New to camping, staycation or just want to find out a bit more about what’s on offer? There are a lot of different types of tents available and each one has a different purpose. To help you make the right buying choice, here is a quick guide to the different types of Outwell camping tents.
Air tents
Also known as inflatable tents, air tube tents or blow up tents, air tents are exceptionally easy to pitch and a great choice for hassle-free camping holidays. Instead of using traditional poles, air tents have an airframe, which can be inflated with a pump in seconds. So you can spend more time enjoying your holiday. Air tents are extremely secure, durable and long lasting. They are available in a range of sizes from smaller tents for weekends away to large family camping tents. Outwell air tents can sleep between 3 to over 7 people and come with lots of handy features, like darkened bedrooms, colour coded pegging, storm protection and more. Our ultra long-lasting inflatable polycotton tents are top of the range and offer superior breathability and comfort.
Outwell air tents come with their own carry bag and can be easily transported from car to campsite. But they are heavier than poled tents so are less suited for backpacking or when you want to travel light. Shop air tents here.
Poled tents
Traditional poled tents are the classic camping tents we all know and love. Outwell poled tents use our special lightweight Duratec fibreglass poles, which are blended for strength and ease of use. Some of the very large family tents use a mix of Duratec fibreglass and steel poles for extra stability. Poled tents come in a range of sizes and are lighter and less expensive than air tents. This makes them a great choice for anyone who is new camping or those who prefer a more compact packsize. Outwell small poled tents sleep 2 or 3 people and are ultra lightweight, making them ideal for action-packed weekends away and touring trips. Our large family poled tents sleep between 4 and 6 people and are ideal for summer holidays in the UK and beyond.
Shop poled tents here.
Family tents
Outwell family tents are what brilliant summers on the campsite are all about. Spacious, comfortable and made for easy living our large family tents offer everything you need for outdoor fun. You’ll love the full standing height ceilings in the living space, dedicated bedrooms, and canopies for a shady outdoor area. Great ventilation ensures you stay comfy day and night, and mesh panels keep bugs at bay. Sleeping between 3 and 6 people and available in a range of budgets, there’s a perfect family tent for every holiday.
Weekend tents
Love to get away for the weekend? A compact camping tent is ready to go whenever you are, giving you the freedom and flexibility to hit the road at a moment’s notice. Just throw it in your car and go! For weekend breaks, you want an easy tent that’s fast pitching but offers enough room for everyone to be comfortable. Size isn’t as important as you’re won’t be spending too much time in the tent – just make sure there’s enough sleeping space and a small living area for relaxing and storing kit. We have small tents available for sleeping 2 to 5 people - so there’s plenty of choice for friends, couples and families.
Read mere about weekend tents here.
Tents for two
Snuggle up round a fire and bring romance to the campsite in a tent that’s made for two. A small tent doesn’t have to mean scrimping on luxuries. We offer a range of small tents that bring home comforts to your camping holidays and weekends away. These cool tents offer full standing height ceilings, spacious living space and separate bedrooms. Available to buy as a poled tent or air tent, they are compact in size but big on features and just right for two.
See our smaller tents – just right for two
Adventure tents
Going backpacking or need a base for your action-packed weekend away? You need a lightweight, easy tent that won’t weigh you down. Our ultra lightweight tunnel tents are the answer. These brilliant, waterproof tents are compact and can be carried on your back or on a bike. Sleeping between 2 and 3 people, they offer a comfortable place to spend the night and space to store kit. Great for those on a budget, they may be cheap tents compared to a large family tent but they do their job perfectly. You’ll be warm and dry in all but the most extreme weather.
Read more about adventure tents here.
Utility tents
Get shade and shelter on the go. Utility tents give you quick and easy cover from the elements, wherever you are. Lightweight and easy to pitch, they are ideal for alfresco dining, daytime events and any outdoor occasion. Use them in the garden, at the campsite, on the beach, at the park, or on the trail. Outwell offers poled and air utility tents.
