If you are looking for a large family tent that prioritizes easy pitching, generous sleeping space, and a comfortable central living area, the Eurohike Genus 800 Air is an interesting option.
At first glance, its biggest selling point is obvious: this is an eight-berth inflatable family tent with two separate bedrooms and a central living area, yet it weighs around 12.8 kg and packs down to approximately 73 × 38 × 36 cm. The inflatable beam system also removes much of the traditional pole wrestling associated with large family tents.
But a tent can look impressive on a product page and still behave differently on a wet campsite.
After looking at the Genus 800 from the perspective of someone who has spent years camping in everything from compact backpacking shelters to large family tents, the more useful question is not simply "How many people can sleep in it?"
It is:
How well does the Eurohike 800 work when you actually have to live in it?
This review examines its design, pitching system, waterproofing, ventilation, wind performance, interior space, weight, packed size, practical limitations, and the type of camper who will get the most from it.
Eurohike Genus 800 Air at a Glance
| Feature | Eurohike Genus 800 Air |
|---|---|
| Tent type | Inflatable tunnel family tent |
| Advertised capacity | 8 people |
| Practical capacity | Around 4–6 people for better comfort |
| Bedrooms | 2 separate bedrooms |
| Living area | Central living space |
| Approx. total weight | 12.8 kg |
| Packed size | Approx. 73 × 38 × 36 cm |
| Bedroom size | Approx. 225 × 240 cm each |
| Living area | Approx. 145 × 250 cm |
| Peak internal height | Around 190 cm |
| Flysheet waterproof rating | Around 3,000–4,000 mm hydrostatic head depending on specification/version |
| Pitching system | Inflatable air beams |
| Pump | Included |
| Groundsheet | Detachable/loose groundsheet |
| Best suited to | Family camping, short breaks, festivals and established campsites |
Bottom line: the Genus 800 makes a strong case for campers who value quick setup and sleeping privacy more than maximum living-room space or extreme-weather performance.
What Is the Eurohike Genus 800 Air?
The Eurohike Genus 800 Air is a large inflatable tunnel-style family tent designed around three primary zones:
A central living area
A bedroom on one side
A second bedroom on the opposite side
Instead of assembling a collection of long fiberglass or alloy poles, the structural framework is created using inflatable air beams.
This changes the pitching experience considerably.
Rather than spending time identifying poles, connecting sections, feeding them through sleeves, and lifting the completed structure into place, you primarily need to position the tent, peg the appropriate points, and inflate the beams.
That doesn't make the tent completely effortless. Pegging, tensioning, positioning and packing still require some attention.
But the major advantage is that the structure becomes much more intuitive.
Why an air tent can be easier to pitch
Large family tents can become surprisingly complicated as their floor area increases.
A conventional pole tent might require several poles to be:
Identified
Connected
Inserted into sleeves
Bent into position
Tensioned
Secured to the flysheet
An inflatable design replaces much of this mechanical process with air pressure and beam geometry.
For families arriving at a campsite after a long drive, that difference can be significant.
The Eurohike 800 is therefore less about technological novelty and more about reducing one of the most frustrating parts of family camping.
One of the most important lessons in tent shopping is that advertised sleeping capacity does not equal comfortable occupancy.
An "8-person tent" does not necessarily mean eight adults will have an enjoyable experience inside it during a rainy weekend.
The Genus 800 provides two bedrooms of roughly 225 × 240 cm, with a central living area measuring approximately 145 × 250 cm.
On paper, this is a substantial amount of shelter.
But the distribution of that space matters.
Two Separate Bedrooms
The two-bedroom layout is one of the strongest aspects of the design.
Instead of placing everyone in one large sleeping compartment, the tent creates two distinct sleeping zones.
This works particularly well for:
Families with children
Two couples
Parents who want some privacy
Families who need separate storage areas
Groups who prefer not to sleep in one communal room
A 225 × 240 cm bedroom is large enough for several sleeping configurations, but furniture choice becomes important.
For example, a large double airbed can consume a surprisingly high percentage of floor space.
