampa / iKamp products. Kampa seems to have a warehouse in Sydney though, but I couldn’t see how you could place an order, if it is possible at all. But shed no tears, there are plenty of other options for a mid-range air tent for a couple in Australia.

The OZtrail Air Pillar 4V Dome for example. It is a 4-person air tent, so but as I am writing this review you can buy it with 50% discount. Surprisingly, it is big enough for 4 persons, leaving 68 cms for each, but there’s only one bedroom. So I’d rather chuck a large air mattress / camping beds in it and still have plenty of space for the backpacks. There is a reasonably big living area / porch as well (around 5 sqm).

The Best Air Tent for 2 persons in 2021

Again, a bit of a stretch but let me tell you the reason why I picked the Outdoor Revolution Edale 4. It does not have some of the features that you might be looking for in a tent of this price range such as full blackout bedrooms.

What makes it amazing is the polycotton flysheet. Staying in this tent would feel much more comfortable (and luxurious) than any other polyester air tents, purely because of the material of the flysheet.

In terms of living space, bedrooms etc. the Outdoor Revolution Edale is ‘average’: not too large, not too small but having just enough space for spending a long weekend anywhere.

If polycotton is not for you (eg. because you need to move more often or would like to carry the tent to distances by hand), then my secret favourite is the Sprayway Valley M. It is more than generous on the space inside, it has pretty high spec weatherproofing and fabrics, yet it is still easy to carry, easy to set up and easy to enjoy.

 

inflatable tents usIn the US, the best air tent for a couple – in my opinion – is the Vango Airbeam Portland 400 inflatable tent. Vango is a Scottish tent maker, and they were the first to come out with the airbeam design. So if someone, they can build air tents. Funnily, they were the first to come up with the idea of the ‘flysheet’ as such, to adapt their tents to the Scottish weather. The Vango Portland 400 has all the innovation and technical knowledge of Vango, yet, comes at a very good price. Honestly, the Portland 400 is not Vango’s best 4-berth tent, but as the supply is somewhat limited in the US…anyways.

The Portland Air 400 is a double-skin design, and uses 3 air poles. It takes about 8-10 minutes to fully inflate it, the bedroom is already inside the tent so it won’t get wet if you need to set camp when it is raining.

The 4-men capacity is a joke, in reality the Vango Portland is only comfortable for 2 and their gear. The flysheet has 3000mm HH rating for keeping rain water out, its UV resistant (UPF30+) and fire retardant. The groundsheet is linked in under the living room, the bedroom is bathtub style (sewn-in).

This reduces condensation inside the flysheet, but can be an issue if there are lots of insects around…

inflatable tents australia

I picked the Outdoor Connection Aria Elite 1 Air Pole Tent as the best air tent for 2. This tent – as far as I am aware – is only available in Australia. With its 100D flysheet its more robust than the OZtrail Air Pillar 4V, and the flysheet protects from UV and rainwater thanks to its 2000mm HH coating. It’s quite roomy inside: almost 9 sqm internal space (enough for 4 if needed), and 205 cm internal height makes your stay really comfortable. The front door can be used as a canopy and for a small amount you can buy an awning sidewall, adding more to the living space.

The Outdoor Connection Aria Elite uses only one air beam, so inflating takes less than 5 minutes.

Best Inflatable Tent (Air Tent) for 4 Persons in 2021

I must shoot above the 4-berth air tents if I’d like to recommend the best air tent for 4.

Sadly, there are only a few manufacturers whose 4-berth air tents are actually comfortable for 4. Unless, you really don’t mind sleeping on top of each other…then you can have a look at the tents in the previous section…

When looking for a tent for 4 persons (and not for a ‘4-person’ air tent), you also need some living space. There will be more gear that need the storage space, and you may want to have a proper ‘living area’ to enjoy spending time inside the tent when the weather forces you inside.

Budget option

The Eurohike Genus 800 is a great option for a family or a group of 4, if looking for the best 4-man air tent on a budget. Despite being sold as a 8-berth air tent, it really is not for 8. The two bedrooms face each other, which ultimately also limits the living space inside the tent.

