6 Best Inflatable Tent
Joshua Keaton
These days, inflatable camping tents are getting more and more popular. The best inflatable tent out there is giving anyone easier access to unforgettable outdoor adventures. No need to be tech-savvy or a camping maniac to enjoy it. Suffices to know how to use a manual pump, and the rest will flow.
If you think of it, an air beam tent is perfect for anyone who’s just starting to explore nature. But there’s so much more about it! Even those with experience will find it an attractive option, more often than not.
Would you pass on a light yet still sturdy, reliable tent? One that can be up and fully functional in under 3 minutes, instead of the average 30-minute pitching speed of traditional tents? And what do you know! You can benefit all that without having to make any compromises in terms of durability and impermeability.
Rest assured, the list of benefits doesn’t even come close to an end with everything from above. If we’ve gotten your attention, there’s still one thing you need to be aware of. Camping with a blow up tent can be an outstanding experience only if you pick the best model!
How do you do that, you wonder?
Size
You will want your inflatable air tent to serve you as well as a standard one. From this perspective, consider how many persons will use it. And pick the size that best suits your needs and camping style. You’ll get options of up to 5 or 6 people, even more. But, also, compact tents to fit one, maximum two persons.
As a special note, don’t just look at the tent’s capacity, as rated by the manufacturer! Consider that this one leaves no room for recreational space or for your gear and clothes. If you pack lightly, it might not be a problem. But do you usually take lots of things with you? Then you’d better analyze all the size and capacity details, before picking your air inflatable tent!
Weight
Lightness is one of the top benefits of an inflatable camping tent. There are models on the market weighing as little as 15 pounds. Yet you’ll also find options at 30 pounds, or even more than that.
One thing you should consider, though, is always to make comparisons for the tents from the same category. For instance, 30 lbs can look like too much if it’s a 4-person tent. Still, for a 6-8-person air evolution-inflatable tent, it is a great deal!
Ease of Use
Here’s one thing that may not be too obvious for first-time users. The best inflatable tent comes with the convenience of a fast setup. You push the pump, and it stands up in a few minutes. You will still need to peg it down and secure it with guy ropes.
All these considered, ease of use can also depend on the type of pump you have at hand. While you won’t get a self inflate tent, most pump up tents come with their pump in the package, usually a manual one. However, some have a double action pump. This means it inflates the tent with every single move, not just when you push down on it.
Protection
Some tend to believe that inflatable camping will offer you little protection, leaving the tent to blow in the wind. That’s not the case, at all! At least not when you pick a good quality tent. Sure, you can expect it to flex and sway with the wind. But this will spare you from the troubles of snapped poles that you get with traditional models.
What’s more, the best blow up tents out there should be waterproof and windproof. Some are even fire retardant, which is yet another great feature. If you’re also getting UV protection and mosquito nets with it, you’re looking at a great blow up tent for camping.
6 Best Inflatable Tent
3. Crua – Core Dome Tent
2. Kelty – Sonic 6-Person Airpitch Tent
1. Moose Outdoors – Inflatable Tent
4. Vango – Airbeam Odyssey 400 Inflatable Tent
5. SereneLife – Inflatable Camping 2 in 1 Airbed Tent
6. Vango – Airbeam Portland Air
Crua – Core Dome Tent
This blow up dome tent features a dome-style structure and relies on inflatable beams. It was designed with three large main doors and three other smaller doors. It has a 192 x 144 x 90 inches footprint with 192 ft2 floor space and weighs 33 lbs. The peak height goes up to 90 inches.
As a core product, it is compatible with all the other tents from the Crua Clan Complete tent set. This means that you can use the three small doors to attach other Duo tents to it. Plus, you can also attach your vehicle to one of the doors.
Extremely versatile, this air tent camping option provides you with a breathable, fire retardant polyester. It features excellent water resistance, measured to HH5000mm. And it is effortless to set up and lightweight, thanks to its airframe structure. Among the welcomed details, you get jumbo zips and a B3 bug mesh.
Raising to the expectations of all Crua tents, this is not a cheap inflatable tent. It facilitates climate control, sound dampening, and blackout levels. The inside temperature is stable. Its sound protection is great for busy campgrounds. And the blackout levels are helpful for sleeping late in the morning.