This leads to an important camping principle:
Always calculate usable floor area after adding sleeping equipment, not before.
A tent may have a large floor plan, but mattresses, bags, shoes and clothing quickly consume the available space.
Technically, yes.
Practically, I would be more conservative.
For eight people, the sleeping capacity can work if everyone accepts relatively close quarters and the trip is primarily about sleeping rather than spending time inside.
For a more comfortable camping experience, I would consider four to six people a better target.
That distinction becomes especially important in bad weather.
On a sunny weekend, everyone can spend most of the day outside.
On a rainy afternoon, however, the central living space suddenly becomes the main room in your temporary home.
And that is where the Genus 800 reveals one of its compromises.
The living area is approximately 145 × 250 cm.
It is tall enough to stand in comfortably for many adults, with an internal peak height around 190 cm.
You can use the area for:
Camping chairs
A small table
Food preparation
Board games
Organizing equipment
Sitting out a rain shower
But it isn't enormous for an eight-person tent.
This is why I would avoid judging the Genus 800 solely by its "8-person" label.
The rain-day test
One of my favorite ways to evaluate a family tent is the rain-day test:
Imagine that four to six people have to remain inside for six hours because of continuous rain.
Then ask:
Can everyone sit comfortably?
Is there somewhere to put wet footwear?
Can food be prepared without blocking the entrance?
Can people move between bedrooms?
Is there enough headroom?
Can wet jackets be hung somewhere?
Can children play without knocking everything over?
The Genus 800 performs reasonably well for its category, but it is not a palace.
Its design puts a relatively large proportion of the overall footprint into the bedrooms, leaving a more modest central living zone.
For four people, this is much easier to live with than for eight.
The inflatable beam system is arguably the tent's most attractive practical feature.
Eurohike markets the Genus 800 as a relatively quick-pitch shelter, and real-world setup times can be surprisingly short once you understand the sequence.
However, don't confuse a manufacturer's pitching time with the time required to create a fully organized campsite.
There are really four different times:
Structure inflation
Initial pegging
Guyline tensioning
Interior organization
A tent might become structurally upright in around 15–20 minutes, while a careful complete setup can take considerably longer.
That's normal.
How to Pitch an Inflatable Family Tent Efficiently
If you're new to air tents, use this sequence.
1. Choose the site carefully
Before unpacking, look for:
A relatively flat surface
Good drainage
No obvious hollows
No sharp stones
No dead branches overhead
Enough clearance for guylines
A sensible relationship to the prevailing wind
Site selection is part of weather protection.
A good tent pitched badly can perform worse than an average tent pitched intelligently.
2. Unpack and orient the tent
Identify the entrance and determine where you want the living area and bedrooms positioned.
Don't start inflating before you know the final orientation.
Moving a large inflated tent is much harder.
3. Peg the basic corners
Establish the footprint first.
Use appropriate pegs for the ground.
Soft grass, compacted soil and hard ground all require different techniques.
4. Inflate the beams
Inflate the structural beams systematically.
Don't immediately assume that "more pressure" means "better."
Air beams are designed to operate within a particular pressure range, and excessive inflation can put unnecessary stress on valves, seams and beam materials.
5. Tension the tent gradually
Once upright, work around the tent and adjust the tension.
The goal is not to make every guyline as tight as physically possible.
The goal is a balanced structure with smooth fabric and sensible load distribution.
6. Finish the interior
Only after the structure is stable should you install sleeping equipment, luggage and furniture.
A realistic expectation is that an experienced camper can get the basic structure up relatively quickly.
For a first-time user, however, I would allow 30–45 minutes for a relaxed complete setup, particularly if you're learning the inflation system and organizing guylines.
After several trips, the process should become much faster.
A useful camping skill is to practice at home before the first trip.
This is especially valuable with inflatable tents.
You don't want your first attempt to happen:
In darkness
In heavy rain
With tired children waiting
While other campers are watching
With wind pushing the tent around
A dry backyard setup can save a lot of frustration.
