Best Inflatable family Tent? Berghaus Air 8 vs Air 800 Review

★★★★★ 4.8/5 – our family tent for seven years and counting.

The Berghaus Air 8 is a brilliant inflatable family tent: five air beams pitch in around 15 minutes, it sleeps eight across two bedrooms, and it kept us bone dry and comfortable through three weeks of camping in France and Spain. It has since been replaced by the Berghaus Air 800 Nightfall, around £760.

Check price at Go Outdoors | Check price on Amazon

I’ll admit I wasn’t entirely convinced by inflatable tents before our 3-week family camping trip to France and Spain. Running through my mind were endless questions. How do they work? Surely poles are just as easy (and cheaper)? What if it gets punctured, won’t that be a faff to fix? Some might say I’m an overthinker, but if you’re investing in a tent that’s going to stand the test of family holidays, it’s worth getting it right.

Seven years, three children and more campsites than I can count later, I can tell you exactly how this tent holds up. We’ve since graduated to the odd Eurocamp holiday in France when we fancy someone else doing the pitching, but the Berghaus still comes out most summers for festivals or weekends away with friends. Here’s my honest, long-term Berghaus Air 8 review, plus what to buy now that the original has been replaced.

Disclaimer: this review contains affiliate links. Any purchases you make are unaffected, but I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you, which helps keep this blog running. Thank you.

What is an air tent and is it worth the money?

First, the fundamentals. Inflatable tents are exactly the same as any other tent, with one significant difference: in place of traditional metal, fibreglass or plastic poles, the tent has inflatable beams which pump up to form a sturdy structure.

Air tents don’t come cheap, but the ease they’ve added to our family camping holidays is enormous. No pole-threading arguments and pitching is so quick that you can arrive at a campsite at 5pm and still be sat down with a beverage by 6. Several campsites, pack-ups and tent adventures later, I’m a complete convert.

Berghaus Air 8 vs 8.1 vs Air 800 Nightfall: what changed?

Since I first wrote this review based on our 2019 trip, Berghaus has updated this tent twice. In 2022 the Air 8 became the Air 8.1 Nightfall, adding blackout bedrooms. The 8.1 has now been replaced by the current model, the Berghaus Air 800 Nightfall, which keeps the blackout bedrooms and redesigns the air beams so the walls sit nearly vertical, adding roughly 20 per cent more room inside. Same brilliant tent, more space to trip over your children’s shoes.

One thing to note with the Air 800: there’s no proper vestibule, just a cover over the door, so I’d factor in the porch extension (more on that below) if you like somewhere to dump muddy wellies. This is definitely on our list for future trips.

Bottom line: if you find a well-kept second-hand Air 8 for under £300, it’s a bargain, ours is still going strong. Buying new? The Air 800 Nightfall is the one to get.

Check Air 800 price at Go Outdoors | Check price on Amazon

Tip: Go Outdoors member-card pricing regularly knocks £100 or more off, so it’s always worth checking both prices.

How to put up the Berghaus Air 8 (in about 15 minutes)

It occurred to me that I should have recorded a stop motion video of us showing how to put up the Berghaus air 8, instead of arsing around and pretending that I had magic powers to summon the inflation on my video (see below)…it’s on my to do list! But basically, it’s very simple.

It’s very simple. Like a normal tent, you roll it out, lay it flat on the ground and peg down the corners first. To pump up the tubes, you start at one end and work your way down.

There are five beams altogether and with our electric pump it took about 90 seconds per tube. Just attach the pump to each beam in turn and inflate to the specified pressure. As soon as you take away the pump, the pressure valve system keeps the air locked in, so there’s no scrabbling about to stop the air shooting out once the beam is full.

Then simply peg out the luminous guy lines and you’re done, ready to stand back and admire your handiwork (preferably with a beverage).

Do Berghaus air tents come with a pump?

Yes. The tent comes with a hand pump and pressure gauge, making inflation quick and easy. There are no fiddly poles to speak of, just robust air beams which take minutes to blow up and are just as quick to deflate.

Best electric pump for a Berghaus air tent

A hand pump does the job, but an electric pump makes it even easier. We use this electric pump from Decathlon, which also works for our paddleboards. Just make sure you’re within reach of an electrical point (i.e. your car) and the whole tent is up in the time it takes the kids to find their bikes.

What should the Berghaus air tent pressure be?

