While they take a little longer to pitch than pop-up designs, inflatable tents, especially large six to 12 person designs, take a fraction of the time to pitch compared to standard large tents. Just peg out and pump them up. They’re expensive and often hard to deflate, but great if you’re planning a week or so under canvas. To pitch, you simply peg out the flysheet and insert the pole. The tent’s inner can be removed if you want to use it as a sunshade or bivvy, and if the weather is warm the centre pole can be extended to increase airflow. Pop up tents are all about convenience, so getting them up and down in good time and without frustration is a key part of what makes them good or bad.

Natalie has always been inspired to create a tangible difference. While in college, Natalie studied abroad in Israel and Palestine, raising funds for hospitals and community centers for the underprivileged communities in northern Israel. She worked initially as a Development Associate at Hillel International, but changed her focus during the pandemic to work as a Program Director at Congregation B’nai Emunah Synagogue in Tulsa. Her role here focused on coordinating volunteer initiatives to deliver baked goods to covid wards at 5 hospitals and providing volunteer support for Tulsa's refugee resettlement agency, helping re-home 100 Afghan refugees (of the city's 800) in first 6 months! Realizing the potential of using Salesforce for impact, she became certified and joined OpenTent after being referred by a current team member. In her free time, you’ll find her “keeping Tulsa weird” by playing piano and bass guitar, volunteering for a local nonprofit - Sustainable Tulsa - and writing screenplays and novels. Don’t invest hundreds of pounds on a large tent – or hi-tech mountaineering design – that you only need for one weekend at a festival. In this situation, we suggest borrowing one from a friend. Small or poor-quality air vents will lead to a hot, stuffy tent and lots of condensation build-up on the ceiling. During the course of our testing, all the tents experience heavy downpours, wind and muddy conditions. Tents are sized according to the number of adults they can feasibly sleep (two-, four-, six-person and so on), but unless you’re looking for an ultralight adventure tent for one person, the rule of thumb is that if you halve the stated person number, you’ll get the number of adults the tent will actually sleep comfortably. A four-person tent will give two adults plenty of extra space for bags without being squashed but, if you’re camping with kids, a six-person tent (with separate bedrooms) is ideal.A time when Natalie was the solution: “When I started working for Congregation B’nai Emunah Synagogue in Tulsa, they had Salesforce, but it was being underutilized. I decided to get certified as a Salesforce Administrator, and became the resident Salesforce ‘expert’. I was able to use NPSP and much of the out of the box functionality to bring the congregation’s efforts up to date. It became really fulfilling to translate what we were doing and turn around and talk about our data for long term decision making. I think that learning Salesforce had a huge impact on my ability to report on outcomes and build relationships as a nonprofit professional and also created a desire within me to lean into what data science can offer in terms of innovation and creativity.”

James is an innovative, human-centered, leader. After multiple study abroad experiences as an undergraduate in Europe and Asia, he graduated and became a Study Abroad Director, designing and leading trips for college students, and most importantly, helping young people learn who they are in the world. Those experiences were the catalyst that drove James to the roles he's since taken on in HR, People Operations, and Personal/Professional Development. He received a Master's degree in Organizational Leadership, with a focus on creating businesses that are more people-centered. He joins OpenTent excited to contribute as a community and culture builder, supporting teammates that are amplifying the work of nonprofits in the world. Be warned, though, that you’ll need to be at least five-feet eight inches (172cm) tall and have a relatively strong grip to lift and clip the tent together.

Tenants

Why teamwork is so important to Thomas: “As I joined OpenTent, I was asked questions about ‘How I work best’, something I hadn’t spent time considering before. The more I thought about this question, the more I realized that anytime I had achieved something big or done something well, it was ALWAYS done so with the support of a team. I have come to realize that a good team is an invaluable part of work and accomplishing great things. When you think of the transformational output of an improved team’s performance, it can be 16 times that of an individual.” We also take note of tents that struggle against the wind and need frequent re-pegging. Some tents actually blow over entirely.