The Eurohike 800's flysheet is generally listed with a hydrostatic head rating in the 3,000–4,000 mm range, depending on the specification and retailer/version.
But what does that number actually mean?
Hydrostatic head, often abbreviated HH, is a laboratory measurement of how much water pressure fabric can withstand before water begins to penetrate.
A rating of 3,000 mm doesn't mean the tent can simply withstand "3 meters of rain."
That's a common misunderstanding.
What Hydrostatic Head Actually Measures
Imagine a vertical tube placed against the fabric.
The tube is gradually filled with water.
As the height of the water column increases, pressure against the fabric increases.
The HH value represents the point at which water begins to penetrate under the test conditions.
Therefore:
3,000 mm HH ≠ 3,000 mm of rainfall.
Real-world waterproofing also depends on:
Seam construction
Seam taping
Fabric coating
Zipper design
Groundsheet construction
Tent geometry
Fabric tension
Wind-driven rain
Pitching quality
Fabric aging
This is why two tents with similar HH figures can behave differently in prolonged bad weather.
For typical three-season family camping, a 3,000 mm-class waterproof flysheet is generally a useful level of protection.
It should be more than adequate for ordinary rain when the tent is correctly pitched and maintained.
However, I would not interpret the specification as evidence that the Genus 800 is an expedition-grade storm shelter.
There is a huge difference between:
A wet summer weekend on an established campsite
and
A winter storm on an exposed mountain plateau.
The Genus 800 is designed much more clearly for the first scenario.
Wind is where large family tents deserve particularly careful consideration.
The larger the surface area, the more opportunity there is for wind to push against the structure.
A useful way to understand this is through basic aerodynamic pressure.
Wind pressure increases approximately with the square of wind speed.
In simplified terms:
Double the wind speed can produce roughly four times the dynamic pressure.
That means the difference between a moderate breeze and a strong gust is much larger than it feels intuitively.
This is why proper pitching matters.
How to Pitch the Eurohike 800 in Wind
Whenever possible:
Position the tent with its more aerodynamic end toward prevailing winds.
Fully peg the structure.
Use every appropriate guyline.
Keep guylines properly tensioned.
Check pegs after the first period of strong wind.
Avoid pitching on exposed ridgelines.
Don't leave doors completely open during strong gusts.
Regularly inspect the beam and anchor points.
A common mistake is to think that tightening every guyline as hard as possible makes a tent stronger.
It doesn't necessarily.
Balanced tension is better than maximum tension.
Over-tensioning can distort the tent and place concentrated loads on specific attachment points.
A tent can be completely waterproof and still become wet inside.
That moisture is often condensation, not leakage.
This is one of the most important pieces of camping knowledge for new campers.
Where Does Tent Condensation Come From?
People breathe out moisture.
So do wet clothes, wet ground and damp equipment.
A sleeping person can release a substantial amount of water vapor overnight through breathing and perspiration.
With several people sleeping inside a relatively enclosed shelter, humidity can rise quickly.
When warm moist air touches a cooler surface, water vapor can condense into liquid droplets.
That's why you may wake up and find moisture on the inside of the flysheet even though the tent has never leaked.
The solution is ventilation.
Don't completely seal the tent simply because it is raining.
Instead:
Keep available ventilation points open where practical.
Use mesh panels when conditions allow.
Avoid drying large quantities of wet clothing inside.
Don't place wet equipment against interior walls.
Keep airflow moving through the tent.
Open doors or windows during dry periods.
Ventilate the tent before going to sleep.
This may sound counterintuitive, but a small amount of airflow can make a major difference to overnight condensation.
The Genus 800 has mesh ventilation areas around the doors and bedroom openings, along with external ventilation features.
That makes it better suited to managing summer condensation than a completely sealed shelter.
The Genus 800 uses a detachable or loose groundsheet arrangement in the living area.
This is an interesting design choice.
Advantages
A loose groundsheet can make cleaning easier.
You can also create more airflow around the lower section of the living area, which can be useful during warm weather.
