An inflatable tent can be a big purchase for you and your family. Depending on which one you select, it can either be a great long term investment or an expensive lesson. Inflatable tents are ideal for various outdoor adventures, enhancing the overall experience.
There are many different kinds and brands of on the market, and it can be difficult to narrow down the right choice for you. You have to know what makes a good tent vs. which you’ll try to sell at your next garage sale.
To help with this important decision, we have compiled a few of our top recommendations for the best inflatable camping tents in 2024.
The Top Inflatable Camping Tents Reviewed
Whether you’re a pro camper or novice tent inflatable user, here is an in-depth look at 5 of the best products on the market. These tents offer a perfect blend of convenience, comfort, and durability, making them essential gear for any outdoor adventure.
Vango Odyssey Air 800 Tent, Epsom
The Vango brand is well-known for its innovation in the inflatable camping tent industry. It has various cutting edge features that are meant to make camping more accommodating.
If you are going camping with a larger group, the Vango Odyssey Air 800 is right for you. When completely set up, it has a surface area of 200 square feet (18.59 square meters). The floor plan is quite spacious and provides privacy if desired. The common sitting area is in the middle.
Both sides of the tent have two rooms that can hold two people each, making this tent perfect for parties of eight. Whether your group consists of several couples, a group of friends, or children on a wilderness retreat, this tent will provide adequate shelter for a larger group of people. It even has capacity to get a few light-weight camping chairs inside the tent, in case you get unlucky with the weather.
Two doors that lead to the outside are located in the sitting area. In the central room, there are two PVC windows. This design, along with the insulated canopy, allows the tent to be fully closed and preserve warmth, providing excellent weather protection. Although this tent is usually meant for colder camping trips, it will work well in any kind of climate.
Even though this is a larger tent, it is relatively convenient to store, transport, and set up. It uses 5 pre-angled AirBeams instead of typical metal poles that provide stability and structure. On particularly windy days, you can take advantage of the tent’s patented tension band system. In the living area, there are removable bands you can attach to the sides and tops for added stability.
Pros
- Very simple to set up
- Compact packing size (70 x 41 x 41 cm)
- Easy-to-clean groundsheet in the living area
Cons
- One of the tent’s two main doors does not have a screen, so it will either be completely open or completely closed at any time.
- The ground floor in the common living space is not fully sewn in, so water and bugs can encroach into the living area.
- You will need a vehicle to transport this because of its 21.55 kg weight.
- This tent is on the pricier side, coming in at $721.00 USD on Amazon.
Vango Odyssey Air 600 Tent, Epsom
This is another quality option from Vango. If you won’t be bringing as many people along on your camping trips, the Vango Odyssey Air 600 Inflatable will be best. This tent is not much smaller in terms of space, as it has 190 square feet of floor area and is constructed with durable materials that ensure all-weather resistance and stability. In comparison, the Vango Odyssey Air 800 has 200 square feet of floor area.
Choosing the Vango Odyssey Air 600 as your family or friend group’s camping tent will not be a downgrade: in fact, it can be seen as an improvement. With this tent, each individual person will have more overall space to themselves.
There are two sleeping rooms that fit 3 people each and a massive floor area located outside of the sleeping areas. The floor area can comfortably fit all six people. This space is perfect for storytelling, card playing, and other bonding activities during your camping trips.
The Vango Odyssey Air 600 notably comes with an additional interior layer that makes the room darker. If your strict camping schedule requires that you sleep at odd hours, you can ensure you get ample amounts of sleep without worrying about the sun interrupting your slumbering patterns. Even if you simply enjoy waking up later in the day or taking daytime naps, you will benefit from the darker environment that this tent offers.
Pros
- Very simple to set up
- A compact packing size of 70 x 37 x 36 cm, which is very similar to that of the Odyssey Air 800
- Priced at $481.00 USD on Amazon, making this more affordable than the Vango Odyssey Air 800
- A “lights out” design in the sleeping rooms, which makes it easier to sleep on your own schedule
Cons
- You will need a vehicle to transport this tent because of its 17.5 kg weight.
- This tent has a linked-in groundsheet that makes it easier for water and bugs to enter your tent’s common room.
- One of the tent’s two main doors does not have a mesh screen for ventilation, so the tent may become uncomfortably warm or trap bugs within your living space.
Coleman Elite Montana 8-Person Tent
While Coleman advertises their Elite Montana for 8 people, it will be more comfortable with 6 or fewer. If 8 people, or 3 queen beds, reside in this tent, there will be very little floor space remaining, even if you are with little ones such as kids or youths.
