ElvisThePelvis Posted July 30, 2016 Report Share Posted July 30, 2016 I have recently been given a sum of money and I have decided a nice thing to do would be buy something that we as a family can all enjoy and remember the person by. I have decided that a tent would be a good idea as we would then be in a position to go away whenever we liked, which seems a nice gift to have been given. I don't know anything about family sized tents, as I am time poor / lazy I like the idea of an air tent that bean be out up swiftly on a Friday evening. Any recommendations or more importantly any to avoid, I could spend up to £1,000 but would prefer not to, unless you get what you pay for? I can see us being at any one place for more than a week. Any essential additions would also be welcome as suggestions. Many thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted July 30, 2016 Report Share Posted July 30, 2016 Go to Go Outdoors and find their Tent Specialist, the advice is free and they know what they are talking about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimfire4969 Posted July 30, 2016 Report Share Posted July 30, 2016 Bell Tent with a woodburner, within your budget and you can use it all year round and will put up with just about any weather thrown at it. Forget any budget tent, we have so many left in our bins at the end of guests stays its not funny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ph5172 Posted July 30, 2016 Report Share Posted July 30, 2016 (edited) Or look for a complete kit - people try it and dont like it so sell the whole lot. Tents, Cookers, Lights, Beds the whole package Then if its really not for you or you damage it you are not going to cry Edited July 30, 2016 by ph5172 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wiggum Posted July 30, 2016 Report Share Posted July 30, 2016 (edited) We've got the Outwell Montana 6 and it's been a great tent stood up to some serious weather and never leaked or been troubled with strong wind. Not your smallest tent when packed away but I can't fault it. You can also got a additional porch or extension if you need extra room for bike storage/cooking area etc Go outdoors have the Montana 6 with foot print ground sheet and porch I think for around £450 I believe. This is our Outwell Montana 6 Edited July 30, 2016 by Wiggum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secretagentmole Posted July 30, 2016 Report Share Posted July 30, 2016 If you can find one an Aztec Cantera 9, or as we called it "Atlantis" (See the Spy Who Loved Me and Karl Stromberg's lair). 3 bedroom pods, a decent size lounge area, entrance porch/tunnel kitchen. Electric feed zips (so you can feed your mains hook up in). The doors into the lounge from the entrance tunnel and the rear door have mosquito mesh. It is a separate inner dome design tent, once the outer skin is over it is damned warm, also very waterproof, standing up to a Cornish monsoon (when conditions were so bad the site owner gave us a pallet for the kitchen/entrance porch door). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElvisThePelvis Posted July 30, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2016 Go to Go Outdoors and find their Tent Specialist, the advice is free and they know what they are talking about. That's great, I was wondering whether it is PC world syndrome where they don't know what they are in about Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElvisThePelvis Posted July 30, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2016 Any thoughts or views on the air pole tents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yellow Bear Posted July 30, 2016 Report Share Posted July 30, 2016 Any thoughts or views on the air pole tents. not very stable in a wind and very prone to leakage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElvisThePelvis Posted July 30, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2016 not very stable in a wind and very prone to leakage. Air leakage? That's annoying Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesey1981 Posted July 30, 2016 Report Share Posted July 30, 2016 Any thoughts or views on the air pole tents.There's also been a few cases where strong sunshine has caused the pressure in them to increase and the "poles" have failed, at least with rigid or fibreglass poles you can chuck a few spare sections in the bag just in case, I think the air pole ones need a specialist repair if they have any more than a pin hole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ollieollie Posted July 30, 2016 Report Share Posted July 30, 2016 http://www.charliesdirect.co.uk/coleman-vespucci-6-tent?gclid=CjwKEAjwoPG8BRCSi5uu6d6N5WcSJABHzD8F6lAfu4oXC0KPgAehQcLnkz8uj267fFdIErMEKGHm-BoCbgHw_wcB excellent tent for the money, been a lifelong camper and me the missus two kids and dogs camp in one of these. the living area is big which was always a problem on other tents Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felly100 Posted July 30, 2016 Report Share Posted July 30, 2016 We've a Vango icarus 500,or as I like to call it"a divorce in a bag". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FalconFN Posted July 30, 2016 Report Share Posted July 30, 2016 We have a 5 metre bell tent and 3 metre awning and it is brilliant. Easy for one person to put up in 20 mins once you have a system. It's strong, acres of space loads of headroom and sounds good in the wind. It's survived storms, gail force winds and floods has had many weeks in Cornwall, Dorset, Cumbria, Switzerland, france and several kids parties (one sleepover it had 11 kids comfortably) without issues. I was against the idea of getting a 'poncy' tent until I looked at the nylon alternatives side by side, and there was no comparison. Some of the best money we have spent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpha Mule Posted July 30, 2016 Report Share Posted July 30, 2016 http://www.charliesdirect.co.uk/coleman-vespucci-6-tent?gclid=CjwKEAjwoPG8BRCSi5uu6d6N5WcSJABHzD8F6lAfu4oXC0KPgAehQcLnkz8uj267fFdIErMEKGHm-BoCbgHw_wcB excellent tent for the money, been a lifelong camper and me the missus two kids and dogs camp in one of these. the living area is big which was always a problem on other tents Nice shout! Looking at the Coleman Galileo 5 Tent And when I'm sober tomorrow..