Darche Airvolution Swag Review - The Ultimate Dome Swag

Darche Airvolution Dome Swag Review. After using it for 5 months in a range of climates, ranging from winter in the south-west to the dry season of the Pilbara, I highly recommend this swag for anyone who goes camping a lot. It it very quick and easy to setup and very roomy inside.
Add a stretcher and this is in my opinion the ultimate sleeping setup for touring as a single person.
This was an unbiased review and I am in no way affiliated with Darche.
Music By: Joakim x Dyalla
Thanks to Meischa for helping with the filming and input

[@HoldFastCC]

Great production mate.

[@johncampbell3628]

Just bought one of these based on your video. Also bought a stretcher to go under it and you are right - so comfortable! Cannot wait to get it out in the bush as soon as possible! Thanks for the tips.

[@SeekAdventure]

Good stuff John! I'm sure it'll serve you well 👍 I hope you have some time and good weather soon to get out there and try it out. Safe travels

[@leithal1546]

Agree about the stretcher. I have a dusk till dawn on a stretcher. Very comfortable

[@Toby3610]

Thanks for the tip about the condensation and the stretcher. I don't think I could go back to sleeping on the floor. My knees hate it. Cheers.

[@sparky5543]

I thought the title said DRONE :) You aerial videos are amazing :) Still gave a thumbs up :)

[@BigMkombe]

Awesome stuff!!!

[@tentworld]

Very nice review well done! It's one of my favourite swags too!

[@tentworld]

:D ! Thanks very much for that awesome feedback!

[@tbrosow]

cool stuff Guys

[@scottjacobs7522]

Hi mr Seek Adventures have you ever tried putting a front window foil folding sunshade between the mattress and pvc floor to stop the condensation?

[@brendo3142]

Great review. But there would be a lot of embarrassment setting that up at a hound hunters camp. But wouldn’t be long before everyone wants one also

[@grantmilroy8549]

Did you cut the size down from the rtt size to fit the swag or do they make it to fit? I couldnt find swag sizes on there site?

[@hg7240]

can you tell us more about that sleep cart you showed?

[@lacharch]

Hi Mate Great video and awesome review thanks. Quick question I tend to camp in some very windy conditions an was wondering how they withstand high winds do they buckle over etc. also have used it indoors without inflating the poles can u still use it like an old school swag? Thanks Sam

[@angelicoutcry3478]

Sam Aloschi... Great question, was wondering the same.

[@camfam52002]

No good as a traditional swag.....the top can't unzip to access the mattress like an old school "open" swag.

[@camfam52002]

Enjoy the humor mate...."unless you're throwing knives around in here you'll be fine"....lol

[@markcottierkw950]

Please Help.. I just bought this very swag and am having a lot of trouble trying to find an anti-condensation mat to fit. All I can find is ones made for roof top tents. Where did you get yours from?

[@daneflack2733]

Nice swag mate can u pump it up with a compressor?

[@activateadventures6222]

I wish you would come back hahaha Anyway do they do this swag with a air mat bottom Thank

[@KaizenOz]

Does the pump fit into the swag bag?

[@-Thomas-Lothbrok]

Can you use a electric air pump from the 4BY

[@matthewchapman4765]

Hey mate, I can't find an anit-condensation mat to fit swags. Darche seem to only be selling them for their RTTs? Where did you get yours? Cheers.

[@SeekAdventure]

Hey Matt, I just cut it to size 👍, but I stopped using it about a year ago. A much cheaper and easier fix is to pull you mattress cover off, put a emergency blanket around the foam on the top side, attach it with tape underneath so it doesnt move around, and just put the mattress cover back on. This stops any condensation for forming at all, here is the blanket I used decathlon.com.au/products/12837# Here is a pic of what I mean about taping it underneath 1drv.ms/u/s!Ah6tIU2nPkwNgZd8pbDljWD2r_Ft_Q Might be an option for you 🙂👍

[@matthewchapman4765]

@@SeekAdventure Neat fix! Thanks

[@KaizenOz]

How does it go in heavy rain without any awning over it?

[@boy2424100]

It looks like it sags a lot with condensation you will be wet touching the sides of the swag Does it tighten up if you use rope on each end of the swag?????????????????????????

[@robmacca67]

Since this Video was done back in 2017, how has this Swag gone? Also, in windy/rainy conditions how does it perform? Any Rain get inside?

[@SeekAdventure]

It's funny you ask Rob, I just recorded a long term review the other day, that will be a number of weeks away, so the condensed version... No dramas with the canvas/keeping water out, air poles. In strong winds you need to peg the guy ropes down or turn the swag into the wind, otherwise the center pole will fold with a strong cross wind. Only other drama is the pump lost compression a few months back. But I would buy one again, great swag 👌

[@20DYNAMITE06]

I find swags interesting... I've never seen them being used here in the states. The convenience looks nice, but my god they're huge when packed up! Do you find the form factor to be frustrating?

[@dolfinwhale80]

Scott Bell you carry them in the back of your Ute or in the old days on a horse. You don’t hike with them

[@nordic5490]

Scott Bell Swags are pretty common here in Oz. I have spend more then 200 nights in mine.

[@Bahlawav]

How big+heavy do you recon it would pack if you took out the mattress?

[@Bahlawav]

Mate if that's the case then it could compete with backpacking tents like the Nemo air pole ones

[@angelicoutcry3478]

How heavy are these tents? I'm curious to why they don't use modern tent materials over canvas? I do some bike touring throughout the year and I am always looking for new tech.

