Explore the Berghaus Adhara 500 Nightfall Tent’s quality and space features in our detailed review. Discover if it’s the right fit for your camping needs!
Finding a comfortable and stress-free shelter is important when camping with a group or family. We recently tried out the (blue) Berghaus Adhara 500 Nightfall Tent, which is a spacious tunnel tent designed with large groups or families in mind. It’s equipped with darkened bedrooms for better sleep after sunrise and includes a separate living area, making it suitable for family holidays, weekend getaways, or festival trips.
The marketing for the Adhara 500 Nightfall Tent highlights its weather resistance, solid construction and effective ventilation – as well as the ‘night fall’ bedroom. As the Adhara is the first poled tent family from Berghaus that is specifically designed for quick and easy pitching (while using the same premium materials as the Adhara air tents), so we were intrigued enough to put it to the test. This is how we got on…
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Spacious Living Area: Plenty of room for family activities and lounging, even when stuck indoors.
- Peaceful Sleeping: The darkened bedrooms do an excellent job of blocking out light, ensuring a restful sleep.
- Quick and Easy Pitching: Don’t be put off by the poles – setting up is a breeze.
- Weatherproof: The tent handles wet weather well, keeping you dry even in heavy rain.
- Good Ventilation: Mesh doors and windows help keep the tent fresh and airy.
Cons
- Snug for Five Adults: While it’s rated for five people, it’s more comfortable for four, especially with gear inside.
- Bulky Packed Size: Weighing in at 15.7 kg, it’s better suited for car camping than long-distance hikes.
- No Porch Extension Included: For extra space, you’ll need to purchase the Berghaus Adhara porch separately.
About The Brand
Berghaus is a respected British brand with a long history of creating pioneering outdoor gear. They’ve built a reputation for providing reliable, durable products, especially suited to the unpredictable UK weather. The Adhara 500 Nightfall Tent fits right in with their lineup of practical outdoor gear. While Berghaus is known for creating sturdy, functional products, their tents, including this model, focus on comfort and reliability rather than flashy extras.
If you’re familiar with their outdoor clothing or hiking equipment, you’ll know that Berghaus is all about durability and practicality, which is exactly what you get with this tent. Their air tents revolutionised the camping world, and they continue to push the boundaries.
Specifications
Let’s start with the size – the Adhara 500 Nightfall Tent is designed to comfortably accommodate five people, though I found it’s best suited for four if you’re bringing a lot of gear along. For a family of four, this provides ample space, while five might feel a little snug, especially if you need to fit in extra equipment or a larger sleeping setup. It’s a spacious five-person tent, offering flexibility if you need a bit more room.
The tent stands at a maximum height of 6 ft, which is ideal for most campers. The height is good enough for tall individuals to stand up straight in the centre, and while it tapers down towards the walls (as most tunnel tents do), the overall height ensures comfort inside. This height is on par with other tents in this category, providing enough headspace for activities and easy movement inside, even when the weather forces you to stay indoors. The Proflex fibreglass poles will ensure it stays upright!
The spacious living space is particularly generous for a tent of this size. You’ve got plenty of room to move around, store your gear, and even set up a small cooking area if needed. At 15.7 kg, it’s not the lightest option on the market, but this weight reflects the same technology and premium materials as they use on their air tent range, which make the tent sturdy and weatherproof. This makes it perfect for car camping, but not the best option if you’re looking to carry it on a long hike. (note living space is not a perfect rectangle – it has a tapered shape at the end).
The darkened bedrooms are one of the standout features. The blackout fabric does a great job of keeping out early sunlight, which is a big plus for families with kids or light sleepers. If you’re camping in a sunny spot or want to sleep past dawn, these bedrooms ensure you can enjoy a peaceful sleep. This feature alone makes the Adhara 500 stand out in comparison to other tents in this price range that lack effective light-blocking systems. There is a removable divider as well, so you can make one bedroom space, rather than having two, if you would prefer.
The groundsheet is sewn-in, which adds a layer of protection against moisture and insects – pretty standard, but still good to know. Some tents in this category still use removable ground sheets, but Berghaus has opted for the secure option here, ensuring you don’t have to worry about leaks or critters getting inside.
