LETS START WITH THE AIR 600 NIGHTFALL
Overview
Lets compare the Berghaus AIR 600 and 600XL Nightfall tents. Here at Campers Content we’re big fans of the Berghaus air range, in fact I personally own the air 600 and I absolutely love it! We’ll start our comparison with the air 600. Its the latest 6 berth model on the Berghaus range and it comes with some great improvements compared to its predecessors. Lets dive right in and give it a full Campers Content review!
The Best Price For The Berghaus Air 600
Details
- Name- Berghaus Air 600 Nightfall
- Price is around £700
- Style- inflatable tent
- 6 berth family tent
Berghaus Air 600 Key Features
- Improved angled beams provide 20% extra living space compared to previous generations
- Nightfall blackout technology – removable darkened bedrooms with divider for peaceful sleep
- Quick-release air valves – spring-loaded valves deflate the poles at the touch of a button
- Two-way stirrup pump with gauge included
- 6000mm HH fly sheet – withstands the heavy rain, snow and winds
- Tunnel construction with pre-attached bedrooms
- Air flow ventilation system – high- and low-level vents for improved air flow
- Rainhood above side door to prevent leaks
- Fully sewn-in ground sheet
- Excellent head room in living area and bedrooms
- 4 corner stake pegs and steel roundwire pegs – give secure hold and sturdy construction
- Adjustable pegging points
- Fly sheet and groundsheet fully seam taped
- Fly sheet, inner tent and groundsheet fully fire retardant
- Breathable polyester inner – allows condensation to pass through for freshness
- Mesh and roll-away doors on inner bedrooms
- Large organisers below windows and multiple pocket organisers in living area
- Storage pockets inside all bedrooms
- Extra-large windows – with adjustable height curtains
- Zip electric hook-up access point – on both sides of tent with Velcro tidies to run the cable to a lantern point
- Valve tightener and repair kit
- Robust, wheeled carry bag with adjustable buckles – assists transportation
- Pack Size: 48cm (H) x 48cm (W) x 86cm (L)
- Dimensions: 215cm (H) x 250cm (W) x 730cm (L)
- Weight: 26.5kg
Berghaus Air 600 Ease Of Use
The brand Berghaus is well over half a century old and is renowned for creating pioneering outdoor gear for campers, hikers and climbers. They offer extremely high quality products that will last for years and their range of air tents revolutionised the camping world.
Pitching
Their innovation has allowed a huge 6 berth family tent to be pitched and taken down in a fraction of the time of poled versions. Air tents don’t just save time, they save marriages 😉 Falling out with your family and friends the moment you arrive at the campsite and begin to start pitching your tent is never a good start to the holiday! This is why I love air tents, they make it so simple. The AIR 600 is made up of five air beams and all you have to do is use the pump that comes with the tent to blow each one up in turn. You then fasten your guy ropes and well, that’s it! The main shell of your tent is up.
As you can see from the specifications above, the ground sheet and rain fly sheet is built in, so you don’t have to worry. Inside the tent, we found setting up the two bedrooms fairly easy as well because each ‘clip’ is colour coded so you know exactly where it has to go.
Packing
Taking the AIR 600 down is just as easy and believe it or not, even quicker than putting it up. There’s pressure release valves at the base of each air beam and you simply press them and gravity does the rest of the work for you.
Getting it back in the wheeled carry bag which also comes with the tent does prove a bit of a struggle though. The carry bags are fitted with adjustable straps, which helps, however if you are thinking of purchasing this tent we would recommend having a few practice runs at getting it back in the carry bag. It is worth mentioning here that the packed weight of air tents is a lot heavier than poled tents. An average family tent that uses poles is around 16kg whereas the AIR 600 weighs about 26.5kg all packed up. The packed size is much bigger too, so just bare in mind that it will take up a bit more room in the boot of your car.
Space and comfort
Head Room
The Air 600 nightfall is a good sized family tent and Berghaus say it’s one of there best sellers because of this. Starting with the height, as a tell person (6’2”) I find standing in the living area of this tent no problem at all. Berghaus have changed the shape of their air beams compared to the old model so its less of a horse shoe C shape and now a much closer to vertical wall. The result is nearly a 20% increase in overall head room. In the bedrooms there’s not as much headroom as in the Air 800 nightfall so I do find myself crouching a little bit.
