In this Wenzel Vortex 8 Person Tent Review, you can read about an inflatable tent with air beams instead of classic poles. This is a 2-room tent which you can set up with a pump in a couple of minutes.
Key features & specifications
- AirPitch technology – no metal poles.
- Quick inflation and deflation.
- Nicely packable.
What type of tent is this
This is a tent without classic metal poles, you have air beams instead. So this is an inflatable tent and a very modern design. A dual-action pump is included and one person can inflate the four beams in just a couple of minutes.
The tent is tunnel type, with 4 big arches created by the air beams, so the structure is quite tall, with a lot of headspace, and you have 74 inches (191 cm) at the peak height.
This is also a 2-room tent, and these separate units are created by the divider which you attach to the walls and to the ceiling to have some privacy.
Who is it for
Sizewise, this tent is with the declared capacity of 8 people. When you see its dimensions, you realize that there is 135 ft² (12.5 m²) of the floor area, and this makes 16.9 ft² (1.56 m²) per person. This is not so great, they have used the backpacking principle in defining the capacity. More about the tent capacity in general you can see in my separate post.
So to have a comfort in the camp, it is best to use it for 4 – 5 people. The tent is suitable for groups and for families with 2 – 3 kids.
Seasons-wise, the weather resistance of this tent is quite moderate, more below, so I see it as a 2-season tent. But its structure is such that it is better suited for a cooler climate. This is because of its construction which is without mesh on the ceiling which you have in tents designed for a warmer environment and summer camping.
Regarding transportation, the packed size is 25.5 x 11.5 x 11.5 in (65 x 30 x 30 cm) and the weight is 22.81 lb (10.35 kg). Both are reasonable and the tent can be transported even on a motorbike. In any case, it is for places with a motorized access.
Materials & structure
The floor is 1000D welded polyethylene, so this is a very tough material and this welding technology gives the best sealing and it is frequently used with such plastic materials. Such floors are completely waterproof. A bit more about materials and sealing please see in my separate text.
The rest of the tent is a coated polyester with an 800 mm waterproof rating. This is quite moderate, and you can see more about this terminology here. This is why I wrote above that it is best suited for 2 seasons only, meaning summer, late spring, and early autumn.
But the tent is rather closed, and it is a single layer design, so use it in a cooler environment. There are vents on both narrow sides, and you have mesh on the windows and on the door. But there are no ground vents, and with such a design, some complaints about condensation and the lack of ventilation are no surprise.
Inside, you have only two small pockets, so this is totally inappropriate for such a big tent.
The tent is with pre-attached guy ropes, and air beams behave nicely in windy conditions; they bend due to wind pressure but they get back into normal positions instantly. This is a very flexible design.
A bit more about setup please see in this video by Wenzel, note they use a smaller tent for the demonstration here:
Specifications
- Type: inflatable tent.
- Capacity: 8 people.
- Weight: 22 lb 13 oz (22.81 lb, 10.35 kg).
- Dimensions (L x W): 15 x 9 ft (180 x 108 in; 457 x 274 cm).
- Floor area: 135 ft² (12.5 m²).
- Area per person: 16.9 ft² (1.56 m²).
- Peak height: 74 in (188 cm).
- Packed size: 25.5 x 11.5 x 11.5 in (65 x 30 x 30 cm).
- Fabric: polyester.
- Large volume double-action pump included.
- Doors: 1.
- Windows: 5.
Wenzel Vortex 15 x 9 Air Tent vs Competitors
Here I give the Wenzel Vortex 8 tent side by side with two other tents built with the same air beam technology. As you realize, it is less expensive than competitors, but it is not the most comfortable option there. Please follow the links in the table for more info.
Weight, lb (kg)
Floor size, sq ft (sq m)
Peak height, in (cm)
Packed size, in (cm)
Doors
Poles
Rooms
Type
Price, $
Wenzel
Vortex 8
22.8 (10.35)
135 (12.5)
74 (188)
25.5 x 11.5 x 11.5
(65 x 30 x 30)
1
air
2
tunnel
282
Vango
Odyssey 8
47.5 (21.55)
200 (18.6)
81 (205)
28 x 16 x 16
(70 x 41 x 41)
2
air
5
tunnel
337
Moose
Outdoors 6
34 (15.3)
150 (13.8)
79 (200)
22 x 15 x 15
(54 x 38 x 38)
2
air
3
tunel
529
Final thoughts, rating, pros & cons
So to summarize this Wenzel Vortex 8 Person Tent Review, this tent looks cool and the air beam technology used here is a trend which is becoming more and more popular recently. Such tents have appeared in 2011 or so, but this design is gaining popularity. This is mainly due to its simplistic design, no need to deal with metal poles any longer, and the improved technology, the air beams are much more reliable now than in the past.
The Vortex 8 tent is not perfect, many have reported issues, but those are sometimes caused by inappropriate use of this tent. As I pointed out already above, it is better suited for a bit cooler environment but without much rain. This is a single-layer design and it is essential that you allow for airflow to avoid problems of condensation. But there are alternatives, I gave two tents in the table above, and there are more in the site, so just look around. More inflatable tents are available in this list.
Please see how I rate this tent:
Wenzel Vortex 8 Person Tent
Pros
- Cool design.
- Easy setup.
- Good packed size.
- Good weight.
Cons
- Small area per person.
- Moderate waterproofness.
- No ground vents.
- Only one door.
If you want something more traditional with metal poles, please check this NTK Arizona GT 9 tent. Check also this Eurohike Buckingham 8 Classic Family Tent with 5 rooms. Need something simple and portable for 8 users? Check this Timber Ridge 8, a very affordable tent. Thank you for reading. Please use the comment box below if you have any comment or question. Have a nice day.
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