With such an inflatable tent, camping will be a pleasure. Whether you go hiking or fishing, to the beach or to a festival, it’s a must-have!
Pros
- Relies on air beam technology.
- Versatile and capable of accommodating up to 6 persons.
- Facilitates excellent ventilation with its three huge doors.
- Will fit even the taller persons without any problems.
- Features a generous porch.
Cons
- The pump adaptors disconnect a tad easily when inflating it.
- A bit on the pricey side.
Our Take
Kelty – Sonic 6-Person Airpitch Tent
If you enjoy outdoor group activities, a 6-person pump up tent like this one from Kelty Sonic is a great choice. Designed as a single-wall, large volume tent, it comes with a floor area of 100.5 ft2. Clearly, up to six persons can sleep comfortably inside, which makes it an outstanding choice for family camping, in particular.
The tent measures 164 x 72 x 106 inches and weighs 18.81 pounds. Setting it up requires to simply lay it out on a clean, flat surface, and stake its four corners. Then, you check the valve, to make sure it’s firmly screwed in. You attach the hose of the pump that comes with it and start pumping. The air poles will start rising right away.
All in all, it goes up or down super-fast. The structure with air poles makes it safer in case you have kids running around it. And the wide-open room allows for a great experience to snuggle late at night. Air tent camping is about to become your favorite activity once you get it.
Pros
- Very easy to set up and inflate, but also to take down.
- Comes with a high-volume floor pump.
- Flexible yet strong structure with Kelty AirPoles.
- Made of sturdy 68-denier polyester.
- Comfortably accommodates up to 6 persons.
Cons
- Doesn’t come with a rain fly.
- Not the ideal choice for those who want more intimacy.
Our Take
Moose Outdoors – Inflatable Tent
One of the best inflatable tent options out there, this model from Moose Outdoors stands out through a couple of highly-attractive features. It was designed to host up to 4 people, measuring 106 x 51 x 126 inches at 15 pounds. Some say even a kid can set it up, and the fact that it comes with its own air pump is undoubtedly a nice addition.
Aside from its ease of use, this inflatable camping tent is built to last and make you feel good. Like all the tents manufactured by Moose, it boasts this durable ripstop tenting fabric. And provides 3000MM water resistance and wind resistance for winds of up to 33 mph. The sewn-in groundsheet protects not only against moisture and cold, but also nasty bugs.
It provides extra comfort on the inside. And it is packed with new technology that only adds up to an unforgettable outdoor experience. The Air Flow technology lets the air circulate easier, keeping it cooler throughout the day and warmer at night! Without a doubt, this tent will suit all occasions.
The fact that it stands up in as little as three minutes makes it even more irresistible. And all these are coming from a model you cannot call a cheap inflatable tent, though it certainly brings a lot of value for the money.
Pros
- Comes with its own air pump in the package.
- Made of waterproof and windproof breathable material.
- Ground floor protected with sewn-in groundsheet.
- Features the QwikFrame and AirFlow technologies for extra comfort.
- Comes with excellent customer support.
Cons
- Not as spacious as the manufacturer claims.
- Can be challenging to make it fit in the bag again, once deflated.
Our Take
Picking the best inflatable tent isn’t easy. There are many models out there, with similar features and functionalities, from reputable manufacturers fighting for supremacy. However, the Moose Outdoors Inflatable Tent has taken the lead. And we’re more than confident about it as a winning product.
It doesn’t just pack all the right features, but it also comes with unparalleled customer support. Here’s what else you, too, are going to love about this inflatable air tent, compared to other products:
- Satisfaction guaranteed with a full three-month warranty.
- Made of durable ripstop fabric for superior resistance.
- Boasts Moose’s industry-leading QwikFrame.
- Packed with all the right protection systems:
- waterproof
- windproof
- fire-resistant
- UV proof
- low temp resistant
- high temp resistant
- mosquito resistant
- Package includes tent & air pump, carrying bag & instruction sheet, tent stakes & extra patches.
- Provides great value for its price point.
