Best 6 lightweight air tents for family camping

This post contains affiliate links.

When you think of lightweight tents, you automatically think of backpacking or wild camping 2 or 1-berth tents. You never consider lightweight family tents, although they will never be as lightweight as backpacking tents.

What are the best lightweight tents for family camping trips?

Lightweight family air tents

• Eurohike Genus 400 Air Tent – 4 – berth – 9.80 kg / 21.60 lbs
• Coleman Weathermaster 4 Air Blackout tent – 4 – berth – 19.20kg / 43.33 lbs
• Vango Stargrove II 450 Air Tent – 4 – berth – 19.60 kg / 43.21 lbs
• Outdoor Revolution Camp Star 500XL Air – 5 – berth – 23.5 kg / 51.96 lbs
• Royal Welford 4 Air Tent – 4 – berth – 24.7 kg / 54.45 lbs
• Kampa Hayling 6 Air Tent – 6 berth – 25.18 kg / 55.51 lbs

Why is it important to consider the weight of a tent before buying?

Before buying any tent, you must always consider if you can lift the tent or if you have sufficient room to transport it. The average man can lift up to 25 kg, and a female can lift 16 kg. However, this does depend on the individual. Tent weight can range from 450g for a backpacking tent to a large family tent 65 kg / 143.33 lbs.

Air tents are slightly heavier than poled tents, however, and bulkier. You cannot separate the air beams like poles to reduce even the weight or pack easily. Air tents can be difficult to pack away into their bag, and you have to ensure all the air is removed. Ideally, ask the kids to roll along the length of the tubes to remove any access air or use the pump provided.

1 – Eurohike Genus 400 Air Tent – 9.80 kg / 21.60 lbs

The Eurohike Genus 400 air tent does not seem solid when you first view it. However, it is a stable tent, we used this tent at the top of a cliff top, and it received battering, and there was no damage.

Although it is a 4-berth tent, it is for no more than 3 people. You can get a double bed easily or 3 singles. There is no bedroom divider, so the bedroom is open-plan. You can close the bedroom off from the main living area.

It’s a very lightweight tent and ideal if you are a single parent. The bag is flat, and you wrap around the tent quickly, reducing the stress of getting the tent back into the bag. On my own, I can pitch within 10 minutes and pack away in 15 minutes.

There is only one door, the main entrance, and it does not have a mesh. The door can be rolled and secured by toggles and the top, or you have eyelets on the door flap to provide additional shelter.

It does have limited space. The living area is only 2.4m, although when you are inside, it does feel smaller. There is only one side window which makes it feel small. There is sufficient room for a table and two chairs without feeling overcrowded.

If there are more than two of you, I would only recommend this tent as a weekend tent. However, if there are 2 of you, it is suitable for 4 days or more. However, I would recommend investing in an additional shelter. The canopy is an open shelter with a wide entrance and is available from Amazon for £97 (although prices may vary).

The Eurohike Genus costs between £225 – £300 from Go Outdoors, However, you need a discount card that costs £5 per year. Or you can use a tarp which does not have to be attached to the tent and gives you more freedom.

2 – Coleman Weathermaster 4 Air Blackout Tent – 19.20 kg / 42.33 lbs

Colemans Weathermasters 4 Air is one of the smallest tents in this range. It’s a neat little tent with many benefits. However, it is not one of the most visually exciting tents, and it looks like half the tent is missing.

The total weight of the tent is only 19.20kg, which is great for lifting in and out of your boot, a roof box or carrying upstairs to the store when not in use. However, for weight reduction, you are losing space in the central area of the tent.

In the main area of the tent, there is only room for a couple of chairs and a small table. Any more furniture, and it does feel overcrowded. If you love your large inflatable sofas, unless you have a mini sofa, this is not the tent for you as there is no room.

The tent is great if you are a single parent on your own with children. It is easy to pitch yourself; however, it does take a few practice runs to reach a pitch time of 15 minutes.

It has good size blackout bedrooms that not only stop 99% of the light from entering but also stop shadows from lanterns inside the sleeping area. The sleeping compartment is an equal split of 2 on either side and is divided by a zipped removable divider.

Unique to Colemans is the sleeping blackout rooms, as they are designed to reduce the temperature inside by 5C and increase the temperature by 1C during the night. On cold nights, you do not notice the 1C increase in warm. But during the daytime, you can feel the difference. This is ideal if you have younger children who need a midday nap.

To help with condensation and ensure total airflow through the tent, there is a full-length vent across the entire width of the tent at the back. Plus, a vent across the top of the longest window. The vents are covered with mesh to stop any bugs from entering.