You also need to compromise on the quality of the fabrics used and the groundsheet is not sewn-in either (however the bedrooms are ‘bath-tub’ style bedrooms so water can’t leak inside them).

Airgo Air Genus 800 - ideal for a for family on a budget

Airgo Air Genus 800 – ideal for a for small family on a budget

My full review on the Air Genus 800 and the Head-To-Head comparison of 8 person family air tents highlight some other options that are slightly more expensive (but the specs are better too).

If you would not want to compromise on quality, but still looking for a cheap alternative, then either the Eurohike Air 400 or the 4 person Vango tents like the Celino or the Amalfi could be good options for you.

inflatable tents usIn the US, the best budget option air tent for 4 is probably is the Vango Airbeam Odyssey 400. Its bigger and better than the Portland 400: you can fit 2 double beds in, one in each bedroom. The groundsheet is linked in, but the flysheet is thicker and the coating provides 4000mm HH rating. It is very reasonably priced, especially if you count in the exceptional weather resistance (including Vango’s patented TBS Tension Bend System that increases stability). Needless to say that the Vango Odyssey 400 is a full-height tent (185 cms headspace). Inflating takes around 8-10 minutes, the 3 airbeams inflate individually.

inflatable tents australiaAs the best budget air tent for 4 in Australia I picked the Zempire Jetset 5 inflatable tent, stocked by Wildearth. It is comfortable for 4, the design is a really simple 2-beam design. The tent is double layered, equipped with a 75D 5000mm HH flysheet.

There’s almost 8 sqm room inside which is just about enough for 4 people and their gear. There’s also a 7.8 sqm porch, but without groundsheet. This little tent for the New-Zealander manufacturer is more than ideal for 4 people on a very friendly price tag.

Middle ground

Again, quite difficult to choose. The mid-range entry is somewhere around the Outdoor Revolution Cruiz 4, and includes all the 4-person air tents that I mentioned in the section for the best air tent for couples. But if I recommended a 4 person air tent for couples, I should find something really outstanding (space, features) for the price, shouldn’t I?

So I picked the Outdoor Revolution Airedale 5.0 S, which has been awarded the Best Compact Family Tent before, and I must admit, not without a reason.

Outdoor Revolution Airedale 5 - plenty of space for a smaller family

Outdoor Revolution Airedale 5 – plenty of space for a smaller family

It’s a 5-person tent on paper, the bedrooms are split 3/2, so there’s a ‘main bedroom’ and a smaller 2nd bedroom. Perfect with kids.

The Airedale 5.0 is very generous on the living space: there’s a decent size living room and a large porch too. The tent is still lightweight (compared to its size), and it has acceptable weather protection provided by it’s robust 180HDE (high density) fabric flysheet. The PU coating provides 4,000mm² Hydrostatic Head and of course, the seams are fully taped throughout.

The Airedale range air tents feature large plexi windows and huge mesh frame doors.

inflatable tents usThe mid-range air tent for 4 is a Vango again, the Vango Airbeam Odyssey 500 Villa Tent. Its bigger and better than the Portland 400: you can fit 2 double beds, one in each bedroom. It is slightly bigger than the Odyssey 400, as one of the bedrooms is a master bedroom (180 cms wide), and the porch / living room is larger too, its 6 sqm. Otherwise the Airbeam Odyssey 500 Villa tent is very similar to the Odyseey 400: same flysheet, same Vango reliability, same weather-resistance.

inflatable tents australiaI picked another Zempire, the Zampire Aero TL Lite as the best mid-range air tent for 4 in Australia. It is comfortable for 4 with a decent size living area. The fabrics used are a good balance between weather performance and ease of use: 5000mm HH waterproof rating on the 70D flysheet (10,000mm HH sewn-in groundsheet) rain tested for 2hrs under 450mm p/hr of driving rain; and SPF50+ UV protection. The Zempire Aero TL Lite is still lightweight (21kgs) while there is 18.5 sqm internal area, plus a 5 sqm porch.