In terms of ventilation, the Adhara 500 is well-designed to allow for airflow without letting in too many bugs. The mesh doors and windows help to reduce condensation inside the tent while keeping things cool when the weather gets hot. This is an important consideration, especially for family campers with younger children who might go to bed when it’s still very warm outside.
The air tent technology is another feature that sets the Adhara 500 apart. Instead of traditional poles, this tent uses inflatable beams, making the setup incredibly fast and easy. This is perfect for those who don’t want to spend ages getting their tent ready after a long drive or hike. Air tents have revolutionized the setup process, and Berghaus has nailed it here, offering a stress-free experience for campers of all experience levels.
The waterproofing is also solid, with a PU-coated polyester fabric that holds up well in rainy conditions. The tent’s construction and materials ensure that you stay dry, even if the weather takes a turn for the worse.
Finally, while the Adhara 500 Nightfall is relatively compact when packed, measuring 70 x 30 x 30 cm, it’s not the most portable if you’re hiking long distances. But for car campers, this size is manageable, and the added space inside makes up for any extra bulk.
Using the Product
We took the Berghaus Adhara 500 Nightfall Tent for a family weekend getaway in the Cotswolds – a Great British outdoor adventure, and right from the start I was impressed by how quick and easy the setup was. The ProFlex fibreglass poles made pitching a breeze, and I had the tent up in about 20 minutes, even with two kids excitedly running around. For car camping, this was ideal (I think I would have been grumbling if the walk was any longer to our pitch, or if I didn’t have my trusty camping trolley). The sewn-in groundsheet was another great touch, making it easy to get the tent set up without worrying about the ground conditions.
Once the tent was up, we immediately appreciated how much space it offered. This is a spacious tent, and with a standing height of over 6 ft, we had no trouble moving around inside, and the kids had plenty of room to stretch out. The nightfall darkened bedrooms really came through, blocking out the early morning natural light, so we didn’t get woken up at the crack of dawn, even though we were camping during the peak of summer. It made a huge difference, especially for getting the kids to sleep and letting us rest in peace. There was plenty of sleeping space for all four of us.
The air flow ventilation system was another highlight – no more damp and humid living spaces! With two windows and mesh doors, we never felt stuffy, even on the warmest days. The airflow kept the tent feeling fresh and comfortable, and the living space didn’t get damp or humid like some other tents I’ve used. It was especially welcome when we had to spend a bit more time inside due to the unpredictable weather. Hot and drizzly – is there anything worse when you’re camping?
In terms of features, the Adhara 500 has a lot to offer campers. The waterproofing is solid, which is important if you’re with a family or not, with a HH 6000mm rating that made sure we stayed dry despite the occasional drizzle. While we didn’t experience heavy rain during our trip, the tent felt well-built and weather-resistant, providing peace of mind for future trips.
The only thing I missed was a porch area. While the Adhara Porch is available as an accessory, we didn’t have it during this trip. It would have been useful for extra gear storage or a sheltered spot to sit outside while the kids played, or after we’d put them down at night when it was still a little wet outside.
Overall, the Adhara 500 was a great choice for our family. It was easy to pitch, spacious enough for a small family, and offered great sleep quality with the darkened bedrooms. The ventilation and weatherproofing kept us comfortable throughout our stay, making it a reliable option for future camping trips.
Verdict
After spending time with the Berghaus Adhara 500 Nightfall, we found that it’s a great family tent. The darkened bedrooms made a real difference for sleeping (as a migraine sufferer, I really appreciate the darkness!) and there’s enough space for a family of four to five, though it feels most comfortable with four.
It’s sturdy in wet weather and the ventilation works well, helping keep things fresh inside. Pitching is straightforward, even for those not used to larger tents. It makes for a stress free start to your holiday, to really get you off on the right foot. Don’t get me wrong, air tents are more straightforward, but this is a very good alternative at around £100 cheaper.
For families or small groups looking for a tent that feels solid and spacious, this is a really great option. The price seems very reasonable for the quality and design, but we’d suggest considering a porch extension for more flexibility. Overall, it’s a worthy choice for regular camping trips, and well worth the money.