Vango AirBeam Range Inflates...
... well, expands anyway with five new models for spring 2012.
Posted:
28 February 2012by
Jon
Vango's inflatable AirBeam tents were among our favourite new products of last year. Utlising inflatable beam instead of poles, the tents go up as one single unit and pitch in minutes - all you need to do is inflate each beam with the supplied air pump and peg out the tent and guying points. Brilliant.
Five New Models
They're not light, but they work really, really well and for 2012, Vango has no fewer than five new AirBeam models. A couple of them are properly massive family affairs - the £1400 Shangri La for example, which sleeps six and pitches in ten minutes, but there are also two slightly more modest models.
AirBeam Flux
The AirBeam Flux - pictured left - has just two beams and pitches in a mere three minutes as a result. It's aimed at couples and friends who want a really rapid pitching weekend tent for deployment from the boot of a car. The Flux 200 retails for £225 while the larger Flux 500 is £375 - the former sleeps two people while the latter will accommodate no fewer than five.
They're not light - 5.7 kilos and 10.6 kilos respectively - but they're well specced and if the performance of our test Velocity from last year is anything to go by, surprisingly tough with it.
AirBeam Kinetic
The other new tent that looks interesting, is the Kinetic, a taller - you can stand up in it - unit with three beams, airy windows and separate sleeping compartments for four, five or six people depending on the model. Not quite a family tent, but definitely roomy and airy and luxurious, particularly if you normally slum it in a mountain tent. They pitch in five minutes too and have price tags of between £550 and £650.
Full details and pre-order too at www.vango.co.uk. And if you are in the market for a family tent, check out the larger versions, they pitch just as easily and there's no multi-person messing with multiple steel poles in the pouring rain. Genius...
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