Bubble Tents

What a bubble tent is

A bubble tent is a dome you can see through, so you can lie inside and watch the sky, or sit out of the wind and still see the view. The clear walls are PVC on most of the camping ones, and polycarbonate on the rigid garden rooms. Some stand on fibreglass poles, one is blown up with a pump, and the biggest are fixed rooms on aluminium frames.

Camping, inflatable, garden room or glamping: which bubble tent

• Clear camping bubble tents on fibreglass poles. The 720° dome here is 180 by 130cm, 160cm high and about 3kg. See dome tents.
• Inflatable bubble domes, 3m across as standard, supplied with an air pump. See inflatable air tents.
• Polycarbonate bubble rooms on aluminium frames, for gardens and terraces, some with a star projector built in. See garden tents.
• Glamping bubble domes for sites and holiday lets. See glamping bubble tents and geodesic dome tents.

Sun, condensation and privacy

Clear walls bring three things a normal tent does not have to think about. First, sun: a clear tent warms up fast on a bright day, which is why the 4-6 person bubble tent here has a removable silver-coated top cover rated UV50+, to give shade when you want it. Second, condensation: breath on cold clear walls fogs them, so look for vents and keep them open; that tent has a large ventilation net at the top for the purpose. Third, privacy: with a light on inside at night, people outside can see in, so think about where it stands, and look for the models with curtains.

What the waterproof rating means on a bubble tent

A clear PVC wall is waterproof in itself; what matters are the seams, the doors and any fabric cover. The removable top cover on the 4-6 person tent is rated 2,000mm. See waterproof to 2,000mm.

Questions people ask about bubble tents

Can I use a bubble tent in winter?

Some are made for it: the PVC of the 4-6 person tent is made for -20°C to +60°C, and it has a snow skirt. Bring warm bedding, and never take a barbecue or a stove into one: carbon monoxide kills.

Are bubble tents hot in summer?

They can be, in full sun. Open the doors and vents, fit the top cover, or pitch it where trees give shade in the afternoon.

How long does delivery take?

Delivery is included in every price and tracked to your door. Each product page says when that tent usually arrives, so check it before ordering for a set date.

More to look at

• Glamping bubble tents
• Geodesic dome tents
• Inflatable air tents
• Garden tents
• Dome tents
• Glamping lights and bunting
• Guide: Bell tents and glamping