Vango air beam

Just wondering if anyone has a Vango airbeam tent? is it any good? does it erect as quickly and easily as the spiel would have you belive? what are your thoughts on the system?

 Looking for a family sized tent that can be put up by one adult if needed and these seem to fit the bill. 

I've reviewed one on the site and I'm impressed. It goes up as one, easily and quickly, seems impressively stable once up and hasn't punctured. The one place I think Vango maybe missed a trick is by not interlinking the air chambers so there's just one inflation point and then isolating the individual beams with a lock-off valve, which would make it even faster - Heimplanet does this and it works.

They not cheap, but if you've ever been through the whole family tent pitching horror, you'll appreciate the ease of use.

Downsides? If you broke the pump or left it at home, you'd have a fairly big problem. If one of the beams punctured, it's not really a big issue. It's a bit like a bike tyre with an internal tube protected by a tough outer, so you could just patch it.

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OutdoorsMagic Editor | jon@outdoorsmagic.com 

Thanks

Didn't realise that other people make them as well, the Heimplanet is too small for our needs.
The family pitching horror is one of the main reasons I'm seriously looking at it.

Is the nozel for the pump a special fitment or  a standard one that would come with most pumps?

Hi, not sure if you have bought an Airbeam as of yet but I recently purchased a 2012 Pulse 450 and have to say that I am very impressed.

Always been keen on the camping scene but never liked the idea of spending half the time setting up camp, hence my reason in the purchase. If I am honest I first thought that the concept was a bit gimmicky but after receiving it the other day and setting it up, I am in love with it. Literally about 10 pumps and each beam was up. My friend and I set it up, but to be honest there was only need for one of us. It went up with ease on a very windy day and holds it ground amazingly well. The TBS system works well too, really helps to keep the beams stable in high winds.

I have not yet tested it in rain but with the weather down here I am sure I'll get the chance to. I've read some reviews about leaking in some of last years models so have been considering some specialty tent waterproof-er for extra protection, just in case.

I do have one negative review though, the tent that I was sent from one of Vango's suppliers was actually punctured. But Vango were amazing in getting a replacement tube sent, next day too, and they are extremely easy to replace. I used a puncture repair kit, supplied with tent, to fix the tube and after that it was fine.

I can definitely justify the cost and if you want a family one I'd recommend one of the 6 person versions for extra space.

Hope this helps.

I must confess I was a bit sceptical - well, it's in my nature - when these were first announced. But from what I've since heard, Airbeams seem to be well-regarded by their users.

My only direct experience was pitching near a Vango Airbeam tent on a LD campsite a month or so back (I didn't notice what model but it was a 4-5 berth about the size of an Outwell Nevada M). On the last-but-one night I was there, it got very windy: MWIS forecast strong gale on the tops and even in the valley it was gusting pretty near gale force. Several of the larger tunnel tents with conventional fibreglass poles succumbed to the wind: one was pretty much trashed in fact. But - to my considerable surprise - the Airbeam was fine. True, it deformed and bent with the wind much more than a tent with poles would have done but it very quickly sprange back and it held its shape all night.

There has bean a heck of a lot of negative comments on the Airbeam tents on ukcampsite forum.  QC issues seem to be the main complaint.