Quechua Air Seconds 8.4 Review – an Inflatable Palace
Decathlon are seriously scaring the competition with their great quality camping gear. We put their Quechua Air Seconds 8.4 inflatable tent through its paces…..
What we like about the Quechua 8.4: Swift set-up time; Spacious interior; Sturdy in 60mph winds; Great ventilation; Loads of storage; High quality materials
What we don’t like about the Quechua 8.4: Not a fan of the big gap between door and living room; Each sleeping pod is a tight fit for 2 people; Pump not included!
Quechua Air 8.4 Inflatable Tent
Packing the car for a camping trip can feel like an epic undertaking. Tent, bedding, stove, clothes, food – it adds up fast. And with limited space, transporting everything can be a Tetris-like challenge. But what if there was a tent that simplified the process?
The Quechua Air Seconds 8.4 F&B aims to do just that.
This inflatable tent from the well-known company Decathlon promises a swift, uncomplicated setup. Designed with families in mind, it dispenses with traditional poles and pegs for an all-in-one inflatable approach. We took it for a test run down to a Dartmoor campsite to see if it delivers on its claims of easy pitching and ample living space.
As Europe’s largest sporting retailer, Decathlon is known for affordable, quality gear. Their goal is to make outdoor sports accessible. This tent certainly reflects that mission, but is it any good?
We assessed critical factors such as setup time, packed size, livable space, and weather resistance to provide an impartial review of its strengths and limitations so you can determine if it’s suitable for your next family camping trip.
Is this the stress-free family tent you’ve been searching for? Does it make camping quicker and easier? Settle back into your camp chair and read on to find out if this tent delivers on its promises.
Quechua Air 8.4 Inflatable Tent
Quechua 8.4: Dimensions, Weight, and Materials
One of the standout features of the Quechua 8.4 is its impressive size while maintaining a relatively compact packed weight and size.
With dimensions of 740 x 310 x 225 cm when inflated and assembled, there is ample room inside for eight campers to spread out comfortably. The living area alone provides nine sqm of floor space with a peak height of 225 cm for standing upright. The four separate bedrooms measure 147 x 210 cm each – enough room for two campers each.
Packed down, the entire tent compresses into a manageable 87 x 40 x 45 cm carrying case. It weighs 29 kg. While not featherlight, the packed weight is reasonable for a spacious 8-person tent with inflatable beams. The rectangular case with handles makes transporting the folded tent manageable for packing in a car, although it really needs two people to lift.
The materials used throughout the tent are designed for durability, weather resistance, and climate control. The flysheet and bedroom pods utilize a polyester fabric coated with polyurethane to achieve a 2000mm waterproof rating. Taped seams add extra water protection. The living room is crafted from UPF 50+ material for sun protection.
The opaque sleeping pods feature a blackout polyester material that blocks 99% of external light for undisturbed sleep. Decathlon calls this ‘Fresh and Black’ technology or ‘F&B’ for short. Although this is common on many modern inflatable tents, it’s a welcome feature for light sleepers like myself.
The polyethylene floor mat of the tent (190 gsm) prevents ground moisture and achieves a 2400mm waterproof rating which is not earth-shattering performance, but good enough for UK conditions. The inflatable poles (or ‘airbeams’) consist of thermoplastic polyurethane wrapped in durable 600 denier polyester and are designed to be pumped up to 7 psi.
In summary, ample space, reasonable packed size, weather-resistant materials, and an inflatable structure make the Quechua 8.4 a viable option for hassle-free camping with large groups or families.
Quechua Air 8.4 Inflatable Tent
Inflating the Quechua 8.4
One of the most innovative features of the Quechua 8.4 is its swift inflation process to set up the tent. Rather than fiddling with poles and stakes, the inflatable beams allow the tent to pop up in just a few minutes if you’re reasonably fit and don’t mind a cardio workout with the pump.
The tent utilizes an all-in-one inflatable structure, meaning the main living area and four-bedroom pods all inflate together as one unified piece. Unfold the tent, push in the pump nozzle, start pumping, and watch it come to life.
Decathlon recommends using their Ultim Comfort pump with a built-in pressure gauge to inflate the tubes to 7 PSI. Helpful tip: the required pump is sold separately and does not come with the tent (slightly surprising given the reasonably high price of the Quechua).
With a tandem pump, two people can work simultaneously to inflate both sides of the tent for an even faster setup. Expect a workout inflating the sizable structure to full pressure. But a minute and a half of pumping is a small price to pay for avoiding lengthy pole assembly.
