High-pressure inflatable tents for backpackers – worth exploring?

how much does it weigh including the pump?

I don’t think that’s a viable option for UL backpacking.  In order to create a shelter that is strong enough to handle that sort of pressure and a pump to do it, you’ll be pretty heavy.  I’m not sure how well it would stand up to wind either.

We’re at a stage now where we have full coverage trekking pole shelters that are under a pound.

In the article say, 1person tent 4.4lbs, 2person tent 5.0lbs, air pump 0.6lbs. How do think about this weight? set up is quite simple but I am wondering about this weight is fit for backpacking or not.

I am wondering about this weight is fit for backpacking or not.

In a word, No.

At 5+ lbs… car camping perhaps, backpacking almost definitely not.  As Brad said, 1 person shelters under 12 oz are common.  A bomber 2P trekking pole shelter can be had for less than 20 oz…free standing less than 3 lbs.  All of these current options should be more reliable than an inflatable.

This may have a place in the market, but I doubt it is with anyone frequenting this community.  As always, just my opinion, which is what you asked for :)

Heavy.

Limited to front entry.

Bouncy.

I’d like to see a trekking pole hybrid.

better than a 5 pound tent would be a tent with poles

When Nemo first hit the scene they had a few tents with “air-beam” technology and from what I can remember, they were much lighter than this. They’ve since gone the way of the dodo. Aluminum and carbon tent poles work really well at a lower weight. The air-beam stuff just seems like a gimmick.

Heavy, bulky, small interior, and floppy. What’s not to like?

If one section of the ‘airframe’ fails eg hole, I assume all sections collapse? Ive had wind damage to part of my tent – I could rig up a way to keep the tent up because the remaining frame was still functional.

A tent is the most important part of my ‘survival ‘ kit. I wouldn’t want an airframe tent (nor the might-break-down pump)

Cheers

Thanks for guys. I’m really glad to share and hear so many of your backpacking experiences and perspectives. It’s really helpful to me how I should prepare for my backpacking.

Nemo used to make a bivy-tent called the GoGo, which had an inflatable arch over the head. It didn’t last, but it seemed like an interesting idea because it packed down so small.

You must have something to do with this product James?

As something to take to the beach to create a sun/wind shelter for the kids?  Sure.  (I mean, until a gust of wind sends it tumbling down the beach, potentially with your child inside).

But backpacking?  No.  Too heavy.  Small floor space.  Lots of sail area.  One pinhole and it’ll quickly (at 40 psi) deflate.  Reliant on an electrical air pump (how many inflations?).  For $365, I could shop smartly and get a fully enclosed, traditional tent of half the weight AND a bomber tarp to use with trekking poles at 1/8 the weight AND an emergency bivy sack.  Or spend more than that and get a 1-pound, 2-person tent that is known to last for an entire PCT trip.

And it’s vaporware (in two meanings of the term).  It’s in a kickstarter campaign with a pre-order option.  So there’s a 30-90% chance your money just goes away and the thing never gets made.

Actually I’m an engineer. And I’m so courius how they made high pressure? My big bulky air tent is infllating only 8psi. That’s why I’m interesting in this tent. It might be just wasting money??

“Wasting money” would be my bet.  The concepts of inflatable and “air beam” tents have been around at least a couple of decades. And there have been several attempts at developing commercial products, none of which seem to have succeeded long or even mid term. Seems like if this were a good idea there would be a few examples of commercial success we could reference.