Disadvantages
The trade-off is that there can be more opportunity for:
Drafts
Small insects
Dirt
Wind-driven moisture
to enter around the lower edges.
For families camping in areas with large numbers of insects, this is worth considering.
A sewn-in bathtub-style groundsheet generally offers a stronger barrier between the interior and exterior environment.
At approximately 12.8 kg, the Genus 800 is relatively light for the amount of accommodation it provides.
Its packed size is approximately:
73 × 38 × 36 cm
That is a useful figure because the tent is much more likely to be transported in a car than carried on a backpacking trip.
And this leads to an important distinction.
Is the Eurohike 800 Suitable for Backpacking?
No.
At around 12.8 kg, it belongs firmly in the family camping/car camping category.
Even if the tent could technically be carried for a short distance, that isn't what it was designed for.
A backpacking shelter for two people might weigh around 1–3 kg.
The difference is enormous.
A 12.8 kg shelter would consume a substantial portion of the load budget for even a large backpacking party.
The Genus 800 is therefore best understood as a transportable campsite shelter, not a hiking shelter.
One useful way to compare tents is to look beyond total weight.
Consider:
Weight per sleeping berth
At 12.8 kg and eight advertised berths:
12.8 ÷ 8 = 1.6 kg per advertised berth
But if you use the tent as a comfortable four-person shelter:
12.8 ÷ 4 = 3.2 kg per person
This illustrates why specifications should always be interpreted in context.
The tent looks impressively lightweight for an eight-berth family shelter.
But it is not lightweight by backpacking standards.
The correct comparison is with other family tents, not ultralight trekking tents.
A good camping tent isn't just fabric and poles.
The small features often determine whether a tent feels pleasant after several days.
The Genus 800 includes practical details such as:
Bedroom storage
Lantern hanging points
Mesh ventilation
Separate sleeping compartments
Large windows
Central living space
Included pump
Carrying/storage system
These features contribute to what I would call camping livability.
And livability becomes increasingly important when you're staying for several nights.
This is something that becomes obvious after years of camping.
For a one-night trip, you can tolerate almost anything.
For a five-night trip, small inconveniences become major annoyances.
A good long-stay tent needs to answer questions such as:
Where do muddy shoes go?
Where do wet jackets hang?
Where do backpacks live?
Where can children sit?
Where do you keep food?
Where do you charge devices?
Where do you put a lantern?
Can two people pass each other without climbing over gear?
Can you enter without dragging rainwater inside?
These are not glamorous specifications.
But they are the difference between surviving a camping trip and enjoying one.
For family camping, the Genus 800 makes a lot of sense.
The two-bedroom layout creates natural separation.
For example:
Bedroom 1: Parents
Bedroom 2: Children
Living area: Shared daytime space
This arrangement is more flexible than a single communal bedroom.
It can also help parents organize gear.
One room can remain primarily for sleeping while the other becomes a combination sleeping/storage area.
That is particularly useful when weather prevents you from keeping everything outside.
For two people, the tent offers a huge amount of space.
That can be either a positive or a negative.
If you're camping for a long weekend and want a large comfortable basecamp, it works well.
But if your priority is:
Minimal equipment
Small campsite footprint
Fast packing
Low transport weight
Hiking between campsites
then the Genus 800 is excessive.
For two people, a smaller family tent or backpacking tent will generally be more efficient.
The Genus 800 can also make sense for festival camping where vehicle access is relatively close to the campsite.
The two separate sleeping areas provide useful privacy, while the central area creates somewhere to store equipment and escape occasional rain.
However, check the specific festival's camping rules before bringing a large tent.
Festival pitches can also be crowded, making the tent's relatively substantial footprint important to consider.