[@SeekAdventure]

Roughly around 12kg 🙂. There are a couple of reasons I prefer canvas, since its a thick material that blocks all light the morning sun doesn't wake up, it doesn't flap when there is wind, the mattress is already inside so all you need to do is put the poles up and its very hard wearing aswell. Swags wouldn't be much good for bike touring, too heavy and big, but for 4wding they are a great option 🙂.

[@angelicoutcry3478]

Seek Adventure... Exactly what I expected. thanks for the reply. I may try one for our normal camp outs.

[@johncampbell3628]

Why wouldn't you just put the pump and hose in the bag with the swag??

[@drobs7279]

Can you fit 2 people in there? Wink wink nod nod...

[@storminmoorman7444]

American guy here. When Australians say “swag”, does that mean tents or just gear in general?

[@happynitro69]

Swag is just the bed

[@storminmoorman7444]

No kidding. I’m going to have o watch it again now that I know that. Thanks

[@happynitro69]

Stormin' Moorman It's the bed rolled up he is doing the review about. Many years ago it was just a tarp with a blanket in it, Bit like in the western movies

[@brockstravels7586]

A swag was a very old term for a bed roll that consisted of a blanket or two and a piece of tarp for shelter. These days it has evolved some what.

[@simonvance8054]

Great quality swag but for that price I'd expect a 4-6 person tent. Seriously the price is WAY out of proportion for what it is. Have always been put off swags because any 2 person tent packs up to a smaller size, one person could use a 2P tent they can stand up in (Darche Safari 260 for example) and it will still be a smaller size packed up - and cheaper and no pump needed.

[@simonvance8054]

@@SeekAdventure At the moment I prefer popup tents, the setup time is hard to beat but each to their own, Darche is good quality, you can't go wrong with either way. Thanks for the vid keep them coming!

[@nordic5490]

Simon Vance what ????? You will have the swag mat in your tent anyhow. The rolled up swag is pretty much the same size as the rolled up mat on its own. So a tent + mat takes up more space than a rolled up swag.

[@simonvance8054]

​@@nordic5490 If you use the same kind of mat that comes with a swag then it'd be bulky. Other options such as an Exped LXW (10cm thick) self inflating mat and a tent packs down smaller than these swags. I went on a camping trip with others who had swags and my stuff packed down to less with room to spare. But people can choose what suits them.

[@debeeriz]

are snakes and crocs and dingos a worry when you go camping,

[@msr358]

Nah, generally the sharks, drop bears and funnelweb spiders keep em away.......

[@debeeriz]

@@msr358 hey im a kiwi mate, and when we go camping in the bush, we see deer goats wild pigs horses and cows rabbits and your bloody aussie possums ARE falling out of the trees here, but i have yet to see any wild life on your adventures.

[@msr358]

@@debeeriz You gotta look a bit harder bloke... kzbin.info/www/bejne/rmTYdmyadtpjrac kzbin.info/www/bejne/oqmXinedfbpoeKc

[@nordic5490]

debeeriz nah, keep your swag zipped up at night.

[@archenoatontour]

We prefer only Darche Skydome Swags!

[@jwynn007]

We're can I get a hat like that ?

[@amosmoses8656]

It’s an Akubra.

[@damienfrizzell9394]

get a 12 volt pump that can fit in the palm of ure hand man

[@user-gn9zh6og7q]

👍

[@timphoto83ec]

Jeez for 1 person that system is HUGE. WAY too heavy and bulky considering its only for 1 person and its so small inside. I just dont see the attraction of the canvas one man tents.

[@mikeyb6737]

THE WINGMAN TOUCAN SHITS ALL OVER THESE. - 420 gsm canvas with massive ventilation and a mini veranda

[@charliebrownau]

Looks interesting if you can afford AUD$600 and you have zero wind Not something for a larger guy

[@DarxusC]

Why do you all use these instead of building a truck with a similarly sized spot you can sleep in? Part of it seems to be that you all love your double cabs. I have an extended cab (Tacoma), with two full size seats, and two cramped seats, and a truck bed that's just long enough that I can sleep in it. For I think about the same overall length as your truck with a short bed. With the shorter cab, I think you'd have plenty of room to build a structure on the back with just as much storage room, plus a spot for you to sleep in, probably in the middle at the top. With all those drawers on the sides. It also seems weird that you keep empty space in front of your drawers, I guess just to have a working surface. When it seems like you could accomplish that same working surface by having something that easily flips out, without even having to be re-connected. Then you could fill that empty space with more drawer space. So far, all the storage is less of a priority for me, and room to sleep with my girlfriend is more important. So I'm just planning on a plywood sheet 9" above the bed floor, with a double/full mattress, 4" thick, on top of it. I realize a big part of the reason for you is probably that this is what's available. But it seems weird that it seems like all Australians drive around these big trucks and then sleep in these tiny little canvas sleeves, that you have to set up and tear down every night.

[@niklasjohansson8797]

The reason would almost solely be flexibility, comfort and cost for most people. Being able to throw a swag in someone else’s car or not being restricted by where you car is parked is handy. It would also be pretty expensive to build a similarly comfortable and weatherproofed live in setup that is durable enough to last. A lot of outdoor enthusiasts here also grew up sleeping in swags, so there’s that too.

[@SeekAdventure]

Niklas, I think you summed it up well, Flexibility, I can camp by myself, or I can take my whole family for a trip. Everyone has different needs, and that is why it is so interesting seeing different ideas people have come up with, and what works for them 😀. I think the camping culture is very different in Aus compared to other places in the world, I can jump in with a mate for a trip or he can tag along with me, all you do is throw you swag in and your good to go 👍 The more kitchen space you can have the better, any cook will tell you that 😁. If i built extra drawers instead of that space, I would have nothing to put in them really, everything else already has a place. All the best with you Tacoma build!

[@feartheduck6664]

Lookatthepump....