PCatWork

I need a tent.

I did say that I was never going to go camping again, but I've changed my mind. Initially the tent will need to accomodate 2 adults and one nipper, but I might as well be optimistic and get one that can take two adults and two nippers. I don't want something that needs its own truck to tranport, but I do want something that will last a good few years.

tia.

Spec'c'57

iTrader: (1)

halfrauds are doing some good deals at the moment... just bought a 3 man tent with sleeping bags and air bed for £70. they do a 4 man with beds etc also think it may have been £99.00

JackClark

Halfords have some great package deals at the moment... not that I've even been into a Halfords, honest.

PG

I am looking in to the same thing at the mo.
Are you looking to throw it in a rucksack and walk to the pitch ? or (as I am) just looking to throw it in the car and go to a camp area ?
Speaking to a guy at work in the know he suggested a Khyam. Coleman has come on a bit and Vango offer a good value for money package.
Have a look at www.pjcamping.co.uk

PCatWork

walking? wtf is that?

No, it will be a car to campsite effort, I think, but I also want to use it for going on trips in an open boat, where storage space is a bit more limited.

pj748r

Try Argos,i bought a 2bed tent,2 double air mattresses,2 single sleeping bags and 1 double sleeping bag for £85 incl p&p.The tents dead easy to put up and the kids loved it(12yr boy&6yr old girl).
http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/st...clickfrom=name

Price has gone up but its a great bit of kit.

PCatWork

thanks for that - seems that there's quite a price difference between agro's/halfrauds and the proper camping shops. Might go down to Blacks and have a look before deciding whether to go for the agros effort.

Allan

iTrader: (1)

Bought one of the tent deals in Halfords a couple of weeks back, was told it was ending the next day, don't know if this is true. Very good value and excellent quality.

Allan

Brendan Hughes

Just got one of these for a laugh, I've yet to try it. It packs in a big flat disc, maybe 80cm diameter, you take it out of the bag and throw it and voilà, it unfolds, ready! (Apparently!)

http://www.quechua.com/EN/Product_ar...idSousRayon=1#

Otherwise, here's their main selection:

http://www.quechua.com/EN/Product_ar...dFamille=9#nop

stevem2k

www.mountainhardwear.com
www.exped.com
www.northface.com

Buy a proper tent. Snigger smugly as the halfords suicide ones dissolve in the first proper 'weather'.

PG

As Steve says buy a good one. The Halfords ones are mickey mouse stuff tbh.
Look for Hydrostatic Head levels and good taped seams. I am looking for something to house the wife and I, the 2 dogs and still have a decent "living area" and storeage for the bikes ect.
I like the look of this one

Simon C

My vote would go to Khyam, or vango. However you are best getting off to a good outdoor shop with a big tent display.

By open boat do you mean dinghy or candaian canoe, because the canadian canoe is not going to take alot of tent. When I'm out treking I don't bother with a tent, I just use a Hoochie, with a sleeping bag in a bivvi bag. Ok you get no privicy, but when the whole lot comes down to the size of 2 rugby *****, it means I don't have to worry about overloading the canoe.

PCatWork

Simon, the boat is a Longboat like this, so stowage isn't too much of a problem. When I did cycle touring I went with gortex bivi and not much else, but I like a few more creature comforts these days.

PG - there is a similar looking tent to the one you suggest on the Blacks website. If I go to their store in town, they should have a few on display.

v8voodoo

Gelert Mayon Vario 6.
I bought one and used it the weekend just gone. Nice and big and lots of door / porch / living area options. Not a small bag and quite heavy though.

Oh and you can't find two men in a two man tent unles they're REALLY good friends...LOL!!

Graz

For a tent to take around in a car for camping trips go for a Khyam (http://www.khyam.co.uk/), not massively more expensive than the main brands but well worth the extra. I have mine nearly ten years, use it several times a year, and though it's looking a bit faded it still going strong. The only thing I've done to it is re-proof it with some spray on stuff a while back. It survived the Glastonbury mega storm this year, only letting in a couple of drips of water

My friends bought some Vango tents despite my advice (though they hadn't seen my Khyam in action), it was fun for the first few trips watching them struggle to get theirs up when I had got mine errect within a few minutes They now all have Khyams!

If however you want a tent for back packing then it's a different matter. The Khyams are too heavy to be carrying long distances. You would need to spend a few hundred on a good lightweight tent from manufacturers like The Northface, Mountain Hardwear etc. as mentioned above.

stevem2k

Try the Exped BigBear or Jack Wolfskin Ocean View II. The JW is bigger.


Steve

ozzy

Really depends what your budget is and what sort of camping you'll be doing. Some expensive ones will last decades of general abuse. Cheap ones will fade in the sun, leak in the slightest drizzle and water will seap through the groundsheet even with the morning dew.

I have a Hilleberg myself ( http://www.hilleberg.se/default-e.HTM ), but they aren't cheap. It's like new after years of use though.

Others I would recommend are Kelty, The North Face, MSR, Black Diamond & Mountain Hardware.

PCatWork

I'm not looking to climb up Everest or anything. I just want a reasonably spacious and hardwearing tent that will last several years and keep the occupants dry if the British weather does its worst. The Khyams look like a good quality/price compromise. I'd rather spend a couple of hundred quid now than £80 this year and £80 the next year and so on.

Jap2Scrap

Don't stress about it too much. There's no point in one tent making you two tents.


Oh, that's a cracker

MJB2

Do you have a yomans campshow near you? http://www.yeomansoutdoors.co.uk/mai...oorExhibitions

My vango 4 man tent has lasted me more than 5 years and nothing wrong with it.

scoobyvirgin

Have you thought about a trouser tent?

pslewis

Buy a £9000 Folding Camper - Pennine Pathfinder maybe?

Live life

You'll get 15 years out of it and then sell it for £5000 (keep it garaged!)

Pete

druddle

I was recently in this position. Looked at Millets, Tesco and Hellfords cheapo tent offers and then the web. Eventually bought a Vango Venture 400 for well below the 100 quid retail value. Its built much better than the Tesco ones.

Have a look at...

Gear Zone
Allweathers
Tents Direct

Anything Vango, Wynnster or Lichfield seem to be pretty good.

Also try Ebay

Dave

yoza

I have just the thing..........

A 6 man twin bedroom tunnel tent.

Its a LITCHFIELD CATALAN 4800

Used once for a week then dry packed and chucked in the loft.

Its as new, I can show you photo's of it errect..

Its easy to put up and it has a large middle area for fighting with your bird.

Gave £200 plus for it last year, will take £80...

scoobyvirgin

Is that for the bird?

PCatWork

mail or post us a pic if you have one, Yoza. Google isn't throwing up much for that description of tent.

gregh

Does anyone know anything about Aztec tents?

This one appears to be what I'm looking for, I've seen it "up" at a local shop.

http://www.gear-zone.co.uk/eshop/Aztec-Cantera-9.html

regards,

greg

rizla06

Me and my bro have used a Sunnflair tent for the last 5 years and it's still going strong. http://www.sunnflair.com/tents.html

Daz34

Go Outdoors is seriously cheap, stocks all the major brands and the staff will put the tent up whilst you watch so you can see how easy & time consuming it is.
Well worth a visit