Good evening.
I'm looking to buy a family tent, and would like to spend around £200-£250. I've seen a few examples made by Vango, Coleman and Gelert, and there doesn't seem to be much to choose between them. I've been camping in me youth with mates in two man tents, but the other half demands something with a bit more refinement. We also have a two year old, and are planning more, so a comfortable four or six birth would be ideal.
CM
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A friend also recently wanted something a little different. He invested in one of the tents from the people linked below, and reports it to be completely excellent - huge, easy to put up, a bit different and just more interesting than the usual fare. Have a look! (Just noticed they are a bit over your budget, but maybe you're flexible with it).
www.belltent.co.uk/index.php
I'm also told I'm to be sleeping in it for a weekend in May. My cup runneth over.
Last edited by: Crankcase on Fri 9 Apr 10 at 22:03
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Any of those brands will be fine. We have a Vango and a Coleman. Both fine.
They will be spacious, but heavy. You'll need several people to put up the large tents, and UV damage will put pay to them within 3 or four years if you use them a lot. But if you go somewhere like CCC and buy whatever they have on offer / on sale then they are unbeatable value for good weather car camping (wind is normally their nemesis).
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Agree with SO's comments about weight and UV damage.
As for brands we're now on our second Khyam Rigidome XXL. The first did seven fortnights in Southern France (plus misc other trips) before zips, seams and misc structural weaknesses did for it in 2007.
They're spacious enough for 4 to live and cook in and go up while other folks are still threading poles into the tent. Fourty five minutes from boot open to all sorted and beer in hand!!
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Use a hotel
4 to 5 minutes into the bar after arrival
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He he - then suffer a coronary when you get the bill
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Thanks for the replies. Some of the models I saw today had fibreglass (?) poles whilst others were aluminium I think. Aside from weight, any differences?
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Taking the furniture and carpets can make a home from home. I know this was done in the past by some!
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Two of my lot have tents from offers at Go Outdoors.
I think they were both about £70 and have been fine. Two bedrooms and a good sized living area. Spend the rest on some kit. I imagine they have a website. ( Go Outdoors, not my kids )
or
Buy a caravan and become a pariah of the highway !
Ted
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...buy a caravan...
Not a bad thought, but the OP has a budget of £200 - £250.
The £70 tent mentioned by Ted demonstrates camping is still a relatively cheap way of getting away.
I've paid more than that for one night in a hotel, and the static in leafy North Yorkshire was more than £30,000. Gulp!
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>> The £70 tent mentioned by Ted demonstrates camping is still a relatively cheap way of
>> getting away.
You still have to get there, pay site fees, buy food, eat out (you cant cook all your meals on that stupid camping stove).
I would far sooner go static van/self catering apartment/villa/challet.
Its really not that much dearer, you dont have to lug 500 tons of carp around with you, or get blown out/flooded out/eaten to death by killer ants or live in the same 2 square meteres of canvas with the screaming kids because its raining for two weeks.
Camping? strictly for masochists who kid themselves into thinking they are having a good time.
I would far sooner drag a shed around behind me.
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...Camping? strictly for masochists who kid themselves into thinking they are having a good time...
Bit of a rant there, Zero.
Camping has its weaknesses, but I know of one family who enjoy using their tent a few times a year, even though they could afford hotels/a touring caravan.
They take two cars, only stop on sites with decent facilities and take their main holiday abroad.
For some younger families, camping is a rite of passage, which might be the case for the OP.
I know of another older couple who are quite happy with their trailer tent.
As for me, my static - central heating, double glazing, en-suite facilities, full-size beds, Freeview telly, domestic kitchen, lounge, etc etc - is the minimum.
I don't do B&Bs either, if the job won't run to a three or four star hotel, I'd rather stop at home.
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I don't think there's much difference between aluminium and fibreglass at this price point. The fabric is going to give out first. One thing I forgot to mention - most tents at this point will not be seam-sealed.
It's a good use of 30 mins and about £3 buying a pot of seam-sealant and doing the flysheet before you go away.
