Inflatable shelters are fantastic portable spaces that can be inflated and set up for events in no time. These inflated rooms or marquees are often seen at large scale events and travelling around with touring festivals, artists, or sports. Their portable nature makes them an enticing solution for event managers who are always looking for ways to reduce the amount of recourse needed and increase efficiency.

While the benefits of portable inflatable shelters are clear to see, there are many ways they can be optimised to ensure they are a perfect fit for their event.

The best way to get the most from an inflatable shelter is to ensure that you are using the right kind of shelter. There are three inflation technologies to choose from when it comes to shelters.

• Frame and Skin Design
• Double Skinned Design
• Air Supported

Each of the above design types has their unique advantages and all provide ample room from branding and signage to ensure they look great at any event.

Frame and Skin Design

Double Skinned Design

Air Supported

Frame and Skin inflatable shelters are characterised by the use of an inflatable frame and a material skin that forms the shelter, much like a marquee. This type of inflatable shelter can utilise the Inflate and Seal technology where the air is sealed inside the frame, allowing for off-the-grid use where power supply is limited.

Additionally, these inflatables offer the advantage of interchangeable skins, so the entire look of the shelter can be changed with ease.

Frame and skin designs are free standing which means that they don't need to use an airlock to remain inflated, allowing for a high volume of foot traffic to pass through.

Double Skinned inflatable shelters feature air-filled walls that form the structure. This form of inflatable shelter allows for the most complex of shapes and patterns to be achieved. The trade-off for design complexity is the weight of the shelter, which is increased when using a double-skinned design.

Double skinned inflatable shelters can be powered by constant air fans, which supply a fresh supply of air to the inflatable at all times, or a hybrid inflation technology which uses a mix of constant air and inflate and seal technologies.

The air contained within the walls of the structure provides large entrance and exit areas, perfect for events with a lot of foot traffic.

Air Supported inflatable shelters use pressurised air to lift the material and create a bubble-like shelter that can be as large or small as required. The largest inflatable shelters in the world use this design.

This design is a very light option as there is no inflatable frame or double-wall structure. These shelters can be inflated using constant air fans, or by a hybrid system that uses sealed inflatable structural elements for safety in addition to the constant air fans.

Air Supported Shelters need to have an airlock as part of the design. The airlock can be made as part of the inflatable or can be a rigid structure that is attached before inflation.

No matter the application, you can rest assured that there is an inflatable shelter out there that will work for you. Inflatable shelters make life easier and more convenient than their rigid counterparts in addition to being far more cost and time-efficient.

Still not sure which inflatable shelter is the one for you? Contact our friendly team today.