There are plenty of ventilation flaps to keep the air flowing (all meshed), so you can rest assured in all kinds of weather.

Best Air Tent for 4 in 2021

Picking the best air tent for 4, from the top of the range, surprisingly, has been the easiest so far. Because there are more expensive 4-person tents, but there aren’t any better than the Kampa Dometic Hayling 4 Classic Air Tent.

The Hayling 4 is probably the only tent on the entire list that has a the space for a normal double-mattress inside the bedrooms. And is probably the only inflatable tent on the list that is actually large enough for the people who are supposed to fit inside.

So the Hayling 4 is truly a 4-person air tent.

But the reason I picked it is because it is also a polycotton tent, yet, it’s only 2 kgs heavier than than the Airedale 5.0S for example.

The living area is average size for a 4 person tent (6 sqm), but there’s a large porch too.

Kampa Dometic Hayling 4 - Polycotton inflatable tent for the family

Kampa Dometic Hayling 4 – Polycotton inflatable tent for the family

There are plenty of optional extras – attention to detail – that separate the Hayling 4 Classic Air from the rest; like heavy duty straps, the wardrobe pole (for use with optional wardrobe pole to keep your clothes crease-free.) or extra hooks for internal lighting. You can also add a classic air canopy, classic air vestibule and air mesh vestibule, fitted fleece carpet and footprint.

If I wanted to cheat, I would recommend the Vango Keswick Air TC 600 Deluxe 6-person polycotton tent. Needless to say, its big enough for 4 persons (two bedrooms, 180 cm wide each – would be a bit tight for 3 persons in each). The living space is gigantic, bigger than my living room, and the Keswick Air TC 600DLX is equipped with everything we love Vango for: exceptional weather protection, reliability and build-quality.

VANGO Keswick 600TC XL

VANGO Keswick 600TC XL – Cannot beat the space

 

inflatable tents usThe best air tent for 4 currently available in the US is…Maybe its time we think outside the box.

A Kampa Hayling 4 Classic Air Pro, for example. A large 4-person polycotton air tent, state-of-the-art in it’s category. For an extra $100 on top of the retail price for shipping (and VAT depending on your State), you can have it for next weekend. OutdoorXL.com are a Dutch retailer and they happen to ship internationally via UPS. Have a look at the Hayling 4 Classic Air Pro, or browse their stock.

As for Australia, inflatable tents australiathe option above. Or, the Zempire Aero TL Pro, which is very similar to the Kampa 4-person polycotton tent in specs, but slightly bigger. It is a 5-berth tent, so more than roomy for 4 with a big master bedroom and a smaller second bedroom. The fabrics are just simply the best you can buy for money, and some features like the skyroof, the SPF100+ UV resistance or the 4 year warranty makes it – in my opinion – the best 4 person air tent in Australia.

Best Air Tent for 6 persons in 2021

It is getting more difficult, as there are more and more variations on the layout. 6 people can sleep in 2 or 3 bedrooms, but if you need space for storage and socializing then we are potentially looking for a 3-4 bedroom tent, with at least 6 sqm living space or more.

I discounted the Airgo Air Genus 800 straight away, for those reasons.

Budget option

Still for the price of a mid-range 4-person air tent, you should have a look at the Cruiz 6.0TXL. It has 3 bedrooms (although they are not very large), and an enormous living space that’s more than 10 sqm including the porch.

Why is it the budget option air tent for 6?

Well, there are some features that are not so great, compared to other 6-person air tents.

Outdoor Revolution Cruiz 6TXL

Outdoor Revolution Cruiz 6.0 TXL – 6-person air tent for the price of a 4-man tent

The flysheet is made of a 100HDE fabric which makes the Cruiz 6.0TXL lightweight and compact on one hand, but it’s rather thin and provides little insulation on the other hand. Although, the 3,000mm hydrostatic head coating and a fully sewn-in groundsheet provide complete waterproofing, so it’s not bad at all.