Shop utility tents here.
Find your perfect tent
How you like to spend your time outside should guide your tent buying decision. Are you a sun seeker who loves to camp in warmer climates or a mountain trekker heading to the cooler northern territories? Are you going off the beaten track or holidaying with a motorhome or caravan? Do you need a large family tent or one that you can pitch on your own? Would you prefer a luxury glamping experience or an action-packed weekend away?
Match your tent to your adventure with Kit Advisor
Not sure which tent material is right for you?
Outwell tents come in two main fabrics – polycotton and polyester. Both will keep out wind and water – so you stay dry and warm. But they each have pros and cons. Polycotton tents are highly breathable and long lasting, making them a comfortable choice for years to come. But they are more expensive. Quality polyester tents are lighter, more compact and cheaper than polycotton tents, but aren’t as durable and can be damaged by UV. A special polyester mix comes in our Outtex 6000 HD tents, has excellent tear strength and durability. But is heavier than pure polyester and can be affected by temperature variations.
Find out more in our tent material guide
Get help buying your tent
Have a question about one of our tents? Or maybe you’d like to see and feel the tent before you buy? No problem.
Visit one of the many Outwell dealerships across the UK and view our tents for yourself.
Ask us a question. We’re always happy to help.
Make your tent feel like home
Need more space? Extend your tent
Is your tent feeling too cramped? Add more space in an instant with an Outwell Universal Extension. These brilliant extensions fit many Outwell tents giving you more living space for your growing family or holidays with friends. Available in different sizes to suit your needs, the extensions fit neatly to the entrance of your tent and have large panoramic windows. They are easy to pitch and a great way to get more room for relaxing, playing, sleeping or storage.
Shop universal extensions here.
Get extra cosy with a tent carpet
Tent carpets are a quick and easy way to bring home comforts to outdoor living. There’s nothing quite like feeling warm, soft carpet underfoot on chilly mornings on the campsite. It also makes sitting and playing on the floor much more comfortable, which is great for those with young children. We offer custom-fit tent carpets for all our family tents. These are a perfect fit for each tent’s living area and easy to lay with PVC backing for extra durability.
Find the right carpet here
Protect your tent with a footprint
Your tent is an investment. Protect it from damage with an Outwell footprint. These are custom-made to fit our family camping tents and have three big benefits:
Protect your tent from wear and tear
Keep your tent cleaner as they provide a layer between the tent and the muddy ground
Increase insulation in your tent for a warmer, more comfortable camping holiday
Find the right footprints here
Be prepared for anything
Follow the Scout’s motto of ‘be prepared’ and enjoy hassle-free camping holidays every time. There’s nothing worse than getting to the campsite and realising you’re missing a vital piece of equipment. With a bit of forward planning you can avoid this hiccup. Here’s our list of essential tent pitching accessories:
- Spare pegs
- Spare guylines
- Spare poles – for poled tents
- A mallet for banging in pegs
- A peg extractor – for easier tent take down
- Peg covers – to protect feet from the tops of pegs
- Tent organiser for keeping your tent pitching accessories neat and tidy
Shop tent accessories here.
Take the stress out of camping
Enjoy carefree camping with our handy how-to guides.
Easy tent pitching
Find out how to pitch inflatable air tents, poled tunnel tents, drive-away and caravan awnings.
Peg right for a more stable tent
Discover the best way to keep your tent on the ground, whatever the weather.
Master the knot
Get to know your knots and increase your tent camping skills. These can be crucial in emergencies, for example, if a pole breaks or you need to add additional guylines.
View the best knots for camping
Top tips for tent camping
UK TV presenter, Julia Bradbury shares her top camping tips for happy tent holidays.
See the top tips for tent camping
Stay healthy and happy while you’re camping
Living in a tent is brilliant fun but you are exposed to the elements and will be eating and cleaning dishes outside. It’s therefore worth taking extra precautions to stay safe.