generic cabin style air tents with stove jack

see also:

• inflatable air beam tents
• hot tents (tents with wood stoves inside)
• air pumps for camping
• photography and camping main index page

• air tents are gaining increased popularity for the ease of set up and pack down as you don't need to work out which pole goes where or struggle getting the poles in place, plus the have the advantage of not having to worry about poles breaking or bending or getting forgotten - the downsides are they are bulky, heavy, generally have lots of mildly toxic PVC, tend to be expensive and there is the risk of the air beams leaking, getting punctured, exploding from over-inflation or forgetting the pump or the pump breaks making the tent useless.
• where possible, if buying one of these, purchase one with much less toxic TPU air beams not PVC air beams - but you will still have the PVC floor probably
• similar styles can be bought from an Australian company as well - see https://www.onbackcampers.com.au/collections/tents although they use heavier, less waterproof, polycotton fabric

• there are various versions available on Temu and Aliexpress
• the information below relates to one I purchased for under $AU400 from Temu in late 2024 but they usually sell for $AU600-700

An example of such a tent

• 3×2.1×2.1m = 6.3sq m floor area
• creamy white 420D Oxford polyester fabric
• 500g PVC floor
• front and rear doors with mesh and fabric layers
• front and rear mesh windows with external fabric curtain
• two large ground level side meshed windows for ventilation which can be closed with internal fabric layer
• two meshed vents with struts - one above each of the doors
• small clear skylight with a foldaway inner fabric curtain
• stove jack - you need to make your own hole
• 15cm diameter TPU beams instead of PVC
• replaceable Boston one way valve for inflation/deflation - see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYQQKuWkXlg
• single Boston inflation port on one corner to right of the doors protected by a fabric cover and above this is a pressure relief valve which presumably will prevent it from exploding due to over-filling or heating up on a hot sunny day
• comes with a hand pump but no pressure gauge
• 10 pegs
• 16-18kg; packs to 77x40x36cm
• Temu

• my version weighed 15.8kg without the supplied plastic pump

• take 3 tarps:
  • optionally, 2x3m to go UNDER it to protect the floor from twigs, etc
  • 2x3m to go on top of the floor to protect it from chairs, stretchers, etc
  • in summer, 2.4×3.5m tarp to go over the top to protect it from the sun to reduce heat
• add an awning for rain protection of front windows/door
  • the slant of the roof is about 1.7m long so a 2.4×1.8m tarp could be guyed out so that the peak and doorway and one window is protected from rain and then extended out some 1.5m to a single pole which would provide room for a chair and perhaps an external stove and chimney to the side of the tarp (if you did not want rain coming inside the tent's stove jack)
  • alternatively, 3x2m tarp could do the same but be pegged down for wind protection along one side and provide additional awning cover out to 1.8m
• if using a stove, take:
  • fireproof mat
  • triple shield section for the stove jack or a mesh shield
  • towels if rain is forecast as water will enter and pool on the floor
• packing up
  • brush or vacuum out any debris on the floor and ensure it is dry
  • zip up all doors and windows and flatten struts on upper air vents
  • while still inflated, un-peg fully (or windy, leave two adjacent corners pegged) and turn over onto its side to dry the bottom (also to further remove any internal floor debris)
  • deflate by removing the Boston valve
  • fold the doors in so it folds into thirds with the Boston valve side on top
  • go to the end opposite the Boston valve and start rolling up ensuring width will fit into the bag
  • pack into bag
  • transport by sitting it up on the rear seat of a car

• seems to be well made and looks cute
• quite spacious
• lots of ventilation options
• having front and rear doors is great for versatility and safety
• fabric seems very durable
• the ceiling seams seem to be well seam-sealed with tape so hopefully will be waterproof - although condensation can still be an issue
• skylight is a nice touch but could have been bigger
• only minimal PVC smell - leave set up and well ventilated outdoors for a few days to off-gas before using it the first time
• unlike “Fast Frame” touring tents, the floor can be much more easily dried out on site by turning it on it's side while still inflated
• unlike most hot tents, the floor has benefits of keeping the insects and crawling animals out
• unlike many air tents, it has a pressure relief valve which presumably will prevent it from exploding due to over-filling or heating up on a hot sunny day
• it is large enough to fit a Winnerwell Nomad wood camping stoves and a 1P inner tent such as a 3f UL Gear TC cotton Kangaro inner tents but if extra warmth, privacy and additional insect protection is not needed then it is better without an inner tent
• the white mesh is fairly good for privacy - direct torch reflects off it making it hard to see inside - but this can be overcome by using an indirect torch
• small enough that one could set up a 2.4×3.5m or 3x4m flying tarp over it for sun protection to reduce day time heat - the A-frame does make this easier as the peak can support the tarp and then the tarp can be guyed out to each side to create ventilation gap and avoid the door access
  • would need to get creative if using a stove with chimney

• as with all air tents, it is very bulky - almost takes up the whole of the boot in my car
• fairly heavy for a tent of that size - 18-19kg dry, probably a lot more when packing up wet
• privacy curtains are on the outside requiring you to go outside to close them making privacy somewhat problematic to attain rapidly and discretely
• light colored fabric means you will need an eye mask to sleep and car headlights can impact privacy
• pump connector has a large hole in the tent wall so it is NOT insect or vermin proof - you could potentially add a Velcro mesh to address this
• you probably should buy a back up pump in case of breakage
• as with all larger tents, inside temperature is approximately same as outside unless you use a heater
• the A frame ceiling is not great for a hot tent:
  • heat from the stove will tent to get trapped in the peak and not circulate as well as a flatter designed ceiling
  • the stove jack is quite low which means you will not be able to use a pipe oven as there is not enough space between the stove and the stove jack
• having a floor has downsides:
  • will need protection from the stove, firewood, or if using chairs or stretchers
  • when using a stove, rain will enter the stove jack gaps and pool on the floor and potentially drain onto your bedding or clothes - most hot tents don't have a floor so this just goes into the ground
  • needs drying out before packing up - but at least you can turn the inflated tent onto its side to dry the floor

• the NatureHike Sand Dune 7.6 hot tent:
  • is just as easy and quick to set up (although perhaps the additional set up of the inner tent takes more time but at least you don't have to hand pump)
  • is much lighter (7.5kg vs 18-19kg)
  • is larger at 7.6 sq m vs 6.3 sq m
  • is much easier to dry out - lighter, no floor apart from the separate inner tent
  • has better ceiling height for the stove so you can use a pipe oven
  • has the optional large TPU clear door for better usability in the rain on cold windy days
  • seems just as strong for adverse weather although fabric is much thinner at 75D not 420D
  • allows more functional use of a 1P inner tent such as a 3f UL Gear TC cotton Kangaro inner tents to provide better warmth, insect protection and much better privacy options

• 3×2.5×2.2m
• Oxyford poly
• 15cm PVC air beams;
• side windows have internal privacy fabric zips from bottom
• https://www.temu.com/au/durable-waterproof--tent-with-zipper-closure-ideal-for-outdoor-activities-ages-14-g-601099598559541.html ~$AU690

• 3000mm PU poly
• front and rear door
• looks perhaps too big and heavy for 1-2 campers with a stove and rain ingress from stove jack may be an issue as it may collect on the floor
• https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007395952295.html ~$AU1020