The Vango Stargrove II Air 600XL Tent is huge with 4 rooms and a protected porch, inflatable beams, a huge waterproof rating, and solid windows.
Key features & benefits
- Tunnel-type tent.
- Huge area.
- 4 Rooms.
- 6 + 2 Windows.
- Inflatable beams.
- E-cable ports.
What this Vango Stargrove II Air 600XL Tent is about
As mentioned above, this is an impressive tunnel type tent with a peak height of 82.68 inches (210 cm). You have a shell and an inner tent inside. The picture below shows its floor plan and some dimensions. The gray area is the space occupied by the inner tent.
So the space is organized into a huge living room that is under the shell, and three sleeping units in the inner tent, the picture below. You have two removable dividers in the sleeping area, so you can have in total 4, 3, and 2 rooms.
You can also remove the inner tent completely and have a huge single room under the shell. This is why I have included it in my list of best 4 room tents for camping.
But there is also a very spacious floorless but fully protected porch with a closable door, so this is almost a room. This space you can use to put your camping chairs and your camp kitchen, so you do not have to worry about the floor. Below you have view inside from the porch area.
The doors & windows
There are two large external doors, and the one on the porch is 2.8 meters wide. The side door is King Pole compatible, this means you can create an awning with the help of extra pair of poles.
The inner door between the porch and the living room (the picture above) is full two layer type with a mesh and zippered panel. There are also three inner doors on the sleeping area, one for each of the sleeping rooms.
There are 6 separate windows, and some of them are solid and some with mesh. Two windows in the living room and two in the porch area are solid. There are two mesh windows on the inner wall between the living room and the porch, see them in the picture above. You also have two more solid windows on the large porch door.
Note that the windows are with toggled privacy curtains that can be raised to top of the windows and to half the height as well.
Air beams
This is a tent with inflatable beams instead of classic poles. Vango brand is one of the leaders in this technology with over a decade of experience in AirBeam design. This explains the word Air in the official name. So do not get confused, they also have the tent with the same name but with classic poles.
With this AirBeam technology you have a strong and flexible. The beams can never break under wind pressure, and they restore the shape instantly when the pressure drops.
This huge structure is stabilized with Vango’s TBS II Tension Band System. It ensures the tent performs in adverse conditions, especially in strong, changeable winds. It has 3 attachment points on a beam, one visible below, and it reduces sideways movement. These straps can be stowed away in calm weather.
Pitching this huge tent is easy and one person can do it in 12-15 minutes. The tent comes with their own AirSpeed valve design system, separate for each of the 5 beams. A double action pump is in the package, with a pressure dial and a handy carry bag.
The fabric: They use here their Sentinel Active described in detail in my separate text. They claim it is fully wind & rain tested, and its waterproof rating is 3000 mm. But they write that storms and extreme weather should be avoided. All seams are taped. You have EN ISO 5912 safety standard for peace of mind.
The inner tent is what they call the Nightfall Bedrooms with a reduced light, so this is a breathable dark polyester taffeta. The floor is fully sewn-in and bathtub style, they describe this as an external storm skirt. This is a waterproof PE robust material.
Note that the inner tent has its own extra floor, so there are two layers of floors in the sleeping area. If you remove the inner tent and use the shell only, it is still fully sealed and you have complete protection.
Ventilation
The tent has numerous vents on the sides, they are under the solid windows and you can see them in the pictures above. One large high vent is on the back behind the inner tent.
I already mentioned the gigantic mesh door between the porch and the living room. It is closable with its zippered panel but you can keep it with mesh only as long as you want because it is deep under the porch and fully protected.
There is a gap between the inner tent and the shell, so air can circulate and this will reduce condensation. So there is really nothing to object here regarding venting options, this is all properly done,
Other features
- Lantern hanging loops.
- Two E-cable ports.
- Storage pockets in the sleeping rooms.
- Drop-down door step feature is on the inner door between the porch and living room. This is suitable with kids running around and also for wheelchair access.
- Villa Construction with upright side walls that increase the height and volume within the tent.
- Easy pack oversized carry bag.
Who is this Tent for
Regarding the area, the tent is officially for 6 people, and for this you have the total floored area of around 200 ft² (18.6 m²). This means 33.3 ft² (3.1 m²) per person.
Note that the living room has around 11 square meters and it can easily accommodate 6 people more. So this tent is a true camping castle with the effective capacity twice its official capacity. This is rare to find, but it is not unusual for the Vango brand.
This was about fully floored and sealed space, but you also have around 7 square meters of the porch area. In view of such dimensions, I have included it in my list of extra large family camping tents.
Regarding seasons & climate, the tent will protect you in almost any weather conditions. It is fully closable if you use it in a cold environment, but it also has plenty of mesh for summer camping. So I see it as a tent for year round use, except for situations with lots of snow because of its inflatable beams.
Regarding the weight, the tent is heavy with its 56.2 lb (25.5 kg), but see its size. So the weight is justified. The same holds for its substantial packed size which is 31.5 x 18.1 x 18.1 inches (80 x 46 x 46 cm). You need a car for transportation of this tent.
Specifications
- Weight: 56.2 lb (25.5 kg).
- Official capacity: 6 people.
- Dimensions: 23.13 x 12.47 ft (705 x 380 cm).
- Inner area: 200 ft² (18.6 m²).
- Inner area per person: 33.3 ft² (3.1 m²).
- Porch area: 75 ft² (7 m²).
- Peak height: 82.68 in (210 cm).
- Packed size: 31.5 x 18.1 x 18.1 in (80 x 46 x 46 cm).
Final thoughts, rating, pros & cons
In summary, this Vango Stargrove II Air 600XL Tent has been around for a number of years in several different variants. The one presented here is with air beams and with inner shatters on its solid windows. This is an impressive tent in many ways, with 4 rooms plus a porch, and it can accommodate far more people than what its official capacity tells you. Fully recommended.
Below you can see how this tent stands against my standard rating criteria that I apply consistently to all the tents here in the site so that you can easily compare:
BEST PLACEs TO BUY:
For more tents of this shape please check in the category Tunnel Tents. Let me know if you have questions, there is a comment box below. Bookmark this site and come again, this will keep you informed, as you realize I add texts here on a regular basis. Thank you for reading.
Leave a Reply