Pressurized air is an integral part of structures from car tires to basketballs, from spacesuits to the massive Millennium Arches building in Stockholm. AirSupported Technology™ is NEMO's unique interpretation of inflatable structure for application in lightweight backcountry shelters. The advantages of NEMO's AST™ compared to traditional tent poles include faster and easier setup, greater strength and wind resistance, smaller packing, the ability to bend without breaking and easy repair in the field.

ANATOMY OF AN AIRBEAM
1. Dimension-Polyant PM02T mulit-laminate X-PLY® fabric

2. Hook & Loop Straps for attachment inside tent shell

3. Tape reinforced triple zig-zag seam construction

4. Hook & Loop panels for securing airbeam ends inside tent shell

5. Bladder access pocket

6. Hypalon® valve reinforcement

7. CPC quick-disconnect inflation/deflation valve

8. Protective cap for valve

9. Round airbeam end with abrasion-resistant base

10. Replaceable internal airbeam bladder

REPLACEABLE BLADDER
The outer sailcloth shell of the airbeam provides the shape and puncture resistance of the airbeam, but the polyurethane bladder inside actually holds the air. Every tent comes with at least one spare bladder. The airbeams should never be damaged during ordinary use, however accidents do happen. In the event of a puncture, the spare bladder is tied to the damaged bladder and the damaged bladder is pulled out of the airbeam to put the new bladder in place. The damaged bladder can then be patched with the included patch kit and kept as a spare.

REMARKABLE STRENGTH
When properly inflated, NEMO's airbeams can be considerably stronger than traditional aluminum tent poles. In one test, the larger Morpho airbeam withstood more than twice the downward force compared to a standard tent pole. One of the great advantages of airbeams is that even if you bend them all the way to the ground, they simply spring back into shape. Optimal air pressure for a NEMO airbeam is between 7 and 9 psi. NEMO pumps are designed to deliver exactly the right amount of pressure.

TEMPERATURE RANGE
NEMO AirSupported Technology™ is capable of withstanding a wide range of conditions as well as dramatic changes in temperature. At its recommended inflation pressure of 7psi, a swing from freezing point (32 F) all the way to the most searing heat (120F) only increases the airbeam pressure to 8.2 psi -- not even close to the 20psi minimum burst pressure of the airbeams. Starting in intense heat (120F) and dropping to freezing point (32F) results in a pressure of 5.9 psi -- still plenty of pressure such that you probably wouldn't even notice the difference. The tents can withstand reasonable winds and weather with as little as 4 psi of pressure. More reasonable temperature fluctuations such as from 90F to 50F produce less than 1 psi of change.

INTEGRATED PUMP
The Integrated Pump is an ingenious little addition to NEMO AirSupported Technology™. This patent pending device takes the 1 or 2 psi that you are able to blow with your lungs and amplifies it to the 7 to 9 psi you need to adequately inflate a NEMO airbeam. You do this by blowing into the peanut shaped belly of the pump and squeezing or stepping on the belly. Internal valves send the air out of the pump and into the tent. The pump weighs less than 4 ounces and packs easily into the stuff sack of any NEMO tent. Every NEMO tent comes with an Integrated Pump.

NEMOID™ FOOT PUMP
The NEMOID™ foot pump is designed for maximum efficiency. It weighs an astonishing 4 oz but has plenty of internal volume for fast tent inflation. A patent-pending valve system allows the pump to be temporarily stored flat as a pancake to facilitate packing and protects the check valve when it isn't in use. Tough, abrasion resistant fabrics protect NEMOID™ for use on rugged terrain. NEMOID&trade is not included with NEMO tents, but is a highly recommended accessory.