Living Area
The living area is a very good size to relax in and store gear. Setting up a small table etc is no problem at all. It also has doors at either side which are really practical for not only access but they also allow lots of air flow throughout the tent. There’s clear windows at both sides of the tent over the doors and next to them. These give it a much bigger feel as they let so much light in to the middle section. They also have curtains if a little more privacy is needed.
Bed Spaces
The bed space is actually pretty good and is definitely possible to get one double and a single air bed in either bedroom. This means technically you could sleep 6 adults in this tent but I wouldn’t recommend doing this for long trips away as it would be pretty tight. A weekend would be fine but anymore it would be a bit too snug. I think the tent is perfectly fine for a family of 4 if you all get along nicely, but that’s not to say if there’s less occupants it would be too big. When I go away it’s usually just me and my partner and we enjoy having a little extra room to fill with gear more times than not, we don’t actually need!
What Is Nightfall?
The reason Berghaus call this line of tents ‘Nightfall’ is because of the material of the inner wall of the bed spaces. It basically prevents any ambient light from passing through, so the morning sun waking you up on those summer mornings won’t be an issue. The only drawback to having a tent with this layout, especially with the nightfall material, is a lot less light can enter the tent during the day. Don’t get me wrong, these bedrooms are the equivalent of having blackout curtains in your bedroom at home, so they make for a perfect nights sleep! Its just during the day unlike at home where you can open your curtains to let light in, you can’t with this tent, so it ends up feeling pretty dark at either end. Unless of course you’re like me and only need one of the bedrooms, in which case you can completely remove the bedroom you don’t need. This will free up a bit more storage space and brighten up one end of the tent.
Berhaus Air 600 Extra Features
This tent has a lot of storage pockets! They’re everywhere and all of a good usable size. You can find them under the windows and down the side sections of both bed spaces as well as in the bed spaces themselves. Another small feature which I really like is the lantern hook in the centre air beam. You can either use a battery one or supply a mains electric light using the small sealable openings at the base of the centre air beam. The cable then can be run up the beam using Velcro tabs. Or of course you can supply any other part of your tent with electricity.
Vestibule Area
One problem we the Air 600 Nightfall is that it doesn’t come with any vestibule area. You’ll notice in the picture that there’s just a cover over one of the doors which is just about big enough to shelter under while you take layers off if its raining before you get into the tent. It also helps stop any rain water dripping into the tent off the rain fly sheet. If your going with kids and are wanting more space than that though to store things like camping equipment or push bikes etc then there is an option but it does come at a cost. The Berghaus Air Porch uses the same inflatable technology and fits right onto the side of the Air 600 Nightfall tent. It will set you back around £280 though but if you’re going to be doing a lot of family camping, I’d probably say it’s worth it. The porch has a size of – 345 x 260 x 215cm so is a really big area to store anything you like and not leave you wanting for anymore room.
Berghaus Air Porch
This picture basically shows how the AIR Porch fits on to your tent. It fits straight onto the Air 4,6 and 8. If you like use the link below to few it on amazon to get more details.
How Does It Cope With The Weather?
The AIR 600 comes with a hydrostatic head rating (a waterproof rating) of 6000. Anything above 3000 will cope with pretty much any rain Europe can throw at it, so its definitely not going to leak! All the seams throughout are tape sealed and the base sheet is built in so not only will this stop any unwanted creepy crawlies but it will also stop any ground moisture striking up.
Four Season Tent?
Berghaus call this a four season tent. Please take that with a pinch of salt, as I would say that’s more of a marketing tactic than the actual truth. The thing is most buyers don’t actually know what a two season, three season or four season tent means so manufacturers place it on their advertising as they know most people will likely think a four season tent must be better than a three season tent as I can use it all year round’. It doesn’t help that individual manufacturers all have different specifications for what qualifies as what and this definitely leads to a lot of the confusion. Basically a four season tent means that it is designed to be used in the fourth season, as in winter. Yes, this tent could easily cope with the winter rain but any air tent would not be my first choice for camping in the bad weather in winter months! They’re simply not designed to cope with high winds and the weight of snow.
On the contrary the AIR 600 will cope extremely well in warm conditions. Its duel skin will stop and condensation forming on a night in the bedrooms and there’s a clever set up of both low and high vents that allow cool air in at the bottom and warm air out of the top, keeping your tent cool and fresh with no damp. All the windows and both doors have mesh, so can be left fully open to allow air in without the worry of unwanted insect guests appearing.