And again, for the price of a 4-person inflatable tent…my full review on the Cruiz range air tents here.

inflatable tents usIf the Vango Odyssey Airbeam 600 DELUXE was great as a 4-person air tent, it’s not bad as a 6-person inflatable tent either. It is not going to be very comfortable for 6 to sleep in it, but heyho. As I said the groundsheet is sewn in, the flysheet is more durable (150D) and it is very affordable, even though it comes from the UK. Detailed review on the 6-person Vango tents here – some of them can be bought in the US too via Amazon.

inflatable tents australiaThe best entry level 6-person air tent for Australians is the Outdoor Connection Aria Elite. Its quite a compromise: you have two spacious bedrooms, only, that one of it was supposed to be the living room. So it is comfortable for 6, but you need to remove bedding from the living room every morning. For the price, the space offered and the technical specs (which are really good) it can absolutely work.

Middle Ground

If the Cruiz 6.0 was the entry level into this category, than the middle ground is roughly everything else.

If you need a different layout – 3+3 for example, then the Outwell tents may be very interesting for you. There are 5 person and – more importantly – 7 person air tents in their range, which means that you can sleep 6 inside and there is still plenty of space for storage.

Prime examples are the Ridgewood and the Greenburgh 7A inflatable tents, which share a 3+3+1 layout.

Another example could be the Quechua Air Seconds 6.3, that has a strange 2+2+2 layout that I didn’t particularly like, but it could work for some people.

If I had to pick one that has great living space, decent size bedrooms and good specs on the fabrics used, I’d pick the Kampa Croyde 6 Air Pro Tent (2019 model) or the very similar Kampa Dometic Croyde 6 (2020 model).

Kampa Croyde 6 Air Tent

Kampa Croyde 6 Air Tent – Go for the PRO

The Croyde 6 has blackout bedrooms (3 of them, side by side) that are not large, but at least not the smallest on the market. The living area is almost 12 sqm without the porch. The porch is even larger, and the porch has groundsheet too (and you can roll it back, the groundsheet is sewn-in in the living area and under the bedrooms).

There’s the option to hang an extra inner tent, should you need the space for an extra person or to hide away clothing / gear.

The Weathershield Pro 150D fabric, 6000mm HH flysheet protects from UV too, and similarly to all Kampa air tents, the large plexi windows and the mesh doors give you a great airy feel to it when staying inside the tent.

inflatable tents usI wanted to recommend the Coleman Fastpitch Air Valdes 6XL, but despite it being listed on Amazon, it is actually out of stock as I am writing this review. What a shame! the Coleman Fastpitch Air Valdes 6 is a perfect mid-range 6-person air tent. The rooms have the Coleman patented full blackout feature, there is enough sleeping space for 6, there is a huge living room and a porch as well. The fabrics used are great (WeatherTec), it has a high waterproof rating and UV protection too.

inflatable tents australiaThe Vango Solaris 600 is a great little tent. I must admit, it may not be the perfect fit for 6 adults, and it only has 2 bedrooms with 60cms sleeping area for each adult, but the Solaris 600 is a great balance between price / space / functionality. You get a decent amount living space though, around 8sqm as a living room, and more under the porch too. You can relax in the ‘Lights Out’ darkened bedrooms, and rest assured that the Vango Solaris will stand in any weather: sewn-in groundsheet, ProTex70 4000mm HH flysheet, TBSII tension system to withstand winds up to 55mph.

Best Air Tent for 6 Person in 2021

I feel like I am getting repetitive, featuring the same brands all the time. It’s not on purpose, I swear. So I tried to picked as the best inflatable tent for 6 person in 2020 that has something unique, something different, something outstanding.

Zempire Aerodome III Pro Air Tent.

Zempire Aerodome III - the ultimate family tent

Zempire Aerodome III – the ultimate family tent

Zempire Aerodome III - the ultimate family tent

Zempire Aerodome III floorplan

I have nothing against other brands that I have not really mentioned yet, like Berghaus, but the Zempire Aerodome III Pro has the highest average, if it makes sense.

