We consider how easy it is to get into and out of the main entrances and sleeping compartments, how bright and roomy the living spaces are, and if we consider there to be enough room for the number of people intended to sleep in the tent. Four seems to be the theme of this inflatable tent – there are four airbeams in total which take a fair bit of pumping because of the height of the overall structure. There’s a lot of air in them there beams! Look at it as a bit of holiday exercise – you can always treat yourself to a glass of wine afterwards! Pitching time is around 20 minutes for all versions, and surprisingly it is fairly straightforward. As soon as the five airbeams are pumped up (hand pump included) then the main structure is automatically created and just requires pegging out and storm straps attached if required. Windows and Doors There are a few design points that it’s worth being aware of before you buy the Portal Alfa. The height is limited to 190cm (about 6ft2) in the front and 180cm (about 5ft 11) in the bedroom. This means that if you’re taller than this then you will be stooping a little inside. Not necessarily a massive issue, but worth pointing out. Secondly, the side windows in the lounge area are quite high up and not that large. Consequently, it can feel a little dark inside if the sun isn’t shining outside. The front windows are fine, but can be a little creased. However, for the price you are paying this is definitely not a bad compromise. Main lounge area (360cm x 2800cm) having large side and front doors, each with windows offering great visibility – Kampa use their ‘crystal clear’ tech for this and it works well.

There’s definitely plenty of room for a full size table and chairs to sit around and have a meal or play a game etc. and lets just say that if your camping consists of lots of inflatable sofas, furniture and big TVs – you will not be disappointed. There are also tents with inflatable poles. You'll need to pump up each pole individually, so it can take a bit of effort, but you can avoid trying to feed the poles through the tent canvas. The Kielder range comes with all the features we recommend for tents – they have an access flap for an electric hookup cable and exceedingly good waterprooofness – the hydrostatic head is 6000mm for the main tent and 10000mm for the groundsheet. You won’t be getting wet! In the living area, we used the carpet out of the Berghaus Telstar tent and it was almost a perfect fit.You'll want to ensure your tent footprint is the same size as the tent you're pitching – several manufacturers sell footprints specifically to fit certain tent models.

Tents with rigid poles made of stainless steel or aluminium are for building a rigid frame that will keep your tent sturdy in the wind. They can be heavier and more cumbersome to pitch, though. There is a great amount of size on offer here, with over 7 square metres of living space and 2.1 metres of standing room. The bedroom area is a suspended inner cotton tent and as mentioned above, is just a single room – you really are all in this together! Personally we prefer two separate bedrooms for adults and children, but that is very much a personal choice. We had no problems with light streaming in on a sunny morning and were able to sleep well. We highly recommend spending a little extra and also buying the carpet for the 6XL for a bit of added luxury underfoot. Let’s talk specs for the Joro. It comes in a rather natty blue colour and is reasonably similar in design to the Coleman Weathermaster 6XL.The main difference between the 6L and 6XL is the dimensions. The 6L measures 820cm (L) x 300cm (W) x 200cm (H). The 6XL switches this around a bit by being 740cm (L) x 440cm (W) x 215cm (H). As a family, we found the 6XL to be the better layout for the way we like to live in a tent. In Use Front porch area (380cm x 100cm) with decent ground sheet. Perfect for sitting on to remove muddy boots.

It's also a great area to set out some camping chairs from which to watch the world go by as the front of the tent again also has many different configurations but. An also be fully removed. The Vango comes with a decent pump as standard and there are five airbeams to pump up in total, taking around 15 minutes for full inflation if you’re being relaxed about it. The Berghaus Freedom 7 tent can be inflated in just a few minutes and deflated in seconds. The quoted inflayion time is 15 minutes with the tent fully pitched in around 30 minutes. Berghaus have produced robust air beams that will stand up to strong winds. The porch is spacious and can be used as a storage area,shady sitting area or toy room. It is true that the inflatable tents are typically slightly more expensive than their pole-based siblings, but the price differential is reducing as the technology gets more mature. We feel that the ease of use outweighs the slightly higher cost.

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Clear windows which you can actually see a nice view through – it’s unbelievable that some tent manufacturers scrimp on the windows. Surely it’s one of the main enjoyments of camping!