It is small for the cost of £689 compared to other tents, such as the Vango Stargrove II 450 and Outdoor Revolution Camp Star, in which you get more space for your money. The extra expense is the quality of the tent, the high waterproofing level at 6000mm HH, and darkened bedrooms. You also pay for the brand, but you cannot go wrong when buying a Colemans tent. It is available from Winfields, but because it is a popular tent, it is very hard to get hold of.

We have used the tent for weekend breaks and longer holidays, up to 5-nights. However, we did need additional cooking and chair storage, which increased the expense. However, you do not need to spend a fortune.

3 – Vango Stargrove II 450 Air Tent – 19.60 kg / 43.21 lbs

The Vango Stargrove II 450 Air tent is a spacious tent and a 2022 design. It is only a 4-berth tent, although there is a larger living area, which is ideal if you have children and they want to spread their toys about in the evenings. Or, if you just want to chill inside your tent on colder nights, give yourself that extra space for a sofa and table.

Although it is a 4-berth tent and an ideal family tent, the spacious living area compensates for the reduced sleeping area. The sleeping areas are split equally, so there is sufficient room for either a double bed or two single beds. However, it is a bit squashed. It states that you can have a side table, but alongside a double bed is impossible.

The good part of the sleeping area is that there is no step in the bedroom. So no more tripping as I often do. A removable divider opens the whole area up, which is excellent if you have small children.

You have additional space for storage with the integrated closed awning, so you do not need to purchase an additional awning. The living area is 1.9m, and the awning provides an additional 1.9m, so you can open it fully to increase the living space. The awning does not have a groundsheet, so you must buy it in addition if you want the ground covered.

The awning does not have a mesh. However, the internal door does, it also has a drop edge, which can be pegged, so there is no step between each section.

In most tents, you lose space on the sides, where the sides taper into the tent’s roof. However, this is not an issue with the Vango Stargrove 450 II Air tent. It is designed to maximise headroom and not lose any space due to the increase in the height of the side walls.

To pitch the tent, peg the four corners, inflate the middle beams first, and work your way out. This will help stabilise and make it easier to pitch than inflate from the rear.

The Vango Stargrove is a sleek tent that looks like an imposing solid tent due to its colour and design. It attracts heat naturally due to the dark herbal colour and makes the tent warmer. It stands out easily on pitches allowing you to spot it easily on a crowded campsite.

Although the Waterproof level is only 3000mm HH, it is not suitable for the colder seasons. At the latest, I will use this tent in October. The large windows allow you to maximise natural light inside, so you are not having to use lanterns early evenings,

The 4-berth Stargrove 450 II air is a popular tent due to its size, price, and space. It is available from Winfields. There is a 6-berth tent available from Amazon or Winfields for an extra £250, giving plenty of room for 4 people and an additional child. There is no awning dividing the living area, but it is worth checking out. The weight is 25.50 kg, so it is heavier, and the dimensions are 7m (L) x 3.8m (W).

4 – Outdoor Revolution Camp Star 500XL Air – 23.57 kg / 51.96 lbs

I like tents with large windows as they open the tent up and do not make it feel claustrophobic inside. The Camp Star 500XL has a large window the full length of the communal area, compensating for the loss of light due to the door on the opposite side. Although you can open the side door, it does have a mesh to stop unwanted bugs. There is a small window next to the door, but it is not big enough to make a difference.

I also like that the enclosed porch area keeps drafts at bay as you have the added protection of a zipped internal door, making it an ideal tent for camping during colder times. The additional bonus is that you do not have to pay extra for the porch. It is all included in the price.

Opening the internal door fully increases the size of your main living area. You have the option to open fully on a hot summer’s day or feel nice and cosy inside on a rainy evening.

It is a 3000mm HH, which is suitable for summer holidays, although I prefer a 4000mm HH. This is because we camp from April to October, so my tent is all year round for the long holidays.

It is designed for 5 people but is suitable for 3 people. The bedroom has a removable divider to split the rooms and provide privacy. If you do not want to climb over each other during the night or feel squashed, the ideal solution is 1 person in one section and two in the other. It is not sufficient for camp beds and mattresses for 5-people.

On average, you can purchase a canopy from Winfield for £69 – £99. However, I would not. I use a tarp, as it can be used on any tent, and you can have additional shelter away from your tent if you want.

It’s very neat inside, the window covers are rolled and held in place with toggles, similar to most tents. Although due to the size of the window, I did find it difficult to secure both ends without one side unrolling. There are pockets inside to keep items secure, especially at night.