The air pressure for the Berghaus Air 8 inflatable family tent should be between 4psi and 7psi. The included pressure gauge keeps you in the safe zone, and don’t be tempted to over-inflate, as that can burst the tubes.

Inside the Berghaus Air 8: space, storage and sleeping

One huge timesaver is not having to fix an inner tent via loops and hooks to an external shell. The tent is a single unified component: the bedrooms and living space are pre-attached to the framework, so there’s no additional construction needed once you’ve blown up the beams.

The tent sleeps families or groups of up to eight, with 4-berth bedrooms at each end and living space in the middle. It feels really spacious and you can stand up easily throughout. We had a double bed in one bedroom and kids’ camping bunk beds in the other, which was a great space saver. The bedrooms include a removable divider for extra privacy, and there’s a place to hang a lantern in the living area and bedrooms.

There are storage pockets dotted all around the tent: a large organiser below the window, pockets inside and outside both bedrooms and five in the main living area, really handy for toiletries, torches and kids’ paraphernalia.

Instead of waking up sauna-style, sweating and gasping for air, we found the tent really breathable. The 185T polyester helps prevent condensation, and the bedrooms are darkened so you don’t get that alarmingly bright 4am wake-up call (unless your kids have other ideas). Big windows make the living area light and bright during the day, with adjustable blinds for shade and privacy.

The flysheet is seam-sealed and fully taped with a heavy-duty groundsheet beneath (which our youngest tripped over without fail every single time). High and low-level vents and meshed doors keep the air moving, and they seal up easily when the weather turns. There’s a zipped electrical hook-up point on both sides, velcro cable routing on the central beam, large doors front and rear with fly-mesh inners, and a rain brow above the door to stop run-off dripping inside.

Taking it down: deflating and packing away

I’m not kidding when I say a five-year-old could do it. It’s spring-loaded, so all our daughter had to do was press the buttons on the quick-release air valves, et voila. Simply repeat for all the beams. My tried-and-tested routine:

Wrangle in a small child to assist! It’ll keep them busy and away from getting up to mischief while you’re trying to take down the tent!

1. Unpeg and tie up the guy lines.
2. Take off the door canopy first (with the only pole in the tent!)
3. Unpeg the rest of the tent, leaving the four corners pegged down.
4. Press the valves to deflate the beams, in no particular order.
5. Get the kids to walk across the deflated beams to squeeze out as much air as possible. It keeps them busy and away from mischief.
6. Fold one side into the middle, then fold the two halves together.
7. Roll it up slowly, sitting on it as you go to expel the last of the air.

What about punctures?

One of my main worries before buying. We didn’t have a single puncture during our three-week trip, pitched on all sorts of terrain, and haven’t had one since. The tent comes with a repair kit just in case, and individual beams can be replaced if the worst ever happens.

Any downsides?

I really love the Berghaus inflatable camping tent but if I had to find faults,I’d say that when it’s packed down, it is quite large and heavy (70lb when packed) – it took up half our car boot. With three weeks of camping gear, we had to be strategic with packing despite a roof box and a back box. That said, it’s standard for a tent this size, and the heavy-duty carry bag has wheels built into the base, which saves your back between car and pitch.

As we had never planned to carry the tent ourselves – i.e, we are always going to have the car when we intend to use it, this doesn’t pose a problem. The Berghaus family tent is perfect for a few nights camping, several weeks of outdoor adventures, or if you fancy just pitching it in your garden.

Where to buy the Berghaus Air 800 Nightfall in 2026

The original Air 8 is no longer sold new, so if you’re buying today you want the Berghaus Air 800 Nightfall. Berghaus tents are sold through the Go Outdoors family of retailers (including Blacks and Millets) and on Amazon. Prices move around a lot, especially with a Go Outdoors member card, so check both:

Check Air 800 price at Go Outdoors | Check price on Amazon

Should you buy a second-hand Berghaus Air 8?

Honestly? If you find a well-looked-after one, yes. Ours is seven years old and still completely waterproof. A reader asked me whether the original darkened bedrooms (without the newer Nightfall blackout fabric) are dark enough, and our kids have always slept brilliantly in them, the Nightfall versions are just darker still. Check the beams hold pressure, check the seams, and haggle accordingly.