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattSoanes Posted July 31, 2016 Report Share Posted July 31, 2016 You will not go wrong with any of the Kampa make of tents, go for the polycotton, it's within your budget and far superior to any nylon tent, advantages being* Breathable Stay darker for longer in the mornings They don't clatter in high winds The polycotton is very hardwaring They are heavier than a normal tent though. Best advice would be to get out to a camping shop like ( norwich camping) where they have multiple tents set up for you to walk in and get a real feel for what they are actually like. Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElvisThePelvis Posted July 31, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2016 You will not go wrong with any of the Kampa make of tents, go for the polycotton, it's within your budget and far superior to any nylon tent, advantages being* Breathable Stay darker for longer in the mornings They don't clatter in high winds The polycotton is very hardwaring They are heavier than a normal tent though. Best advice would be to get out to a camping shop like ( norwich camping) where they have multiple tents set up for you to walk in and get a real feel for what they are actually like. Matt Thanks Matt, I was looking at the Kampa Croyde yesterday although the polycotton is £1139 so I was thinking of nylon one for 799, or the hayling and the front canopy coming to 699. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LowStandards Posted July 31, 2016 Report Share Posted July 31, 2016 (edited) Get yourself on eBay and buy a canvas frame tent from the 70/80s It'll weigh a ton, take an age to put up and down, but it will be far superior to anything made of plastic you can buy now. I got mine for free, but £150 will have you a lovely condition Cabanon or similar... I'd suggest a new one, but a grand won't cut it, and as lo g as the canvas isn't ripped and the poles are good, age is nothing but a number... My mate has the top of the range Vango airbeam, it took as long to put up as my frame tent and it was all over the place in the wind... Edited July 31, 2016 by LowStandards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonny thomas Posted July 31, 2016 Report Share Posted July 31, 2016 We had a vango air beam tent very very good bag to fully erected in half an hour very water proof and storm proof it was also very big i could stand with room to spare I'm 6'4" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimfire4969 Posted July 31, 2016 Report Share Posted July 31, 2016 We have a 5 metre bell tent and 3 metre awning and it is brilliant. Easy for one person to put up in 20 mins once you have a system. It's strong, acres of space loads of headroom and sounds good in the wind. It's survived storms, gail force winds and floods has had many weeks in Cornwall, Dorset, Cumbria, Switzerland, france and several kids parties (one sleepover it had 11 kids comfortably) without issues. I was against the idea of getting a 'poncy' tent until I looked at the nylon alternatives side by side, and there was no comparison. Some of the best money we have spent. I have had many customers who have changed from a standard tent to a bell tent and say they will never go back, and as I said add a woodburner 12 month camping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KFC Posted July 31, 2016 Report Share Posted July 31, 2016 Any thoughts or views on the air pole tents. We were at a festival last year and a couple of chaps pitched their tent next to us. It was an inflatable pole type. They then went off to the main site for some grub. I heard a loud pop and I saw the front half of their tent doing a good impression of brewer's droop. They had a repair kit which didn't really work so they had to spend three days in half a tent. Don't think I'd buy one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted July 31, 2016 Report Share Posted July 31, 2016 (edited) Go to go outdoors and the airgo cirrus 6 air beam tent bundle offer of tent footprint carpet and air beam porch for 899 is a bargain. 6000mm static head and 150 denier fabric one air valve and the tent inflates in a few minutes. I was tempted but for just my wife and I We don't need the porch so we are waiting for them to reduce the tent only price. Air beam tents need to be inflated to the correct pressure like tyres, the a bit more is better will not do. The good air tents have double zipped pockets the beam sits in so it can't expand past its maximum. On a hot day you just put a bit less in or let a bit out. New beams are cheap enough to buy. Edited July 31, 2016 by figgy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted July 31, 2016 Report Share Posted July 31, 2016 Love the old canvas frame tents! But then went on to these http://uk.images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A2KLj9MVzJ1XsRAARi3w3olQ;_ylu=X3oDMTIyazBxdHA1BHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1nBG9pZANhZGQ2OTUyNjJiYzA3YjRhODQ5ODU3OTYyNWM0ZDYyNgRncG9zAzEEaXQDYmluZw--?.origin=&back=http%3A%2F%2Fuk.images.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Dgoogle%2Bimages%2Brapido%2Bconfort%26fr%3Diphone%26fr2%3Dpiv-web%26tab%3Dorganic%26ri%3D1&w=800&h=1064&imgurl=i26.servimg.com%2Fu%2Ff26%2F11%2F06%2F18%2F67%2Frapido18.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcaravanerapido.forumsactifs.com%2Ft7521-vendu-a-vendre-rapido-confort-1976&size=134.8KB&name=chariots+de+relevage+fournis+googlevideo&p=google+images+rapido+confort&oid=add695262bc07b4a8498579625c4d626&fr2=piv-web&fr=iphone&tt=chariots+de+relevage+fournis+googlevideo&b=0&ni=21&no=1&ts=&tab=organic&sigr=12fqcadj0&sigb=13lno3nvu&sigi=11e7cklul&sigt=118653cvf&sign=118653cvf&.crumb=SzzSWNMXY4D&fr=iphone&fr2=piv-web Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazooka Joe Posted July 31, 2016 Report Share Posted July 31, 2016 (edited) Bought one of these off the bay of plenty, absolute steal at £120. Rakes of room, would easily sleep 12. Edited July 31, 2016 by Bazooka Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodp Posted July 31, 2016 Report Share Posted July 31, 2016 You will not go wrong with any of the Kampa make of tents, go for the polycotton, it's within your budget and far superior to any nylon tent, advantages being* Breathable Stay darker for longer in the mornings They don't clatter in high winds The polycotton is very hardwaring They are heavier than a normal tent though. Best advice would be to get out to a camping shop like ( norwich camping) where they have multiple tents set up for you to walk in and get a real feel for what they are actually like. Matt Got a 4 man (probably 6) storm tent here that's made out of Land Rover hood material, now that stays dark, all day Mind you, it will take any storm so long as you sledge the pegs in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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