This could be an ideal tent for a large group if most of your time will be spent outdoors and you reserve this tent for nighttime sleeping. However, if the area you are visiting is known for unpredictable or rough weather, this tent may not comfortably hold 8 people who are frequently seeking shelter from the outdoors.
Also consider the size of the people on your camping trip. Six children and two adults could comfortably fit in this tent. Eight full-grown adults may feel claustrophobic.
If you are looking for privacy on your camping trip, this tent is not for you. It is designed as one open space. It does not come with any sort of room dividers.
The Coleman Elite Montana 8-Person does come with a hinged door that makes it easy to enter and exit as you please. This tent also comes with two mesh stow pockets inside the tent for easy storage and access to small items.
One unique aspect of the Coleman Elite Montana 8-Person is its built-in LED light. This is operated using a switch by the tent’s main door. This is a convenient feature that will allow you to read by night and more easily navigate around your temporary living space.
Pros
- Built-in LED light switch
- Affordable
- Adequate standing room
Cons
- Limited storage and loft space
- No privacy
- Mixed experiences with ventilation depending on weather conditions
iHuniu 4 Person Inflatable Camping Air Pop Up Tent
The IHuniu is suitable for a small group looking for a quality tent. It holds 3 to 4 adults. It is ideal for transporting. It only weighs 3 kg. You will not have any issues with traveling with this tent in its convenient duffle carrying bag.
It is notably easy to set up. Simply use its hand air pump (no batteries or power required) to pump up the airframe. If this is a solo camping trip, you will be able to easily set up the tent yourself without assistance.
Because of its light weight and easy-to-set-up design, this tent is ideal for short trips to the beach, festivals, and parks.
This shelter is made up of PU2000 Glue Strip Material, 210T Oxford cloth, and TPU for its inner materials. All of these make it properly ventilated, water- and moisture-proof, and resistant to tears. It is also wind-resistant with the help of its windproof ropes and guying points.
The color of this is worth mentioning. Its body is mainly bright orange with blue inflatable poles. A brightly colored camping tent such as this one will be easier to spot after a hike or fishing excursion. You will also be more easily spotted by others in the rare case of a camping emergency. However, brightly colored inflatable tents may attract unwanted attention from wildlife and take away from a “natural” camping experience.
Pros
- Ventilated area that keeps insects out
- Lightweight and easy to transport
Cons
- Poorly designed door makes entering and exit a little difficult
- High price tag ($160.00 USD) for limited space
- Will not work well if you are participating in stealth camping
Tangkula Inflatable Tent
This is the tent for beginner campers who don’t want to break the bank with their investment. The Tangkula Inflatable is made up of durable materials, including 190T polyester with PU coating, TPU inflatable pipes, and B3 fine gauze, all of which help it endure strong winds. This tent has a prominent geodesic shape that especially helps it remain upright in even the most unsteady conditions. Additionally, this tent is waterproof and offers relief from the sun’s relentless rays.
The Tangkula Inflatable is great for campers on the move. If you enjoy hiking and constantly setting up base in a new location, this tent is right for you. It is easily transported, as it is both small and lightweight. Never be confined to one location with this tent.
The tent comes with 2 rooms: an enclosed sleeping room and a vestibule. The vestibule is well-covered and serves as a great spot for you to store your cooking equipment and gear. Within this vestibule, you can also seek shelter without needing to enter the sleeping area. If it is necessary, it can be used as sleeping space if the weather permits.
This tent’s sleeping room is adequately ventilated because of a screen door separating it from the vestibule. However, there are no windows in the sleeping room offering a view or further ventilation, so be aware of these limitations.
Pros
- Lightweight (11 lbs)
- High-quality materials
- Affordable (priced on Amazon at $80.00 USD)
Cons
- Only one sleeping room for two to three people
- Lacks windows in the sleeping room
The Best Inflatable Tent Buyers Guide:
Choosing a tent that will meet your particular needs can be difficult, as there are a lot of stylistic and structural differences between the various camping tents on the market. Aside from knowing what the top products are, you should know what features make up the top tents. That starts with knowing the difference between a regular and an inflatable. Inflatable tents offer a perfect blend of convenience, comfort, and durability, making them an excellent choice for any outdoor adventure.
What is the Difference between a Regular Tent and an Inflatable Tent?
Traditional tents are what most people think of when camping is mentioned. They usually come with poles and fabric that work together to provide you with a structurally sound living space. Traditional tents, while they prove to be useful on rougher terrain and in harsher weather circumstances, can be a hassle to carry around. It can be easy to lose poles or other vital pieces that keep traditional tents from toppling over.