Pro’s and Cons
| PROS | CONS |
| Very easy to pitch | No vestibule area built in |
| Lots of headroom | No natural light source from either end |
| Lots of storage pockets | Heavy compared to poled tent when packed (26.5kg) |
| Great for family holidays | |
| Smart features such as electric access | |
| Doors on both sides | |
| Mesh on all tent openings | |
| Great ventilation system | |
| Large bed space |
Take A Look At What Berghaus Have To Say
Check The AIR 600 Out On Amazon Here
now lets look at the berghaus air 600 nightfall xl
Details
- Name- Berghaus 600XL Nightfall
- Price is around £980
- Style- inflatable tent
- 6 berth family tent
View The Best Price
Berghaus Air 600XL Key features
- One Nightfall darkened bedroom
- Spacious living area with enough headroom for everyone under 6’ 8” ft.
- Five inflatable air poles (air pump included)
- Sewn-in groundsheet for easier pitching and enhanced protection from the ground
- Berth: 6 people
- Hydrostatic Head (waterproof): 6000mm
- Flame retardant materials
- Flysheet: 75D 185T Polyester Embossed
- Inner: 75D 185T Polyester Embossed
- Groundsheet: 185T Polyester
- Wheeled carry bag included
- Pitched dimensions: 675 x 450 x 220 cm (LxWxH)
- Standing height: 210 cm / 6’ 8” ft
- Weight: 38.5kg
- Repair kit included
- Lantern hanging points
- Internal Storage pockets
Campers Contents Thoughts
The idea of this blog review is to allow you to compare both of the 6 berth models Berghaus make in their air range. I’ll talk you through the same criteria as I did above for the air 600, pointing out any differences a long the way. Let’s jump right in…
Berghaus Air 600XL Ease of use
Again just like the air 600 and all the inflatable tents on the Berghaus air range, this tent is extremely easy to pitch. Were talking around 10- 15 minutes for it to be completely up once you’ve had a bit of practice! Compared to poled tents this is a game changer and frankly it allows you to get straight to what’s important, relaxing and enjoying your holiday!
Taking it down is no hassle either but just like all the other air tents, you’ll need to practice getting it back in the carry bag as there is a knack to it!
It’s worth mentioning here that the packed weight and size is a lot larger than the air 600 as it weighs 38.5kg compared to the air 600’s 26.5kg. For most people this isn’t too much of a problem as you’ll usually be parking right next to where you’ll be pitching the tent, however it is worth baring in mind that it will take up a fair bit of space in the boot of your car.
Space And Comfort
Headroom
This tent is massive! as you can see it’s nearly double the width of the air 600 and isn’t far off the same length! All in all you get 12 meters squared of living space which is absolutely great. There’s also more headroom than the air 600. You’ll be able to stand up completely straight throughout this tent as long as your no taller than 6’8” due to its tunnel design.
Layout
The other main difference to note is the completely different layout. There is benefits and drawbacks to this, the main benefit being the huge amount of natural light this tent lets in. There’s clear windows to the front and sides of the tent giving a panoramic view to outside. All the windows come fitted with mesh and blinds if you require more privacy. The drawback to this tent layout is really personal preference one. It comes down to the fact do you mind your bed space being right next to someone else’s. As you can see by the dashed lines there is privacy walls that are completely removable if need be.
Bed Space
The bed spaces themselves are large though just like the air 600 and unless you’re a giant you’ll be able to lie out completely straight. You could definitely sleep 6 people as Berghaus state but pretty much like every other tent I wouldn’t recommend doing this for long periods of time as it would be fairly snug.
Access & Vestibule Area
The next main difference compared to the air 600 is it has three doors due to the different layout. Again this is a massive plus as it just makes the tent so much more versatile and practical being able to access it from three different directions. For instance if you’re on a smaller caravan/ camping site its not always easy accessing a tent from the sides due to other vehicles being parked close as well as you guy lines being out to the edge of your pitch. The extra doors and windows of course allow much more airflow through the tent during those hot (fingers crossed) British summer months.
Another advantage of the 600XL is it does come with 170cm of vestibule area. This is easily enough room to sit under and shelter from the sun, or store things like your BBQ. Its just handy having somewhere to sit and store things outside the main body of the tent. Again if you’re wanting a sealable area to add on, the Berghaus Air porch will fit straight on the side of the tent and add another 9 meters squared!
How Does It Cope With Weather?
More or less the same as the air 600 is the answer to this! It come’s with the same 6000 waterproof rating and also has the same innovative high and low vent system. It will cope with hot conditions slightly better due to the extra airflow created by having windows and a door at the front.
See What Berghaus Have To Say About It
Check It Out On Amazon
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