When you find yourself somewhere in nature away from home, a tent is your second skin. In those circumstances, it must protect you from rain, wind and other bad weather conditions. Also, it is often your lodging for the night in the open air where you need to feel safe and comfortable. Therefore, it is very important to have a good tent which is able to meet all your needs.
Now the question is which tent is the best? There are two main types of tents – inflatable (filled with air) and non-inflatable tent (with metal frame). Of course, there is a wide range of different models in every of these two categories, and they differ in shape, size and design. In this post, it will be presented main advantages and disadvantages of inflatable and non-inflatable tents, so you will be able to compare them and see which suits you better.
Let's start from their installation, i.e. how you will set up each of them. Every non-inflatable tent has some kind of construction – mostly it is a metal frame which consists of a number of related roads. Across this construction, there is a protective fabric (usually plastic, lightweight nylon or vinyl tarp) which is attached to the frame. So, when you want to set up your tent, firstly you must assemble its construction. It can be strenuous work that requires a lot of time. You need to do this in several steps:
1,Lay a tarp down, which will be a barrier between the bottom of your tent and the ground;
2,Assemble its construction. Many modern tents have all-in-one tent poles, while older models have a more complicated frame;
3,Connect all tent poles. Put all tent poles together and place them across the tent. If you don't have a previous experience, you will have a hard time to connect the construction of your tent;
4,Insert all poles into the appropriate flaps of tent;
5,Raise your tent;
6,Stake your tent to the ground;
7,Add the rain fly over your tent.
On the other hand, the main thing when you want to set the inflatable tent up is a proper pump. If you have a small tent, you can raise it with an ordinary foot or hand pump. However, for the large inflatable tent, you need to use an electric pump - one or more depending on its size. Just connect the pump hose to a valve on your tent and it will be risen for a couple of minutes. No need to connect the poles and assemble the frame. Of course, you also need to stake your inflatable tent to the ground as in the non-inflatable tents. Deflation is also very easy Just open the valves and wait while the whole air comes out or use the deflation pumps for bigger tents or if you are in a hurry. Many modern electric pumps can be used for both to inflate and deflate a tent. As you can see, the entire installation and uninstallation process is much simpler compared to non-inflatable tents and it will take you much less time. Not to mention invested effort.
The next thing that will be compared is the maintenance of these two tents. First of all, you need to wash your tent and let it air dry in the sun before packaging. This applies to both types of tents. For non-inflatable tents, a procedure is as follows: roll up each part separately and pack these items individually; fold the tent in a certain bag for your tent; add the poles and stakes. For inflatable tents, all you need to do is to wash it after deflation and pack it up after drying out. Of course, you should keep it in some appropriate bag or satchel (which usually comes with a tent) and to store it at some suitable dry place. The right care of your tent will keep it reliable and usable for many years.
How long these tents can last? Well, it depends on many factors, such as the quality of materials, how you maintain a tent and in which conditions is your tent used. With a proper maintenance and good terms of use, every tent lasts more. However, the lifetime of your tent depends mostly on the fabric which is used for its production. The non-inflatable tents are mainly made from a vinyl tarp,cotton (canvas), felt, nylon and polyester in order to be resistant to water. This material can handle with various heavy-duty jobs, so it is a good protection against punctures and rips, as well as from bad weather. Inflatable tents are produced from tarpaulin and PVC, and hence, they are very durable and long lasting. These strong and waterproof materials can easily withstand abrasion and the wind. On the top of all that, they are good for nature and can be recycled as well. Therefore, inflatable tents are long-standing and you can use them many, many years.
The weight of your tent is another important factor, especially if you must carry a tent in a backpack and move from one place to another with this load on your back. The mountaineers and campers know this the best. Therefore, it is very important to have a lightweight tent which is easy to carry wherever you go. Both types of tents, inflatable and non-inflatable, are made to be of low weight. However, for non-inflatable tents, you must carry its construction (metal poles with other accessories), which can be very difficult. On the other hand, you don't have to carry any poles and frames for inflatable tents, but you need to have a pump with you, in order to set your tent up. These tents are also lightweight and have a weight from one hundred grams to a few pounds – depends on their size. So, consider this factor when buying a tent for camping!
Another important thing when someone wants to buy a tent is its design. Tents are designed in a wide variety of forms and shapes, and many suppliers deliver them in a custom design – according to customers' needs. Non-inflatable tents usually have a central ridge pole, with the traditional two-legged frame on both sides. Also, there are numerous other forms, such as dome tents, geodesic tents, tunnel tents (hoop tents), single pole tents, pyramid tents and large frame tents. As far as the inflatable tents, the most common shapes are dome tents, bubble tents and rectangular tents with the flat sides. Of course, there are also many other forms of these tents on the market. Some inflatable tents have a complex shape, which consists of several different geometric bodies.
As you can see, both types of tents have their advantages and disadvantages. Every model of tent, either inflatable or non-inflatable, has its specific features, so it is not possible to generalize their characteristics. Thus, when you go shopping, consider all mentioned issues (installation, maintenance, material, weight and design) and make the right decision. In addition to these factors, the price is also important for many customers. You can find these tents in a range of different prices, so you will choose them according to your available budget. I don't want to be biased and influence your decision, you will choose according to your wishes.