Outdoor Revolution Camp Star 500XL is ideal for first-time buyers, especially if you want a lightweight tent. They have a very good reputation for quality. The Camp Star 500XL is sold as a package, although this might change. Winfield and Amazon have the same package on offer, including carpet, groundsheet, and storm straps, although they are at different prices. Amazon is cheaper than Winfield, although the delivery periods a longer.

A cheaper version of Camp Star is 500, for £499, and is the same design. The only difference is the porch is not enclosed. The porch is held in place by a pole threaded through the top. It is difficult and awkward. I needed to use a stool as I am short, plus you need strength in your arms to place the end of the pole. So you need that extra help and use your body weight. There is a £100 difference in price, and for the extra money, I recommend the closed-in porch as it provides you with additional storage for cooking equipment and furniture on rainy days.

The package is the same as the 500XL and is available from Winfields and Amazon with no difference in price.

5 – Royal Welford 4 Air Tent – 24.7 kg / 54.45 lbs

The Royal Welford 4 Air Tent is not as wide as the Outdoor Revolution Camp Star 500XL, with a difference of 0.3m, which is not much, but you will notice the difference. Especially in the sleeping area. You will struggle to get 4 people in the area sleeping. Ideally, it is suitable for 2 adults and 1 child, giving you space to move and extra storage.

You can sleep 3; however, you will need to remove the internal wall of the sleeping compartment. Otherwise, you will be exiting the sleeping area but crawling along your camp.

Instead of one large window, it has 2 windows on the opposite side of the door. The doors have a mesh covering to stop bugs plus increase ventilation. There are good air vents at the rear and side to reduce condensation, which can be a nightmare when camping, and temperatures drop during the nightmare.

The dark blue does seem to draw the heat more, but there is plenty of vents to compensate for this. The extra porch area is a good depth, although it is not closed in.

I like the Royal Welford 4 Air Tent because of the large windows, it makes the tent feel spacious, and it is just over 3/4m longer than the Outdoor Revolution Camp Star 500 XL. However, height is less, which is not a problem for me as I am 5ft 2″, but if you are over 6 ft, you will need to duck.

It costs £599 (prices may vary) from Winfields and is not as well-known as the Outdoor Revolution. You get less sleeping areas, but you have a larger family area.

It is slightly heavier, and you will not notice the difference, but still a good lightweight family tent. It is not sold as a package, so you must purchase a groundsheet underneath the tent for protection.

6 – Kampa Hayling 6 Air Tent – 25.18 kg / 55.51 lbs

The Kampa Hayling 6 air tent is ideal for a family of 4 with the divider, giving you room in the sleeping area to move without crawling over other beds. If you remove the internal divider, you can easily add another bed and sleep 5. If you are not worried about being restricted in the sleeping compartment, you can fit 6 people, especially if you have small children or use a camping bunk bed.

I prefer space to have a side table and areas to store clothing. The bedrooms are split equally, with storage built into the side walls. The bedrooms are not darkened like the Colemans; however, light is reduced.

Kampa tents have large windows, which help to open the tent up. There is no restriction on window size due to the side door, which is often the case in smaller tents. The living area is 2.7m (L) x 3.8m (W), with ample space for a medium sofa, table, or camping chairs.

The side and main doors have a mesh cover, so you can leave them open without worrying about bugs entering your tent. They can be opened halfway or in smaller sections to allow ventilation.

The main entrance has a drop lip, reducing trip hazards when entering the tent. This is great if you have kids running in and out, and it is ideal if you have a pushchair or wheelchair. There is no lifting or leaving either outside.

The canopy is open, 2m in depth, so there is plenty of shelter for cooking or storing chairs. However, it is not a closed canopy, so depending on the direction of the rain will affect what items you can store there without getting wet. You can push the items to the back, but this will not always protect them.

The Kampa Hayling is a great family tent because of the space and the headroom. If you are tall, this tent provides great headroom without having to duck, although this is not an issue for me.

The windows make the tent feel massive; one of my favourite tents. The only reason why it is number 6 is because of the weight. If the weight is not a concern, and you can easily lift 25.18kg, this is the tent for you.

The Kampa is available from Amazon or Winfields. It does not include the groundsheet, which will cost an additional £65.99 from Winfields (although prices may change). You can reduce this by purchasing a strong tarp, although it is difficult to find the correct size. Amazon has a strong tarp for under £25. For larger tents, I place separate tarps together so they overlap.

Key takeaway

• Weight for lifting
• Weight for travelling
• Living area
• Sleeping berths
• Sewn-in groundsheet
• Easy to pitch
• Drop entrance groundsheet lip for reducing trip hazards