Most tents still use solid metal, fiberglass and composite poles, but a few manufacturers, including Nemo, have experimented with inflatable poles to limit packed size and make set-up easier. Now ...

It’s not the first inflatable tent, but it might be the most affordable and easiest to use. By replacing traditional poles with inflatable “AirPoles,” Kelty’s family camping-sized shelters set up in ...

Replacing their rigid predecessors, inflatable poles offer advantages like ease of setup — you just pump them up — and increased strength. Disadvantages are weight and complication. Worth it? We spent ...