Outdoor Revolution Airedale Tent

Cost – Approx £1200

‘A must for every seasoned camper’.

Over the May bank holiday weekend we were kindly asked to test and review the Outdoor Revolution Airedale 12 man tent to see what it had to offer. Where do I start…

It was Friday lunchtime, 30 degree heat, myself and two 3 year olds in tow and the most substantial tent bag I have ever seen! We arrived at Tyn Y Mur in Abersoch full of enthusiasm and confident that I could conquer this 12-man beast alone (and successfully) whilst entertaining two children. We found our extra large pitch as pre agreed with every level of expectation and started to unpack the contents of the tent. I was quickly able to mark out the space and establish how to set up. I pegged down each main corner where I could see 3 bedrooms and a large central living space. Having not seen a picture or read any instructions, I was confident that I was on track.

With the two girls happily running around with their ice creams and every other camper on site looking at me with amusement, I could tell that they were thinking ‘how the hell is one guy going to finish erecting this tent’? Then came the pump. I knew the tent was inflatable but having never tried one before, my expectations in its simplicity were somewhat reserved. I found the first inflation point, which was the main living space and started to pump. At this point I was starting to form a crowd! 20 pumps later and the main section of the tent was up. I then continued to the 3 bedroom sections and in less than 10 pumps, each bedroom was now fully inflated. I’m now 20 minutes in, the kids are still happy and all I need to do is peg out the ropes and we are ready to go.

Once inside, the tent feels huge. The large living space was high with clear roof panels, which felt airy and bright. We fitted two 4-berth bedrooms on either side of the living area and left the end bedroom space, which would normally accodomate anther 4-bed section as our storage/cooking space.

At the front of the tent, a large porched canopy protects the doorway entrance and was ideal for keeping the girls in shade and by Sunday, keeping them out of the rain. Heavy rainfall and wind on the Saturday night also proved that this tent is not just for a fair weather camper. As some campers left on the Sunday morning, following the night’s storms, the Airedale inflatable had withstood the storms perfectly.

From start to finish the whole experience of the Outdoor Revolution Airedale range was second to none and I have since gone ahead to purchase this exact model for my family. My only recommendation when buying this tent would be to double check your pitch size. I advise a minimum of 15 metres by 15 metres to ensure maximum comfort. Rating 9/10

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