Introduction
After camping in Cornwall last year in a borrowed tent that was small, difficult to pitch and didn’t have a fully sewn in ground sheet we decided it was time to invest in a tent of our own. As we only really go camping for long weekends, we just wanted something that was easy to pitch, big enough for 2 people but spacious and plenty of room to move around in, also good value for money and not too expensive.
Preferably when looking for a new tent we wanted an air tent after we have heard such good things and we all know trying to pitch a tent with poles can be somewhat stressful, well in my experience anyway. We have looked at air tents in the past and know that these can be quite expensive. So, when we found this Kampa air tent which was in our price range it was a perfect option
Let’s get into the review….
In the bag?
Tent, pumps, pegs, manual and repair kit
Package Weight 27.8kg
Plastic pegs, grey and yellow.
Pitching the tent
With Kampas Air Frame technology pitching this tent is very quick and easy. The one thing I used to dread when going camping is pitching the tent, but not anymore. We have used this tent twice now, both times it was quite windy and the second time it was raining so the reduction in pitching time compared to a traditional poled tent is a big advantage.
The pitching time of this tent is advertised as 10 – 20 mins, I would say pitching the main tent took us around 20 – 30mins but I’m sure the more practice we have the quicker it will be.
To pitch the tent first off all we laid down the footprint, the tent doesn’t come with the footprint as standard, but we purchased the footprint as a bundle deal with the tent (will explain further on in the review).
We then rolled out the tent and pegged it down, once the pegs are in its time to inflate the tent. There are 4 air beams that need pumping up and one fiberglass pole for the front canopy. The tent comes with a hand pump with a psi gauge. To inflate the beams is as simple as attaching the pump to the valves and pumping ensuring you don’t go over the psi. The beams are inflated in no time. When inflating the beams i would recommend someone going inside the tent and pushing the beams up when half inflated. The tent does come with 1 pole for the front canopy which you feed into the tent and peg down. There is a separate ground sheet for the front canopy which also needs pegging down. The bedrooms are already attached to the inside of the tent so that’s one less job!
Once the tent is Inflated and fully pegged to the ground, the guy ropes can now be pegged down to ensure the tent is secured and sturdy. The guy ropes are neon yellow so can easily be seen.
We purchased the vestibule as part of the bundle deal, this was also easy to pitch, it simply zipped onto the front canopy and come with its own ground sheet.
Overall pitching it simple, quick and easy. So, you can get on with the more exciting stuff!
The video above shows part of the pitching process, as it was raining, and my tripod broke it proved difficult getting all the footage. A full video will be coming soon, follow us on Instagram or sign up to receive updates.
Packing up the tent
Like pitching the tent, packing away the tent is relatively easy although trying to get everything back into the bag can be tricky and let’s face it it’s never going to be as neatly packed as when you first got the tent. I think this is a problem with most tents though.
Saying that packing is not that bad, to take down the tent (once everything out) we removed all the guy ropes from the ground (a peg extractor is a must) and tied them up so they don’t get tangled up and makes it easier for when we next pitch the tent. Next, we unpeg the ground sheets for the vestibule and front canopy and fold/roll remove all pegs from the tent and remove the pole. Now for the fun and easy part – deflating the tent, to deflate the tent just open the valves and the air comes out within seconds (got to admit it did make me jump the first time), easy!
Next is folding an rolling up the tent to fit it in the bag, the way we like to do it is to have the bag near by so when we are folding and rolling we can make sure the tent will fit in the bag. We fold the tent in sections towards the valves so it pushes the air out, each section we push as much air out as we can. We keep folding till we have the correct size for the bag, once folded we roll up the tent as tightly as possible.
Once rolled up we tie the tent up to keep it in place, the tent does come with ties however we have had to tie them together to fit around the tent or just not use them at all. There are bags to keep your pegs in, so they are all together.
The first time we packed away the tent we managed to get everything back in the bag including the pump etc. The second time we didn’t manage to get everything in but I’m sure practice makes perfect.
We also keep the vestibule attached to the tent when packing
Design & Exterior
This tent has a tunnel design, the material is made from your standard polyester however this one is quite thick and good quality compared to some other air tents I looked at. The material is described as 150D Weather shield, hydrostatic head 6000mm, fire Retardant & UV protected.
The tent has ventilation points at both front and the rear of the tent and a large canopy at the front of the tent with its own ground sheet. The canopy is a decent size compared to some other tents I looked at around the same price which also provides you with a covered entrance to the tent.
We also purchased the vestibule as part of a bundle deal, the vestibule provides even more space so if you use your canopy for extra storage then everything is enclosed and safe. Personally, I think the vestibule is a must for the tent.
The tent also has a side mesh door, so great for ventilation and keeping the bugs out. The tent also has 2 large windows at each side as well as windows facing the front of the tent.
The Main tent has a fully sewn in ground sheet which is a must for me, it keeps out the bugs and drafts. Pitching and packing is also easier as its altogether. As explained in pitching the tent the canopy part and vestibule have their own ground sheets.
Inside the tent
Through the main door leads to a spacious living area, the size of the living area is more than enough space for storage, sitting in etc. Compared to other similar tents around the same price I would say the living area of this tent was up there on space. The living area has large clear windows which allows natural light into the tent, all windows in the tent can be covered with the blinds which are stowed beneath the windows if you want more privacy. You can even have then open halfway or fully closed.
The living area also has a cable entry point for electric hook-up, however there is only one so depending on where the hook-up is and how long your cable is you may need to think about how you arrange your living space.
As part of our bundle we have the carpet for the living area, I think this is a must, its comfortable to walk on and protects your ground sheet.
Towards the rear of the tent is the sleeping area, there are two doors to the bedrooms. The material of the bedrooms is darker, limiting the amount of light coming in, which is great for early morning. The divider between the bedrooms can be removed for a flexible sleeping arrangement. The inner tent for the sleeping area also has organiser pockets.
Inside the tent there are also places to hang lights, including a hook and Velcro depending on type of your light.
Where to buy / Price/ Bundle deal / Additional Extras
We purchased the tent from Winfield’s outdoors, I’m pretty sure this is exclusive to Winfield’s as I couldn’t find this tent anywhere else online.
Price for tent alone: £589.99 (RRP £750)
Bundle 1 – Tent, Carpet and Footprint: £619.99 (was £649.97)
Bundle 2 – Tent, Carpet, Footprint & Vestibule: £689.99 (was £729.99)
Carpet: £29.99 (RRP £39.99)
Footprint: £29.99 (RRP £39.99)
Vestibule: £79.99 (RRP £89.99)
Finance options are available at 0% APR
We went for bundle 2 and would highly recommend, the footprint is a must to protect your tent from stones etc, the carpet protects your ground sheet and provides comfort and the vestibule provides more space and security. Also saves you money buying as a bundle.
Summary / Overall verdict
Overall, I think this tent is great value for money and worth the money. I would highly recommend buying this tent as a bundle. For our needs this tent is just the right size for us and just what we were looking for, easy to pitch, spacious and affordable.
Yes, if money was no option or if your budget is £1000+ then there are some other great tents out there, but if you are looking for an air tent that is under £700 pounds. I think this is a great tent for beginners, couples and small families.
Rating
Value for money
Overall
Comments