The Genus 800 is particularly appealing if you want:
A large family tent
Two separate bedrooms
Fast inflatable setup
A useful central living area
Reasonable packed size for a large tent
A shelter for established campsites
Good three-season rain protection
A tent that several people can share
It is less suitable if your priorities are:
Ultralight backpacking
Mountain expeditions
Winter camping
Very high-wind exposed camping
Minimal campsite footprint
Carrying the tent for several miles
Pros
Quick and straightforward pitching system
Inflatable beams eliminate conventional pole assembly
Two separate bedrooms
Good sleeping capacity
Useful central living area
Around 12.8 kg for a large eight-berth shelter
Compact packed dimensions for its class
Good ventilation potential
Suitable waterproof specification for normal family camping
Included pump
Cons
The central living area is relatively modest for eight people
Eight-person capacity is more realistic as a maximum than a comfort rating
Too heavy for genuine backpacking
Loose groundsheet provides less insect protection than a fully sewn-in design
Large footprint requires a reasonably spacious campsite
Not designed for serious winter or exposed mountain conditions
Air-beam pitching still requires correct pressure and tension management
A tent's performance is heavily influenced by the person pitching it.
Here are several habits that can make a noticeable difference.
Use the right pegs
Don't automatically use the same peg for every campsite.
Hard ground, soft grass and loose soil require different anchoring approaches.
Keep the fabric clean
Dirt can interfere with waterproof coatings and accelerate wear.
After a muddy trip, clean the tent according to the manufacturer's care instructions.
Dry it completely
Never store a wet tent for days.
A damp tent packed into a dark storage bag creates an ideal environment for mold and mildew.
After a rainy trip, dry the tent thoroughly before long-term storage.
Check seams regularly
Inspect:
Beam attachment points
Guyline points
Zippers
Seam areas
Groundsheet connections
Valve areas
Preventive maintenance is much easier than emergency repair.
Practice inflation
Know where the valves are before your first trip.
Practice using the pump.
Understand how the beam system behaves.
A five-minute practice session at home can save twenty minutes of confusion at a campsite.
If rain is forecast, don't simply close everything.
Instead, think about water management.
Before rain arrives
Close vulnerable windows.
Check guylines.
Check pegs.
Remove unnecessary outdoor equipment.
Create a dedicated wet-gear area.
Make sure your sleeping bags are protected.
During heavy rain
Keep entrances controlled.
Avoid unnecessary opening and closing.
Maintain ventilation where possible.
Don't allow wet clothes to pile against inner walls.
Monitor areas where water naturally collects.
After rain
Open the tent as soon as weather permits.
Shake off accumulated water.
Ventilate the interior.
Dry wet equipment separately.
Good camping is often less about owning "bombproof" equipment and more about using ordinary equipment intelligently.
Outdoor shoppers often focus on one impressive number.
That is a mistake.
For tents, evaluate at least these factors together:
1. Hydrostatic head
Measures water resistance under controlled pressure.
2. Fabric denier and construction
Provides clues about durability and weight.
3. Seam construction
A highly waterproof fabric is less useful if water can enter through poorly protected seams.
4. Geometry
A steeply sloped flysheet can shed rain more effectively than a large flat surface.
5. Ventilation
A waterproof tent without sufficient airflow can become extremely humid.
6. Anchoring
The strongest fabric in the world is irrelevant if the tent isn't securely anchored to the ground.
7. Real-world use
A family campsite, alpine ridge and winter forest all impose completely different demands.
There is no single specification that tells you whether a tent is "good."
This comparison is particularly important because modern outdoor marketing sometimes blurs the line between "portable" and "backpacking."
They are completely different concepts.
| Characteristic | Eurohike 800 | Typical Backpacking Tent |
|---|---|---|
| Primary use | Family camping | Multi-day hiking |
| Capacity | Up to 8 advertised | Usually 1–3 |
| Weight | About 12.8 kg | Often 1–3 kg |
| Living space | Large | Limited |
| Setup | Inflatable beams | Poles or trekking poles |
| Packability | Car-friendly | Backpack-friendly |
| Comfort | High at campsite | Balanced against weight |
| Best environment | Established campsite | Trails and remote camps |
The Eurohike wins decisively on camp comfort.
A backpacking tent wins decisively on mobility.
That distinction is fundamental.
Before buying any tent,