For many years now tent manufactures have been looking for the perfect tent for the happy camper. So we now have a tent that with minimum effort will inflate it and provide you a temporary home.
I have tried a couple of these so called ‘instant’ tents, the first one being the Gelert Instant. It has a coil-sprung frame that is fitted to the fabric, by twisting the frame the tent become a large round package, a bit less than a metre in diameter and a couple of inches thick. You unleash the spring and hey presto in a dramatic view the tent is thrown into the air and the frame turns the bag into rather stylish and practical tent. Don’t get me wrong this tent will not shelter you from severe weather, they are only any good for good weather conditions, but it is great for festivals or a light camping trip for the weekend.
I think the above tent is great for your children as their first ever tent. They can put it up easily themselves which I am sure they will find amusing. Whist they are doing that you can do the more serious task of putting up the family tent.
Now there are also inflatable tents, notably the main range is from Airzone in Canada. They are only two to three feet thick and are supposed to be easy to set up. They do have a jumpingish feature built in to them, that allows the user to pop them in the air a few feet before release. So why not use this to make sure you have a great tent that will stay up in the night? It is a lot easier that way I think.
Not all airboats are good for this. In fact some are not rightly supportive of such a nature. I have heard this said of theirs, ‘this is not a tent at all, it is a flotation device’. But what I have seen of these inflatable tents before makes me confident that they can hold up against the worst of winds and rain. If you put up a few poles and try to carry a tent that is designed for a few pounds, I think you will be pleased to find that any good airboat air mattress is light enough not to need any extra carrying gear.
There are several airboat brands that feature a couple of large flat screen TVs. This is obviously great for watching TV while on the water. Some also feature a couple of comfortable sofas. And don’t forget a small screened hole to grill your fish or catch a bit of rainwater.
Some of the sofas and chairs even have additional mesh panels incorporated to them, so you can possibly sit on the boat in comfort without a wet spot Knowing about the mesh panels and the flat screen TVs, won’t you think that even with a couple of these modern luxuries fitted, that you would still be wet in a big rainstorm? Well the key is to dry up quickly after the event so you don’t end up soaked.
Wellington boots; these are obviously meant for walking. But if you are going to walk on a boat, you might as well get a pair that works for you. Or better still get a pair that are so comfortable you can sit in them comfortably. In my case they are my favourite footwear; shoes made for walking.
So do I need a TV on board or should I carry a couple of these intrepid ‘discoveries’ and let’s not forget the boating vessels sternum stowed away beneath the canvas of the old dinosaur just intend to be practical.
Wellington bags; these are forever Bestonian era relics. They were designed for walking, hiking and riding into the unknown and riding to the unknown. Sometimes they carried via shoulder straps inside your rucksack. Other times they were clamped to the outside of it. But they were designed to be lightweight and portability and still come with the familiar Stormthouse double layered waterproof bag.
Now if you are a Bestonian student that specialises in hunting prevention equipment for the boating enthusiast then Storm isn’t such a familiar brand name to you. But remember the Amidahar range of bags? These bags are best for waterproofing, really handy if there is a sudden shower of rain.
Remember also that stuffing the bag with towels and bedding is only the first step in making sure you have a great nights sleep. There is other importance that you should take into account.
Does the bag keep you dry?
Does it keep your gear dry?
Does it keep your body heat in?
Find out how it is worth putting more effort into the job?