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We were unfortunately not given the Hydrostatic Head information for the 6XL, but can report that our test model was definitely waterproof and will survive a biblical deluge. Each of the three bedroom areas of the tent measure 140 x 210cm, and for the rear compartment there is a really useful access hatch to the outside world. This enables an electric hookup cable to be passed through into the tent. In hot climates, this hatch can also promote airflow through the tent which is essential for remaining cool. All the bedroom pods also have mosquito/insect netting. The Ascension FTX is available in both 4-person and 6-person sizes, and each of these can be fabricated using either polyester material or the more expensive ‘TC’ technical cotton.
Two or more bedroom compartments – it’s our opinion that it’s both warmer and more private to have multiple sleeping quarters within a family tent than all sleeping in the same area. Ventilation isn’t so much of a problem with a traditional tent, but inflatable tents have been found to be a little more restrictive.Make sure the tent has a suitable air vent to allow generous air flow through the tent, enough for the number of people it's capable of sleeping, especially if camping during the summer. The Kielder 6 air consists of three large living areas, logically laid out in an ‘arched tunnel’ format as follows: The FastPitch Weathermaster Air has a generous living area in addition to the spacious enclosed porch, which is large enough to house a table and chairs, providing the perfect place to relax, keeping you protected from the sun and rain. Heavy rain is no match for the polyester flysheet which has an impressive hydrostatic head of 4500mm, this combined with the tough, integrated polyethylene groundsheet ensures a dry and bug-free interior. For convenience, the front awning door can be open or closed to give plenty of flexibility as well as protecting the living room door from rain, while the addition of Coleman’s UVGuard with an SPF50 will protect your family from the sun’s ultraviolet rays.The front of the Sierra Ridge is interesting. It consists of a large windowed section which provides great views of the outside world. The window can be handily covered up with an in-built blind to stop light shining in (or to stop people ogling!). On nice days, the whole of the front can be rolled up, providing great views and airflow. One thing to note is that the front section is not fully zipped (it uses velcro at the bottom) and so you have to be careful how you peg it out to avoid rain water seeping in. When this is not being used, the whole front of the tent can be opened up to create a fantastic air flow and viewing perch. The downside of having to clip in that sleeping pod when required is that you have to make sure there is room for it at the end of each day – forward planning is necessary by keeping furniture out of the way.
The Vango Joro 600XL Air Tent was released in 2021 as an addition to Vango’s superb Earth Collection. This range of tents uses recycled single-use plastics which have been transformed into rugged 70 denier material for use in tent manufacture. The new fabric is called Sentinel Eco Fabric and it could really transform tent making.If you’re concerned about bad weather sweeping your tent off into the hills, you needn’t be. In actual fact, inflatable tents tend to hold up better in rough conditions, as you won’t have to worry about poles collapsing on you. The tent will still be fixed down with pegs and guy ropes, just like a traditional tent. 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. It’s an expensive tent in all guises, but if you think about it for a minute this is not an unreasonable amount of money to spend on what is effectively your home away from home. The Ascension uses very quality materials and has an attention to detail in terms of features which is just not present on the cheaper choices we’ve looked at. a flexible doorstep that can be dropped to ground level for ease of access. This helps stop water getting in
The porch is supported by one of the old fashioned fibre glass tent pole things. I thought those had died out years ago! 😉 The Vango comes with a decent pump as standard and there are four airbeams to pump up in total, taking around 15 minutes for full inflation if you’re being relaxed about it. 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! We highly recommend spending a little extra and also buying the carpet for the 6XL for a bit of added luxury underfoot. Weighing in at a fairly hefty 33.4kg (50kg for the polycotton version!) makes it almost certainly a two person job to carry any great distance. If you’re just transferring from a car boot to the ground then you can probably manage it on your own.
Walking through the front door leads into an expansive lounge area – this is your main living space, with a head height of over 2m – perfect for taller folk. The lounge measure 270 x 300cm and has two side doors to the outside, one with a neat little shelter (or ‘brow’) above it to get your shoes on without getting soaked. It also stops water coming in when the door is open – nice! In addition, there are two double bedrooms at the rear and a detachable double sleeping pod for the front area which comes out at night. The quality of the fabric and the size of the tent means that it’s a hefty weight though – 49.2kg. It is a two-person effort to shift it if you’re not built like Sylvester Stallone. 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! As with all the inflatable tents we’ve reviewed, the Air 600 comes with a fully sewn-in groundsheet and a 4000mm hydrostatic head waterproof flysheet. Dimensions are 465cm (L) x 385cm (width) x 210m (height) which is not the largest for a 6-person tent. However, the width at nearly 4m is substantial.
The lounge living space is a decent 275x 380cm (10.45 square metres) in area and is a lovely space for chilling out and relaxing. The Dometic Ascension in use with the optional side annexe attached. In Use – our thoughts on the Dometic Ascension FTX 601 TC Cable Entry - Neatly feed electrical cables into your tent allowing you to easily keep your camping appliances poweredLet’s talk specs for the Antrim 600XL. It comes in a rather elegant Navy Blue colour and is reminiscent of the Coleman Weathermaster 6XL in terms of looks and design. The Joro has a front porch which is almost semi-circular in shape and has a really useful vestibule area. There is ample room to sit and enjoy the sun whilst also offering protection if a shower starts hammering down. You could definitely bring a BBQ or camping stove into this area to cook and there is great visibility with a few large windows. 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. You may not have heard of polycotton before – it is essentially a 65%/35% mixture of polyester (modern waterproof modern tent fabric) and cotton (traditional breathable canvas). By combining the two you get improved breathability but with similar waterproofing ability, as well as a natural feel. Dometic have created a fairly unique ‘Safari Tent’ appearance which offers great internal space and height. We feel it approaches the comfort of a caravan and yet costs a tenth of the price of one and does not sit on your drive taking up masses of space when you’re not using it!
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