Vango – Airbeam Odyssey 400 Inflatable Tent
Vango is one of the reputable air beam tent manufacturers out there. This Airbeam Odyssey 400 model is certainly worth all the consideration for many reasons. It relies on a three-beam structure, easy to stand up. And it provides two king-size bedrooms at the full stand up height of a living room! It weighs 34 pounds, and the sleeping surface only is 82 x 110 inches.
The tent is built with the Sentinel Active+ fabric technology. This makes it highly waterproof (4000MM), reliable and durable. The manufacturer also praises a new design concept that places the beams in a pre-angled position. Sitting like that rather than in a standard curve, it provides greater internal space. Plus, it’s supposed to brace more effectively against winds.
You’ll enjoy darker fabrics to light out the bedroom, and diamond clear windows that maximize light in the other areas of the tent. For more privacy, you can always roll up the toggled privacy curtains. And through it all, you’ll be sitting on a fully sewn-in groundsheet. This one is attached to the flysheet with an external storm.
As you can see, it comes with pretty much everything you need for a comfortable inflate camping experience.
Pros
- Facilitates easy and intuitive setup and includes a pump in the package.
- Interesting design with pre-angled beams for additional internal space.
- Versatile 2-room concept that can be switched to one room.
- Relies on a strong, rigid structure with a fully sew-in groundsheet.
- Made of 70 denier polyester flysheet, waterproofed.
Cons
- No way to prop the door into a canopy.
- Water dripping from the top runs down towards the doors.
Our Take
SereneLife – Inflatable Camping 2 in 1 Airbed Tent
If you want more than a tent, consider this SereneLife Outdoor air tent camping model. It’s both an air tent and an air bed. So, aside from the blow up tent, you’ll be getting an integrated airbed, and a manual hand pump. The 2 self-adhesive repair patches will probably come in handy, sometime, though not too soon. This tent is not meant to break that easily!
At nearly 18 lbs, it measures 82.5 x 52 x 51 inches in total. The airbed takes up 82.5 x 52 x 10 inches. And since it is made of heavy-duty PVC and polyester, it can support a maximum weight of 450 lbs. It has this sturdy coil beam construction with windproof and waterproof materials. So, come rain or wind, it will still provide an outstanding inflatable tent camping experience.
As one of the simplest and most intuitive models you’ll find, it has lots of utilities. You can consider it for camping and all the outdoor ventures out there. But it is also great for quickly setting up a spare bed when you have out-of-town guests. If any of these are on your list, consider this instant blow up tent for camping.
Pros
- Comes as a complete camping set with hand pump included.
- Both the tent and the integrated mattress are inflatable.
- Portable and lightweight, it also features instant set-up.
- Versatile and suitable for either indoor or outdoor use.
- Properly supports your spine and allows comfortable sleeping.
Cons
- Only one person will comfortably sleep in it.
- No windows.
Our Take
Vango – Airbeam Portland Air
Are you looking for a small and lightweight inflatable air tent when packed? One that you can carry around for all your outdoor activities? This model from Vango can be a good choice, as it fits these criteria, but also includes many other perks. For starters, it is a two-room tent with an internal door to separate the sleeping area from the living area.
It weighs 28.4 pounds in total. And it has an 82 x 118 inches dedicated surface for sleeping. According to the manufacturer, up to five people could be sleeping in there. Setting it up will be a breeze as the manual pump is a double-action model. So, there’s less effort for you when using this pump. The AirBeam structure will erect both with the forward and the back stroke.
Once set up, you’ll enjoy a comfy stay. Choose whether to link the groundsheet to the tent floor or not. And start unpacking your travel gear to put it in the inner tent pockets. Easy to clean, easy to maintain, it will probably be a top air beam tent choice with many of your travel adventures from now on.
Pros
- Inflatable tent, very easy to set up with its double action pump.
- Comes with a pump and a zipped handled carry bag, for easy transport.
- Provides maximum light and visibility with diamond clear windows.
- Ensures water and wind protection for additional comfort.
- Protects you from bugs and moisture with a linked-in groundsheet.
Cons
- Small learning curve for the first use.
- Could use better ventilation.
Our Take