When thinking of a self-inflating tent, some people picture a child’s play toy that is unsteady and ready to either fall over or burst at any moment. Inflatable tents have proven themselves to be reliable pieces of camping equipment made from durable materials, used by even the most expert of campers. With the right setup it will not float off into the wind and leave you without proper shelter. In fact, once properly set up, your tent will flex with the wind’s movement, making it more suited to an ever-changing environment.
As long as you secure your tent by pegging it down and securing its guy ropes, you will have a temporary shelter that is just as reliable as a traditional tent.
If you own a traditional tent, you may want to consider switching to an inflatable one:
Set up quicker: They simply require a hand pump in order to blow up. No outside power sources are necessary, and most can be blown up in minutes.
Are great for beginners: Inflatable tents are great starting tents for beginners, but can also be used by more seasoned campers.
Are easier to setup: Traditional tents come with confusing poles, pegs, and cloth that can take hours to assemble. You may end up spending more time than you would like by setting up a traditional tent. Go the easy route with an inflatable camping tent so you can enjoy the camping trip without stressing over the shelter setup.
Can handle damage: Any tears or rips that occur are easily fixed with repair kits, so there is no need to worry about tears impeding your camping trip. Repair kits sometimes come with your purchase and include repair glue, patches, and silicone sealants that will prolong the life of your tent.
Note that an inflatable gear may not last as long as a traditional tent, but it can last for years with the proper setup, disassembly, transport, and storage of your tent.
It is important to note that an inflatable equipment will likely be more expensive than a traditional tent. The air beam technology utilized is expensive to produce, so you may end up paying more for these newer tents. However, some can be found for cheaper than traditional tents because of certain materials used. It all depends on the brand you select and the certain materials that a tent is composed of.
Why Choosing the Right Inflatable Tent is Important
An inflatable camp tent has the potential to make or break your first camping trip and can set the precedent for future camping experiences. You do not want to invest a lot of money in more than you need, but you also want to ensure the inflatable camping shelter you select will please everyone.
How to Choose an Inflatable Tent
The one you choose to invest in will undoubtedly have an impact on the quality of your camping trip. Be sure to consider these aspects before beginning your trip:
Design: Because of the very nature of inflating camping tents, you do not need additional materials like cloth or tent poles. Do you want a geodesic one that is resistant to strong winds, or one resembling a cube that will offer more standing space?
Weight: Keep in mind that some weigh more than others. If you are driving out to your camping spot and will have your car close at all times, a heavier tent will work for your situation. If you will be hiking for miles every day of your excursion and constantly setting up a new camp spot, a lighter self-inflating camping tent is the way to go.
Price: If you need a tent for a one-time trip, a cheaper one will work. If you are looking to take up a routine of camping with family and friends, consider making a solid investment in one that will hold up for a longer period of time.
Inflation time: If you are purchasing for the purpose of convenience, make sure the tent you select has an easy setup process and decent inflation and deflation times. This is especially important if you are a solo camper, so you can ensure you are able to pitch your tent on your own. Some tents have air beams that require certain air pressures to provide proper support, so be sure you have the proper pump that will supply this required air pressure. Account for deflation time and ensure that you have a sturdy bag in which you can safely stow away your tent.
Size: Consider what size will be suitable for your needs. You can do this by considering the number of people going and their characteristics, including their ages, weights, and physical limitations. Do you want more sleeping space or more storage and “living” room?
Pro Tip: One Tent Doesn’t Fit All
Because inflatable shelters will often not last as long as your taste for adventure will, you may want to consider investing in multiple tents. For example, a tent meant solely for backyard use can be a smaller and cheaper, while a larger one that holds a party of 6 or more will come in handy for more organized excursions in the wilderness. Investing in multiple shelters for different purposes will ensure that you have the proper structure to support your outdoor ambitions. It’s what a pro camper would do!
Which Inflatable Tent Is Right for You?
Some tents come with the essentials that make up a shelter, while others include luxury features. These luxury features may be incredibly useful and appreciated, or unnecessary depending on your circumstances. It really depends on your trip. The right inflatable tent can significantly enhance your overall outdoor adventure experience.
The Vango Odyssey Air 600 is the best deal overall, taking durability, living space, and price into account. However, this doesn’t mean that this is the tent you should immediately add to your Amazon cart.
Keep your budget, personal preferences, and environmental surroundings in mind. With this guide, you’ll have the right tent for you and your camping partners for your next trip!