Once fully inflated, the tent feels sturdy and taut. The inflatable beams give it structure to withstand wind and rain. For optimal wind resistance, stake down and tension the guy lines after inflation.
It doesn’t hurt to periodically re-inflate the structure throughout your camping stay to 7 PSI when the pressure drops. The single inflation point with a double closure valve makes topping off air quick and simple.
Deflating the tent is just as swift – unscrewing the valve’s outer casing and the air gushes out – this gave our daughter Lauren a big fright! Folding the deflated tent into the carry case takes some practice but is simple enough for the equivalent pole tent.
Overall, the inflation/deflation process was painless – the valves for the airbeams are all located on the front of the tent, making it a quick process to skip between them. Someone must also be on hand to creep inside the tent and push the roof up before guying out.
Quechua Air 8.4 Inflatable Tent
Testing the Quechua 8.4
To put the Quechua 8.4 to the test, we took it on a 3-day camping trip to Ashburton in Devon, located on the edge of Dartmoor National Park. There were 3 of us for the test – me (Marc), my wife Ali, and our daughter Loz (currently 12 years old!).
We wanted to evaluate how this 8-person tent holds up for a small family. To simulate maximum capacity, we set up a king-size inflatable mattress in both sleeping pods on one side of the tent, occupying space for four people. In another pod on the opposite side of the tent, we used a single-size inflatable mattress for Loz in a single sleeping pod, taking up room for two people.
The campsite location in Dartmoor provided the perfect environment to assess weather resistance. Storm Antoni blew through during our trip with whipping winds up to 60 mph. This allowed us to see how the Quechua 8.4 fares in high winds when stakes are driven in and guy lines are correctly tensioned.
Our testing focused on ease of setup, three-person interior space, comfort in sleeping pods, ventilation, noise, light blocking, and weatherproofing in rainy and windy conditions. Our hands-on testing centered on evaluating key performance factors for family camping.
Throughout the trip, we documented the tent setup process, measured interior dimensions, observed noise/light infiltration, and checked for water intrusion during the storm. We also packed the tent to evaluate fit in the carry case and ease of storage.
Testing occurred in August, providing warmer summer weather to assess ventilation and heat control. Our on-site testing allowed us to experience the Quechua’s performance in an authentic camping scenario for our 3-person family.
Tent Layout and Ventilation
The Quechua 8.4 utilizes an innovative layout to provide ample living space and sleeping quarters for eight campers. The main living area is in the centre of the tent and has an area of 9 m2, offering enough room for everyone to congregate comfortably. The vertical height of 225 cm lets occupants stand fully upright (even me, and I’m a lanky sod!).
Four equal-sized bedrooms stem off the living room (two either side), each providing 147 x 210 cm of floor space. This is roomy enough to fit 2 campers in each sleeping pod. The bedrooms can also be removed completely to create one massive communal space if desired, although doing this for one set of two pods also means the ground sheet must come out as well – they’re permanently connected.
Each bedroom features a large and small ventilation hatch to allow airflow. The lower hatch is positioned to avoid direct wind or rain ingress while still circulating fresh air. Separate mosquito mesh panels on the inside help keep insects out while permitting ventilation.
The living room has a large closable vent to let in daylight and air. A removable transparent shutter can be rolled down to block light while maintaining airflow. There is also a sizable mosquito-netted opening to enhance livability in warmer climates.
Smaller storage pockets inside each area help keep essentials close at hand without cluttering up valuable floor space. Loops are also strategically placed to hang lights.
The unique tunnel-shaped openings connecting the bedrooms to the living room aid air passage through the entire structure when vents are open. The Quechua 8.4 provides an intelligently laid-out interior with plenty of integrated ventilation capabilities.
Quechua 8.4 – In Use
Throughout the 3-day camping trip testing the Quechua 8.4, I paid close attention to all aspects of the tent’s setup, features, and real-world functionality.
The swift and straightforward setup process was a significant advantage compared to traditional pole tents. With my wife and daughter assisting (OK, leading!), we fully unrolled and inflated the tent in around 10 minutes. The pre-assembled inflatable beams and sleeping pods made pitching this spacious tent hassle-free and stressless. I appreciated not having to fumble with connecting pole segments and stakes to ‘get it up.’