I'd second the recommendation for Go-Outdoors. Often some bargains to be had. I really don't think brand matters much for this type of tent. We've also twice got bargains at the Outdoors show at the NEC, and it's quite an entertaining day out.
SO.
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In 2008 nov i bought a vango sumatra tent polycotton fibre ideal to keep the heat in and in summer the sun out supossed to be cooler.
Took it in 2009 took it to my first trip east coast yorkshire a nice windy location at reighton sands it was not much good in strong winds with fiberglass poles keeled inwards had to guy rope up the best we could!
The newer model comes with aluminium poles for this reason, buying another i would look at coleman or deffo lighter material & alloy poles plenty about on e bay you may pick up one used on a weekend for lot less cash.
Have got a 4x man dome tent just for my weekends away trips which is ready for this monday! bring on the sunshine yorkshire off to dalby forest!!
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Hope that the sun does shine for you. Thanks to all for advice so far.
Caravans - a real difficulty. The number of times I've been stuck behind one on twisting A roads I'd rather not think about, but then again, if you can't beat them, join them...
Looking 20-25 years into the future, I'd rather like a camper van if I can afford one.
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My advice is 20 - 30 years out of date but may give you a few pointers.
We changed from a 2/3 man tent when daughter was about 2 years old, and although the newly found space of a 6 berth tent was an 'asset' we really yearned for the speed of errection and convenience of a smaller tent. However it took another 14 years before reverting to a 2 berth nylon tent with flexy fibreglass? poles. With a larger tent the additional space results in more and more extras, to the point where a Volvo 240 estate and roof box, plus bicycle rack was struggling to cope! The small tent encourages a more nomadic lifestyle and I dont think that Turkey - Bulgaria - Greece would have really been achievable destinations with the large tent.
Much will probably depend on your intended destinations and travel plans. I don't think that a 2/3 man would cope with continuous drizzle in England.
I am/was a believer in steel/ aluminium poles with steel angles - totally repairable when away. Not dependent on intricate sh ite metal fixing pieces (probably plastic now) that can fracture, compromising the whole structure.
I often described our holidays as like staying in a hotel but more expensive, as we regularly ate out. But it did allow access to good sports facilities - 2 or more large pools and other peoples children, and the ability to 'loose' a growing child in a relatively safe enviroment.
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Looking 20-25 years into the future, I'd rather like a camper van if I can afford one.
Yes me too but in the next 6-7 years when my lad is 9-10 merc sprinter conversion from a panel van was hoping to do this year but can't now!
On the tent scene your better going to a camping shop that has them on display in a field were you can see how they have survived and how they look some do look like a huge kite and when the wind gets them they are!
Got most of my camping kit second hand cookers water carrying bottles and stuff airbed and sleepping beds new saved a small fortune don't forget to buy your own gas bottle then you take it in and exchange for a new filled one much cheaper than buying one form the shop plenty on e bay.
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>> Caravans - a real difficulty. The number of times I've been stuck behind one on
>> twisting A roads
If you are the one towing, the road ahead is clear bright and sunny and free of traffic.
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"If you are the one towing, the road ahead is clear bright and sunny and free of traffic."
If only...
When I used to tow, I was invariably baulked by non-towing motorists, lane hogging and not anticipating, and not taking any notice of any indications I made. And was usually trucking along at about 65, only rarely towing above 70 (yes, yes, I know that's illegal) often.
On the camper van idea, when I had a caravan these appealed at one time, but I then realised what a hassle it would be to just pop to the shops, or go exploring for a morning - tidy all surfaces inside and put stuff away, jack up the legs, put something in your spot so someone else didn't move in while you were out etc. Plus more outlay, upkeep and maintenance costs/hassle than a caravan.
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Camping in a tent is much better than living in a static plastic/aluminium box.
The failing of most people who stay in static boxes is that they try to 'live in the box', and then complain that it is cramped or too small. Tenting is about living out of doors, using the tent for stoarage and maybe sleeping.
