Joined in 2023 
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63 About this deal
I was slightly surprised to find out that the Vango Ringstead only has 3000mm of hydrostatic head waterproofing. As I say, there was no sign of any leaking, and so either Vango are underplaying it or other manufacturers are over-exaggerating their numbers (more likely). I counted 3 air vents in total in the tent which allowed great air flow, and there was no condensation build-up even when the weather was humid.
Overall, with a bit of practice and a bit of help, pitching should not take longer than 15-20 minutes. In terms of doors, there is two sets of ‘tri-folding doors’ – one separating the lounge from the porch, and one separating the porch from the outside world. These can either be completely removed or partially opened at one of three partition points. Very well designed and offers so much flexibility for cooking or relaxing etc under different weather conditions. There are also standard sized doors on both sides of the tent, with an initial side canopy to keep the rain off when putting boots on etc. That extra ‘Je ne sais quoi’ – Class Leading Features The Ascension 601 TC is a proper 6-person tent with a 4.4m bedroom width split between the six people. This is a significant space of 73cm average width per person – much higher than the typical 60cm given to each person in cheaper tents. The 401 also has similar space per person. There aren’t any of the inner tension bands that you can find on a Vango or a Lichfield for example, but the corner stakes are made of aluminimum to ensure that the tent stays on the ground in heavy winds. I am not aware of any official wind testing, but users reportedly survived winds up to 45 mph inside the Berghaus Air 6 XL (but bear in mind there are plenty of factors that affect the stability of a tent in high winds.)
The Dometic Ascension in use with the optional side annexe attached. In Use – our thoughts on the Dometic Ascension FTX 601 TC The Antrim is slightly shorter than the Coleman however (600cm vs 665cm) and less wide (380cm vs 450cm) which needs to be borne in mind – do you need the extra real estate? Height is ample at 210cm in both. It's very common for manufacturers to be generous about the number of people they say can fit inside their tents. The number they give will be technically true, but it probably won't account for the space needed for campers' belongings, or the space people need for a comfortable night's sleep. 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.
The main difference between the 6L and 6XL is the dimensions. The 6L measures 820cm (L) x 300cm (W) x 200cm (H). The 6XL switches this around a bit by being 740cm (L) x 440cm (W) x 215cm (H). As a family, we found the 6XL to be the better layout for the way we like to live in a tent. In Use 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. a flexible doorstep that can be dropped to ground level for ease of access. This helps stop water getting inPlease note that all the Weathermaster tents are a light pastel green in colour which may not to be everyone’s taste. Personally, we are fans of it as it is more subdued than the previous generation Coleman Valdes 6XL airbeam tent (which is still a great tent if you can get hold of one). However, it may have been nice to include an alternative colour in the Weathermaster lineup. Sleep well in the Weathermaster It’s probably better to think of the Antrim as more of a 4 person tent with oodles of space, rather than a 6 person tent with cramped quarters. Decathlon make a great marketing pitch about the resilience of the Air Seconds tent against rain and wind. They quote 4 hours of hammering with water at 200 litres per hour per square metre with no leakage. Similarly, they test each design in a wind tunnel on a turntable to ensure that the tent can survive wind battering from any direction, even at 60km/h. Sadly we did not have the opportunity to confirm these numbers.
Another example could be the Quechua Air Seconds 6.3, that has a strange 2+2(+2) layout that I didn’t particularly like, but it could work for some people. 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. As its name suggests, the 6XL is a 6 person tent, but there is substantial room inside – for once a tent has been designed to comfortably support the number of people it claims! Front porch area (380cm x 100cm) with decent ground sheet. Perfect for sitting on to remove muddy boots.The Berghaus Air 600 can be pumped or deflated in a matter of a few minutes and is far more convenient than a conventional tent that uses heavy and bulky poles. A pre-attached bedroom speeds up the pitching of the tent as does the double efficiency pump that is supplied. The Berghaus Air 600 is a tunnel tent and is comfortable to live in with it's full head height in both bedrooms and living areas. The air beams are sturdy and are made from TPU to ensure they provide lots of strength when it is windy. Manageable weight – some of the larger >6 person tents can get seriously heavy at >50kg – the canvas/polycotten inflatable tents are typically heavier than polyester. There are five 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! The Air Seconds 6.3 is a 6-person tent and uses four air beams to supply support to the structure. Pumping up is simple but beware that this tent is the the only one in our list which does not come with its own pump. Instead, you are recommended to separately buy the 7PSI hand pump from Decathlon.
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! 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. Actually we should give a shoutout to the windows on the Joro – they are excellent. The plastic ‘glass’ needs to be seen to be believed and the Diamond Clear name they have chosen is very apt. These are up there with the best windows on the tent scene at the moment. Lounge and Sleeping Area 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. There is a great amount of size on offer here, with over 7 square metres of living space and 2.1 metres of standing room.
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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. Once the tents are up, we closely inspect the interior of each one and rate them on how likely campers are to have a comfortable and enjoyable experience that meets their needs.
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