However, I did notice the ground sheet and door was prone to letting blustery winds infiltrate the interior during stormy weather. The limited attachment points along the bottom edge of the door allowed gusts to whip underneath. Having zips or velcro around the perimeter would help better seal the inside from wind and debris – I’m not sure why this wasn’t considered. I can see how small children or pets could potentially slip out underneath the door in the night.
On the plus side, the airbeams provided a taut structure that maintained stability amidst the 60 mph winds of Storm Antoni. They flexed alot but did not buckle, and staking down the guy lines provided dependable reinforcement. I never felt concerned about the tent caving in from the intense storm winds.
Fortunately, the Quechua 8.4 also prevented water intrusion despite enduring sideways rain. The quality of the seams and waterproof polyester material kept the interior dry. I stayed cozy atop an inflatable mattress while water collected on the rain fly and ran off.
Inside, the sleeping pods created an ideal blackout environment for restful sleep. Despite camping in August, the darkness helped regulate temperature and blocked nearly all stray light. The bedrooms felt private and cocoon-like thanks to the light-blocking fabrics, although my wife did notice some light getting in via the white material of the tent roof. It wasn’t enough to wake her up, judging by her snoring!
Ventilation was also ample between the vents and mosquito mesh to circulate fresh air.
The living room provided enough space for our family of three and our gear. I could envision eight campers in this roomy tent, although six might be a more realistic number. There was sufficient headroom to stand upright and move about freely.
Packing the tent into its carry case was cumbersome, given the bulk and weight. However, the carry case is oversized so you can be more neat with your rolling. The packed tent is easily fitted within the rear boot of our Mercedes Marco Polo campervan. While not the most portable for backpacking, the Quechua 8.4 offers outstanding livability for car camping.
Conclusions
After thoroughly testing the Quechua Air Seconds 8.4, we’ve been impressed overall with the innovation and materials used by Decathlon. It is certainly one of the best inflatable tents on the market.
The swift pitching enabled by the pre-assembled one-piece inflatable structure significantly enhances setup compared to traditional pole assembly. Within 10 minutes, you can be settled into the expansive interior with ample room for eight occupants.
The F&B blackout bedrooms allows restful sleep while the waterproof polyester materials keep you dry in the rain. Multiple vents circulate air to prevent stifling condensation and humidity inside. The durable construction withstands intense winds when appropriately used with stakes and guy lines.
While not entirely perfect, the Quechua 8.4 alleviates much of the hassle of packing and pitching a cumbersome tent. By focusing on ease of use and livable space, this model allows campers to spend less time wrestling with gear and more time enjoying nature.
The pros of effortless setup and abundant room for car camping with family or friends likely outweigh the cons. While casual campers should consider key drawbacks like ground sheet integration, the Quechua 8.4 undoubtedly enhances the experience for certain use cases.
This innovative air-beam tent provides an inflatable alternative to pole-driven designs. By blending ingenious simplicity with practical livability, the Quechua 8.4 earns a spot on the shortlist for hassle-free, breezy car camping.
We recommend this tent for the right campers and contexts. The Quechua 8.4 delivers an unencumbered inflatable experience perfect for spacious, quick-pitching family trips. For large gatherings seeking a swift, roomy sanctuary in nature, it’s a worthy option.
Quechua Air 8.4 Inflatable Tent
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How long does it take to set up the Quechua 8.4 tent?
A: With two people working, the tent can inflate and be secured in 10 minutes. The swift setup is thanks to the pre-assembled inflatable structure.
Q: What size pump is required to inflate it?
A: Quechua recommends their Ultim Comfort pump with a pressure gauge to inflate beams to 7 PSI. Note – the pump is sold separately.
Q: How many people can sleep inside the tent?
A: The Quechua 8.4 has eight occupants with four bedrooms and a spacious living room. Each bedroom fits two people on twin-size mattresses.
Q: Is the fabric on the tent completely waterproof?
A: The polyester material is coated for waterproofing and has taped seams to prevent leaks in rainy conditions.
Q: Does this tent need to be staked to the ground?
A: Yes, you must correctly stake down the Quechua 8.4 and tension guy lines for stability, especially in windy conditions.
Q: What is the packed weight and size?
A: Packed dimensions are 87 x 40 x 45 cm, and the tent weighs 29 kg total. Easy to transport by car, but hard to carry long distances.
Q: How is the tent ventilated?
A: Large and small vents built into the bedrooms and living room allow air flow. Mesh openings add breathability while keeping bugs out.