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>>Camping? strictly for masochists who kid themselves into thinking they are having a good time.<<<
My sentiments exactly.
My standard of accomodation has to have at the very least, the standard of my lorry cab.
Central heating, fridge, a proper bed and somewhere comfortable to sit.
Added bonus is the caravan has a loo and shower and a huge awning for living outdoors, it also satisfies our itchy feet and independence.
Why do they insist on putting a full sized oven in them though, surely most people eat out on holiday if there's only two of you.
I can appreciate how camping appeals to some though. We have a stand at Peterborough Truckfest for 3 days on May Day Bank Holiday weekend and while we take the caravan and park it behind the stand, the others mostly take tents of all sizes and it never ceases to amaze me what wonderful meals some of the women can conjure up for us from a camping stove!
Pat
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>>Tenting is about living out of doors
In the wind and rain you mean.
>>using the tent for stoarage
I would prefer the company of the storage, at least its only midly damp in there.
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>>>n the wind and rain you mean.<<<
Sorry i should have referenced my earlier post - I only camp where the sun shines!
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AHHHHH
A fair weather camper.
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A fair weather camper.
Not really - just travel a little further.
You should really try Adriatic thunderstorms - the real thing!
The big advantage of the Med is that whilst you may get wet it all dries out very quickly.
Last edited by: pmh on Sat 10 Apr 10 at 10:01
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I tried a malaysian thunderstorm. That will do thanks.
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...On the camper van idea...
They appear ridiculously expensive to me.
A decent new one is £30K or more.
For which you get a Transit with a plastic body and a few cheap fixtures and fittings.
They are small inside, unless you buy an enormous one which is then £100K, and too unwieldy for touring.
And whatever size camper you bought, you'd still need a car for the rest of the year, unless you literally only go out once a week.
Hiring one for a few days might be a reasonable solution.
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The only place I have seen the camper van work properly is in the states. A medium size winni, couple of motorbikes strapped to the back
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Added bonus is the caravan has a loo
As a man pee on any tree or if we need a number 2 get out the bog digger dig hole hover over it back fill when done simples.!!
The vasy majority have nice hot showers and toilets camping by tent is super for the kids it's an adventure and can make a cheaper holiday were going this week with 2x other famalies you can pool together with the food bbq is what we do then got load of logs to burn while we drink beer and put the world to rights.
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I'm fond of a different sort of camping.....by Motorbike.
It's quite an art getting everything you need for a couple of weeks abroad packed away nicely.
We always choose a site with a cafe so don't take any cooking gear..
Tent, blow up bed and pump. Sleeping bag and pillow in ' crush ' bags. Enough £1 teeshirts...chuck 'em when used.
The caravan's a different matter. most of our food is cooked in the van. Nice hot shower and flush loo, central heating, telly/dvd, mains leccie...........brilliant. I still sleep under ' canvas ' though, preferring the awning to the beds in the van.
Ted
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One of my neighbours has a tent and goes away for a weekend, once a month and takes his kids and meets up with other pals. This weekend he took my 12 year old son along.
They camp at the edge of a loch in Scotland and this was the first time my son had been camping.
He came back today absolutely shattered but loved every minute of it.
Friday they arrived, set up tent, played hide and seek for 2 hours, played on a rope swing and had a game of football. Finished off with a fire on the beach.
Saturday, over the course of the day they played over 5 hours of football, interrupted by food (barbecued) stops and drink stops. Swam in the loch and finished off with a fire on the beach.
Today was more football and some walking.
He had a great time and it proves there is life out there beyond x-boxes for the kids!
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>> Today was more football and some walking.
Blimey, all that footie practise, and the sweaties still cant get to the world cup finals.
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In 1992 some friends & I took our respective sons camping for a weekend. That year the boys aged 10-12 all climbed Schiehallion. We have managed at least 1 weekend away each year since then although we have moved on from tents in recent years. A great time is had by all.
The difference now, when sons can make it, is that the fathers drink less & retire to bed earlier than them.
Tony
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tent buying advice - Crankcase