Berghaus Air 8 accessories worth buying

Porch extension. The Berghaus Air porch extension adds around 9 square metres of storage and living space, inflates with the same rapid system and joins seamlessly with all Berghaus Air tents. Given the Air 800 doesn’t have a proper vestibule, I’d call this a near-essential for wet UK camping.

Tent carpet. The lightweight, waterproof, insulating carpet makes a surprising difference to warmth on cooler evenings, and to how civilised the whole thing feels.

Electric pump. The Decathlon electric pump mentioned above, doubles for paddleboards.

A doormat. Any cheap mat for outside the front door stops everyone traipsing mud and sand inside. Trust me on this one.

If you’re after a smaller tent, the range now includes the Air 400 and Air 600 Nightfall versions, same system, fewer beams.

Berghaus Air 800 alternatives: how it compares

Vango Odyssey Airbeam 600SC. Cheaper than the Berghaus with a pre-attached sun canopy and Vango’s excellent Tension Band System for windy pitches. Sleeps six rather than eight, so better for smaller families. Check the latest price here.

Outwell Colorado 5 Air. A premium five-berth air tent with lovely liveable space and strong materials. Gorgeous, but you’re paying Berghaus money for less capacity. See current prices.

Quechua Air Seconds (Decathlon). The best-value air tents around, and their Fresh & Black fabric keeps bedrooms genuinely dark and cool. The largest models sleep six, so a family of five fits but eight won’t. Browse them at Decathlon.

If you need genuine eight-person space with blackout bedrooms and one tent to last a decade, the Air 800 Nightfall is still the one I’d buy.

Berghaus Air 8 specs at a glance

• Layout: 8-person tunnel design with two pre-attached bedrooms and a spacious living room.
• Fully waterproof: 70 denier flysheet with 6000mm hydrostatic head, fully taped seams and a rain brow above the door.
• Large windows with polycotton curtains and toggles for multiple height options.
• Side doors: one step-through and one C-shaped to prevent leaks and draughts.
• Fire retardant: tested to the BS EN 5912 standard.
• Dimensions: 215 x 750 x 300cm. Pack size: 88 x 56 x 47cm. Weight: 30kg.
• Recommended pressure: 4 to 7psi (over-inflation can burst the tubes).
• Pump: hand pump with pressure gauge included.
• Current model: Air 800 Nightfall, same footprint with near-vertical beams for about 20% more interior room and Nightfall blackout bedrooms.

Berghaus Air 8 FAQs

Is the Berghaus Air 8 discontinued?

Yes. The original Air 8 was replaced by the Air 8.1 Nightfall in 2022, which has itself been replaced by the current Berghaus Air 800 Nightfall, around £760 new. The Air 8 is still widely available second hand and remains an excellent tent.

How long does the Berghaus Air 8 take to pitch?

Around 15 minutes. Peg the corners, inflate the five beams to between 4 and 7psi (roughly 90 seconds per beam with an electric pump), then peg out the guy lines. The bedrooms are pre-attached, so there’s no inner tent to clip in.

Are the bedrooms dark enough without Nightfall fabric?

The original Air 8 bedrooms are darkened rather than full blackout, and our children have always slept well past sunrise in them. The newer Nightfall versions are noticeably darker still.

How heavy is the Berghaus Air 8?

About 30kg packed, with a pack size of 88 x 56 x 47cm. It’s a car-camping tent, not one to carry far, though the carry bag has built-in wheels.

Final thoughts: would I buy it again?

In a heartbeat. We’ve spent weeks at a time in this tent across France, Spain and plenty of soggy British campsites, and it has never let us down. As a family of five, it’s the most budget-friendly way we holiday, and one of the most fun. It’s excellent quality, entirely waterproof in bad weather, a great size for family camping, and easy to put up and take down. Seven years on, it still earns its place in (half of) the boot.

We had such a great camping holiday in this tent and can’t for our next family camping adventures!

Check Air 800 price at Go Outdoors | Check price on Amazon

If reading this review has got you in the camping mood, try these for some holiday inspiration. Wondering where to take it first? Start with my favourite campsites on the Dordogne river, or closer to home, near Bristol.

• Camping San Sebastian, Spain: review Camping Bungalows Igueldo
• Campsites on the Dordogne river: Camping le Capeyrou, Beynac France
• Camping bunk beds for kids: Hi Gear Duo Bunk review
• Camping in South West France; Review: Camping Cote d’Argent
• Dordogne Riverside Camping Domaine de Soleil Plage – REVIEW