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Hi, am thinking of selling my Hypercamp Rosas (2011, used 10 nights max) to buy a Toureg instead.  The Rosas is a super tent, has got great reviews on this site, its in perfect condition, but I think as my weekender tent that my kitchen set-up would suit a Toureg better (because 2 straight walls).  Additionally with the acquisition of a dog into the family, the extra space of a Toureg would be handy.

We are: 1 adult female, 1 child aged 6, 1 spaniel dog (caged when in tent). We sleep in 2 single Outwell Posadas 203 L x 70 W x 47 H.  I expect that I would put my kitchen, fridge and storage against the straight "back" wall of the Toureg.

A couple of questions though:

1.  What price can I expect to get for the Rosas excluding shipping costs (which I'll have to get quotes for before I factor it in).  I don't see any on any site for sale second hand, so I can't guage.

2.  What is dimension from door-seam to outer low-wall?  (this will help me calculate if we can fit two single Posadas in this space with a bit of a room inbetween our beds for access so there is no need to climb over the other person.  IF we can fit them side-by-side with a bit of a walkway inbetween, then it frees up the rest of the tent for living and stove.

3.  What is the straight-wall height of the Toureg (so I can guage head-clearance and how how close to the wall we can put our Posadas beds at 47cm H.  Its wall height is 60cm on my 5M bell, but the Toureg lookds lower.).

4.  IF we can have both camp beds side-by-side, then where would be the best position to put the frontier stove (with its 3 sticky out legs).  IF we can't have the two Posadas on one side of tent with a tiny walkway between them, and thus we would end up with tents at opposite ends of the tent, then where would the stove be best placed?  Would I be confined to the middle by the pole?

5.  Safety:  given my boy is only age six, often clumsy and trips / knocks over things etc, I am ultra conscious of safety.  Currently I have a child-safety-fire-screen around the stove when I use it, and he's under strict instructions to keep well-back ... but this is easier when he's been in the 5M bell ... the Toureg would be more risky I would think.

6.  I might have an option of availing of Hypercamps cheaper option for the Toureg (might collect it in Europe when on a trip) ... but their model does not have a SIG, and I have an aversion to creepy crawlies.  So was thinking that I could buy their model and use double-sided stick on velcro to attach their ground sheet to the tent?  Does anybody know if Hypecamps ground sheet is the really good quality thick type that is similar to Soulpad's Bell, or the Rosas, or Outwell Wolf Lakes?

I'd appreciate any comments / replies back ... it would be so helpful.  Thanks. 

Humbird! 

I was vascillating between the touareg and the hypercamp Palamos 6 for a while. I eventually went for the Palamos.

The one thing that put me off the Touareg was the fact that there is no PVC in the windows, only mesh and canvas.

Hi Angela/DK, I do love the Palamos ... great tent altho I haven't seen it in the flesh.  But I don't need yet another big tent (lol) at 46kg, I already have an Outwell Wolf Lake 5, as well as the 5M Bell.  The Toureg is 32kg.  I love the Palomos for its windows and extra space (and porch) which isn't in the Rosas.

I wish I could just find ONE tent that will suit all our types of camping (winter/summer, long trips of 2-3wks, as well as weekends in our own locality).  I sort of wish I could start from scratch at this stage! 

In 2010 I put our "poly" days behind us when I bought an Outwell WL 5 (which I just absolutely love, but its a beast for me as a 5'4" lightweight female to haul around and takes so long to put up and down solo - my mood takes a deep nose dive and I become a monster!).  So I then decided that perhaps I should keep this for long trips and get something smaller for weekends:

In 2011 :  enter the Rosas.  Lovely tent, just too small for us as proved during a couple of trips of bad weather and tent-bound, plus with the new dog.  So then I thought I'd sell the Wolf Lake and get a replacement.

In 2012:  enter the 5M bell and frontier stove (Feb) ..... love the bell, but didn't like the cluttered look inside and my camping kitchen furnigure wouldn't work with it, so ....

... enter the Quechua Base Seconds (Apr) which I intend to use as a utility for the bell.  Haven't even used this yet.

