A picture of a really old tent

We’ve Come A Long Way From This

Come through to glimpse a few of the best new tents on the Australian market in 2023.
A picture of a really old tent

We’ve Come A Long Way From This

Come through to glimpse a few of the best new tents on the Australian market in 2023.
A picture of a really old tent

We’ve Come A Long Way From This

Come through to glimpse a few of the best new tents on the Australian market in 2023.

Tents have come a long, long way. No longer are you sorting through a heavy bag of identical poles, fighting about what goes where, only for the first puff of breeze to knock the whole thing out of shape. From pop up to blow up to old school charm, the modern tent makes weekends in the wild oh-so easy.

We’ve compiled a list of new releases that have been making noise in the market.

OzTrail Lumos Fast Frame Tent

OzTrail Lumos 12 person tent set up at bush campsite.
Quick to set up and roomy enough for the whole family.

This glorious bush palace features all the luxuries you’d expect from an expensive new tent. It’s spacious, with multiple rooms and plenty of headspace, and is made from a blackout material, which means it’s easier to get the kids to sleep or enjoy a longer lie-in after late nights by the campfire. There’s built in LEDs so you won’t be searching for lost torches in the middle of the night. But the thing that all tents are ultimately judged on is their ease of use and the Fast Frame system is a winner. It’s based around a series of built in poles that extend out from a central hinge and lock into place. Imagine an oversized pop-up tent with advanced engineering. The downside of this marvel of engineering is that it’s big, like, really big. At 33kg it takes two people to move and will eat up a good chunk of the storage room in your garage. The 12-person version currently retails for $899 via OzTrail.

Dometic Santorini Inflatable Tent

The inflatable Dometic Santorini at a lakeside campsite.
Inflatable might just be the future of tents.

One of the latest advances in tent technology is inflatable tents. Using an air compressor or a good old hand pump, you simply inflate the network of air pockets to 10psi and it creates a sturdy frame that also provides flexibility in strong winds. That means you won’t have to deal with bent or broken poles ever again. It also means you have a super fast assembly process – though that is somewhat negated by a trickier pack down. This model comes in a 4- or 8-person version, that both feature a full front annexe. The larger version weighs in at just under 30 kilograms, so it’s not light. It’s also pretty heavy on the wallet, retailing for $2199 via Dometic. This is their premium offering in the inflatable range, with other inflatable styles selling for less than $1000.

Homecamp Tipi Tent + Nomad Stove

A teepee style tent at campsite.
A nod to the past but featuring modern materials.

This eye-catching tent is throwback to age-old style but with a few modern upgrades. Like most tepee styles it is quick to assemble. Peg out the groundsheet and then walk in the centre pole, attach the ropes to the pegs, pull tight and you are set. It’s made from a durable canvas that is both water and mould resistant. There are double doors to create a breezeway for hot weather but the best part is the pot belly stove that creates a warm hideout for those winter nights. There’s some safety considerations you need to educate yourself around but once you’re sorted then you can be boiling the morning coffee without even needing to leave your bed. Currently for sale via Homecamp for $1855.