A time when Kara worked sustainably: I am super organized, to the point where I love to catalogue things - even the books and music in my house. I try to be very meticulous, and that affects how I work. Anyone could come into my house and peruse my collection to easily find what they need. I bring the same energy to my Salesforce projects to ensure that I’m leaving folks with something elegant, long-lasting, and easy-to-use. We select the bestselling pop up tents, buy every pop up tent we test and take them to a field to peg them up and record how they stand up to the wind and rain during a blustery week. Pitching and collapsing

And because the inner bedroom pod is already attached to the flysheet, once you’ve clipped the poles into each of the corners you just clip the flysheet to the poles and you’re done. This also means you can’t get the inner fabric wet if pitching in a storm. It took us less than four minutes to pitch. Five things to look for when buying a pop up tent 1) Be wary of how many people supposedly fit in the tent The outer fabric is made from silicone coated ripstop that will survive any weather and there are two doors with mosquito net protection, so you can avoid clambering over people in the night. Decathlon popularised the pop-up tent and revolutionised festival camping, but those early designs, while easy to put up, were extremely difficult to fold away again. Thankfully, the design has evolved and, while it’s still incredibly simple to pitch, it can also be put away without (much) swearing. Courtesy of colour coded straps and clips, it’s easy to fold the tent in half, after which a pull cord system then holds everything in place while you fold it again to fit the bag. It’s still a faff, but so much easier than previous versions. Sam is an energetic and infectious dreamer. He is a forever student, bringing a Beginner’s Mind to every room and using his curiosity about the world to create meaningful growth experiences for his team and his clients. Sam almost went to rabbinical school and now brings those traits to our team, leading with vulnerability and encourages it in others, and creating space for our team to be who they are. His passion and playfulness are evident in everything he does - from teaching Kayleigh how to cook, to training his puppy, to leading our team in envisioning new ideas. Originally from small town Maine, Sam now lives in Denver, where he and his wife Amalia regularly host Jewish community gatherings at their house.

It’s expensive compared to basic pop-up and fast pitch tents, but this high-quality design is made using tough ripstop polyester, has excellent alloy components and is extremely waterproof. It’s an investment, but will last for years. We pitch and peg out each tent following the instructions, taking into account how long it takes us, how straightforward the process is, and any struggles we have along the way. A perpetual learner and explorer, Tudor’s expansive interests have led him across industries. With experience in a transportation start-up, post-secondary success programming, and education equity, Tudor flexes into different roles and situations with curiosity, determination, and kindness. He genuinely wants to make the world a better place and use his love for data to advance causes he’s passionate about - and there are many! At OpenTent, Tudor’s stoked that his role allows him to serve others and solve complex problems with data. A recent LA transplant living in Brooklyn, Tudor is excited to finally live out his 90s New York sitcom fantasies with his friends in coffee shops and diners. He enjoys laughing over a meal with loved ones, staying active by playing tennis or soccer, and talking about how much he loves the idea of baking but never actually doing it.Then folding the tent in half vertically, and then again horizontally to leave you with the tent folded into a circle Since his time as an AmeriCorps member, Ezra has believed that technology and nonprofit teams are the two most powerful forces for good. He has dedicated his learning and growth to combining these forces. When he discovered Salesforce, he stayed up late at night studying Trailhead and creating forms and flows for his colleagues at the Urban League of Middle Tennessee. Ezra learned that sharing a motivating “why” for adopting a new technology is key to success for any team. He decided to join OpenTent so that he could use this kind of people-first consulting approach to help many nonprofit organizations with their Salesforce. During his free time Ezra loves getting inspired by playing piano, reading, and volunteering in his local community of Nashville. A time when Lexie built trusting relationships: During the 2016 election, I worked as a field organizer in rural Iowa. My objective was to build a community of engaged, motivated volunteers. Through thoughtful maneuvering and strong partnership with existing local structures, I was able to do just that. I learned that people show up for the candidates, but stay for the community. Making people feel important, valued, and comfortable was more important than any policy positions I could memorize. UV protected fabric, good waterproofing and lots of internal storage options make this a thoroughly practical tent for anyone who wants a comfortable time under canvas but doesn’t have any interest in faffing about with poles and pitching. The classic pop-up tent is ideal for one person or a very cosy couple looking for somewhere to sleep, rather than basecamp in for any length of time. The large round bags are awkward to carry, so a car is generally needed, even though they’re quite light.