Can't quite bring myself to sell the WL5, I just love this tent so much that I'd be perfectly happy to live in it full-time.  But I CAN bring myself to sell the Rosas because of our space needs.

If I were to start from scratch ... I don't really know what I'd chose to be honest... I just know that I haven't found our perfect ONE tent yet.  But am hoping that if I can at least find a perfect comination for TWO tents (long stays and a weekender) then it would be better than my accumulation of tents!

Humbird 

I think it is quite possible that there is no such thing as that ONE perfect tent.

We will be keeping the Relum so that we can have the option of taking extra people, even though I am sure the Palamos will become our main tent.

It all depends on what you want from each trip.

Failed,

http://www.belltent.co.uk/other_tents/touareg_deluxe

Humbird, I have a Palamos which I love, but I am considering getting a Rosas when they reappear at Obelink for short / weekend breaks.

Subject to price and your location, I could be interested in buying you Rosas .

Please keep me in touch once you have decided on your price and in the meantime could you tell me where you are located?

Pablo

Hi Blues4Pablo, I am across the water .... Ireland ... and the furthest part of the island!  Too far for a viewing of the tent I'm afraid.

Dinkydeb, our dog is on a long tether outside the tent most of the time when we are outside or with us when we go for walks or on day trips, etc.  When we are in the tent in the evenings, he is in his cage and he is happy to be there.  He loves his cage, even if the door is kept wide open, he is in there voluntarily, its "his" place, cosy/warm and close-ish to the stove - so snuggy warm. 

Why do I have the cage in the tent?  Because I have a stove in the tent, and a 6 year old son.  The two combined can equal physical play which could pose safety concerns with a lit stove, that's why I am happy that the dog likes to be in cage and son plays with other things.  Does that answer your concerns?  Dog is happy, boy is happy, everybody's safe.  So then Mum is happy.

Humbird

Hi Dave & Linda, thanks for that link.  Very good price indeed.  No SIG or ZIG it appears though and I hate creepy crawlies. 

Since starting this post, I have now decided I reallly need to start from scratch with the whole process of finding the right tent and maybe the Toureg is not the one for me - I just don't know.  Over the last 3 years I keep adding tents to my collection (4 tent additions in last 3 years) that I love but then I find that they just aren't quite right for our needs.  SO ...I am now going to see what to sell some off and then just make one purchase which I hope will be a tent I can use for all purposes!  Wish me luck!  I just can't afford to have a "collection" of tents, nor do I want to (!), and also my gear is just taking up way too much space in our house.  I want to simplify it all! 

Thanks for inputs though everybody,

Humbird

Gear bargain Eliza, you must be totally chuffed.  I could not deal with a large frame tent though such as you describe, I pitch solo (with the "help", if you can call it that) of a 6 yr old, am not quite 5'4" myself and petite, so I know from the pics that I could not manage a frame that size.  A large pyrimid is probably what I'll go for ultimately because of ease of pitching and the straight front to accommodate my kitchen gear and storage cupboards, and one with a porch.  I'm going to have to sell a few tents though before I allow myself another purchase.  First to go is the Rosas, then the brand new Quechua base (never even used!), and probably the bell 5m.  Just can't quite part with the Outwell WL5 yet, love that tent so much.  Perhaps if I get myself a new man, who can help with the WL5, then I would have no need for a different tent at all!  Lol.

Humbird

Hi Humbird

Before you start selling all your tents maybe you should try the Belltent & the Rosas with the Base seconds as your kitchen tent & see if that work sfor you.  I note you have a 5m bell tent which is a lovely big space & if you can keep all the kitchen clutter in the Quechua that could work & then use the Roas with Quechua for short trips - all 3 tents are easy & quick to put up. If that doesnt work, what about considering an Outwell trout lake - it is lighter than the BL.  Or - last suggeon would be to think about a canvas frame tent.  I know they don't come with SIGs in the living area but I'm sure you could customise some heavy duty tarpaulin/PVC.  This would give you plenty of useable space with straight walls & would be easier to put up than the BL.

I'm not convinced myself that one tent suits all & would think if you could get it down to 2 tents + maybe a utility tent then you would be doing well.

Good luck.