The bedrooms are big enough.

The living space is not the biggest, but almost 10sqm. And it has a large annex.

Then you have the outstanding specs like the 210D, 130T Rip Stop Poly Oxford flysheet with 10,000mm HH rain protection that is torrential rain tested.

So other air tents like the Vango Ventanas 650XL or the flagship model, the Anantara II 650 XL may have a larger main bedroom, but then the 3rd bedroom is only for kids. The living space is slightly smaller too.

The Berghaus Air 6XL has similar bedrooms, but those are not blackout bedrooms, they aren’t even darkened. Which may bother some of you, may be completely irrelevant for others.

So the Zempire Aerodome has the best or almost the best of everything.

inflatable tents usThe Outwell Woodburg 7A is a strange one. I wrote about it’s predecessor, the Greenburgh 7A in quite some details in this article here, and I was not happy about the price/value of the Woodburg 7A. Nevertheless, the Woodburg 7A is a great tent, especially if you don’t mind sleeping a bit ‘tighter’ and prefer having a huge living space instead.

inflatable tents australiaZempire Aero TXL Pro would be my first choice, but it is unavailable right now. The Zempire Aero TXL Lite is a great air tent too, with an optional 4th bedroom for 8 people. The standard bedrooms in a 2+2+2 layout are comfortable too, providing more than 75cms per person. They are just perfectly sized for a standard double airmattress, without pushing next to each other through the separators and pushing against the sides. The flysheet is waterproof with 5000mm HH and UV resistant (SPF50+). The Zempire Aero TXL Lite is a great value air tent for the price.

Best Air Tents for 8 person in 2021

Now it’s getting really interesting, as there are not too many 8-person inflatable tents on the market. I mean tents that are actually suitable for 8 persons, in real life, over days (nights); and not just on paper.

Budget option

There’s – again – the Airgo Air / Eurohike Genus 800 or the Airgo Mahora 8 if you only need a shelter for 8 people, and don’t mind not having space for anything else, including the gear.

Quite surprisingly, the first decent find on the cheaper side of the 8-berth air tent range was the Vango Longleat II 800XL Air at Winfields Outdoors or at Cotswold Outdoors.

Vango Longleat 800XL Air Tent

Vango Longleat 800XL Air Tent – Good Value for the price

The sleeping area is a bit tight, the living space is minimal (especially for 8 people), but its a Vango with sewn-in groundsheet and great weather-protection. You can also read a detailed head-to-head comparison with other similar 8-person family air tents under the link, including the Quechua Air Seconds 8.4 F&B.

inflatable tents australiaAnother Zempire, the Jetset 10 is a brilliant choice for 8 people for a very reasonable price.  I am honestly said that it is not imported to the UK right now, I think it would be very popular… It has a no-fuss design with 4 large bedrooms, more than fit for the purpose. Pitching only takes 10 minutes, which is absolutely fantastic for a tent of this size. The flysheet is waterproof with 5000mm HH and UV resistant (SPF50+).

Middle ground

Very similar in layout, but much bigger is the Quechua Air Seconds 8.4, sold by Decathlon.

It has quite good specs, including blackout bedrooms, decent size sleeping area, and 9 sqm living area that’s big enough for 8 people to be able to get in and out of the tent and chuck their gear somewhere.

The Quechua Air Seconds 8.4 has very good weather protection too, tested up to 60km/h wind speed in a wind tunnel.

Quechua Air Seconds 8.4

Quechua Air Seconds 8.4 – Looks smaller but it is actually bigger than the Vango Longleat II

There’s a 5-year warranty on Quechua tents too, so you don’t need to worry about quality issues that much.

My secret tip is a Vango again, although its pushing the roof of the ‘middle ground’ up a bit. the Vango Illusion TC800XL is a polycotton tent for the price of an 8-person polyester tent: all the other 8-bert inflatable tents (except for the ones in the ‘budget option’ bracket) are polyester tents, so in terms of value for money the TC800XL is on the top.

Vango Illusion 800TC Air - polycotton inflatable tent

Vango Illusion 800TC Air – polycotton inflatable tent

The Illusion TC800XL has got ‘normal’ size bedrooms 3 side-by-side and one extra hung in the living room. The living room is big enough too, more than 10 sqm but thanks to the different layout we have a large porch too.

inflatable tents australiaThe Outdoor Connection Aria Elite 3 is slightly more expensive than the Jetset 10. This is an open-plan tent too, with a large dedicated living at the center. Even if 8 people are accommodated inside there is more than 5 sqm social space, which is outstanding: the Aria Elite 3 is large on every measure. The pecs are not that spectacular but ‘do the job’: 2000mm HH waterproof rating on the 68D flysheet, UV protective coating, 40 kg total weight.

Best Air tent for 8 persons in 2021

Just to show, how good a deal the Illusion TC800XL is, the best air tent in this category is only 20cms better. Yes, the Kampa Dometic Studland 8 Classic Air Tent, looking at the specs only, has a 160cms wide master bedroom sitting at the bottom of the tent, the others are 140cm wide.

But in terms of living space, 4th bedroom, porch size, tent material, even weight… the Kampa Dometic Studland 8 Classic is almost identical to the 8-person Vango air tent.

The only difference that’s probably worth mentioning is how they feel…Vangos have always had a ‘military‘ feel to them, at least in my opinion. It may appeal to some of you, may not, I personally prefer the light and airy feel of the Kampa tents.

 

Kampa Dometic Studland 8 PRO

Kampa Dometic Studland 8 PRO

Whichever you pick, I am sure you’ll be using it happily for many years to come.

inflatable tents usThe Moose Outdoors Air Tent for 10 people is probable the only air tent in the US that is big enough for 8 people, and it’s not a bad one.

The flysheet has 3000mm HH waterproof rating, it is UV resistant. There are plenty of doors to access the tent from every direction and keep the air flowing through it. This minimizes condensation on cooler mornings. Sadly, the bedrooms almost entirely take up the living space; but as I said, the Moose Outdoors Air Tent is probably your only choice at the moment.

inflatable tents australiaThe Zempire Aerodome III Pro Air Tent is the penultimate of an 8 person inflatable tent. The master bedroom can be tricky for 4, but it’s just large enough for two mattresses. Plus you have two double bedrooms (normal size), on the sides, enclosing a 9 sqm living room. In addition to the living room, there is a large porch too. Needless to say that the Aerodome III Pro comes with the highest spec fabrics: 210D poly oxford ripstop flysheet with 8000mm HH waterproof rating, sewn-in groundsheet, UV protection.

Wrapping Up

That’s my selection of the best air tents for 2021, but as always: IT DEPENDS.

It depends on what you need the inflatable tent for, how often would you use it, where are you going to use it, how often you would carry it, for how long you would use it and by how many people etc…so there are a lot of factors you need to consider. To be honest I am not even sure that anyone could pick one air tent, that is THE BEST. 

Each has their own strength and weakness, not to mention subjective elements like design.

I hope though that you could find what you were looking for. For detailed reviews, use the menu or the tag cloud to navigate, or click here.

2 thoughts on “Best Air Tents in 2021”

  1. I’ve taken a bit of a gamble buying the Sprayway valley M air partly based on your comments, but there is very little info on the tent anywhere that I can find, and you can’t easily call up Winfields to have a chat about it. Whilst Sprayway know something about making stuff waterproof, tents are something relatively new, there isn’t even a mention on their website! Are there any reviews out there, have you got any first hand experience etc that you could share? I’m hoping I’ve stumbled across a relatively unknown bargain!

    1. Hi there,

      I haven’t got first hand experience. Yes, Sprayway don’t do an awful lot promoting their air tents! I think they had the prototype around 2016, and made tents before, but as you said, there’s not any other info on their tents.

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