By: Millihall Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2008 Rating: Date: 17/08/2008
We purchased this tent this year and also bought the 'footprint' (which has proved really beneficial). We've been camping in it twice so far and have just returned from an extremely wet and windy Isle of Wight! The tent withstood all that the elements could throw at it (60+mph winds), which is more than can be said for a number of other tents which were demolished during the week.
My wife and I can comfortably erect the tent in about an hour, and take it down in about the same time. The 'footprint' does help when putting the tent up as you are able to position the tent easily by placing the 'footprint' in the appropriate spot. It also helps keep the bottom of the tent clean, and also saved our tent on a recent trip from having a hole chewed in it by a mouse, on whose home we had camped on top of!
The tent is nice and spacious, and the various windows allow in plenty of natural light. However these windows probably also result in the tent getting quite warm in the sun, but this can be negated slighly by keeping open the various vents that the tent has.
There are a number of nice touches, such as the cable guides which allow a light to be neatly hung from the centre of the tent without wires hanging dangerously down. The entry for the electric hook-up is also useful. Finally the tent comes with a massive bag which means that you can easily fit the tent in it once you've taken it down.
I would recommend this tent to anyone.
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By: Sprout029 Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2009 Rating: Date: 25/05/2009
Me and my partner bought one this year to take our 3 children camping and this tent delivered all that we expected. It was quick to put up even though it was the first time we had to put it up between us at the weekend and now we look forward to taking the kids away in it in the summer
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By: Jonesfamily39 Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2008 Rating: Date: 23/06/2009
I was initially a very reluctant camper, but am now absolutely hooked, partly due to this fantastic tent. It takes 2 of us to put it up but can now get it up and airbeds in etc. All sorted in an hour. We have 2 children so the extra space in the middle for those rainy evenings is essential. We have bought the carpet and have found it really adds to the cosy feel. You definitely need to mention the size when booking though as some sites charge you extra.
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By: Cm123 Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2007 Rating: Date: 13/08/2009
We are a family of four (2 young girls) and have had this tent for a few years now. Last year we purchased the footprint groundsheet, carpet and canopy. These are a fantastic addition, the carpet is lovely, the children can play on it, it make the tent feel really cosy. The canopy is great for cooking and storing everything as the front porch is not that big, however we used to cook in there on wet days with the door rolled up before we had the canopy. The only downside to the canopy is that being open at the end it acts like a wind tunnel, once or twice we thought we may have to take it down, but it never came to that.
The reason that I am writing this review however is that whilst camping in the lakes recently our campsite flooded after very heavy rain from 4pm through to 7am. We lay awake all night because of the noise of the rain (children slept though it!) In the morning we could hear people splashing past our tent, so thought we should take a look. We stepped into the main living area and it was like walking on a water bed, the tent was under 2-3 inches of water - but we were dry. The tent hadn't leaked in at all -not a drop, and with the sewn in groundsheet we had been saved from a complete wash out. Luckily my sister and her friend were with us, so we emptied the contents of the tent into our two cars, then waited for the girls to wake up!. We then took one corner of the tent each and marched the tent up to a dry area on the field. By this time a few corners of the ground sheet had leaked in, but we dried it all with one small towel. So that shows that it wasn't much. We moved everything back into the tent and got on with the rest of our holiday. Unfortunately that couldn't be said for a lot of the other campers - those without sewn in groundsheets got completely washed out and others suffered badly with tents leaking in. The next night we looked around the campsite and almost all the tents left (not including abandoned ones!) were outwell or vango. This really showed that we had chosen a quality tent.
We are now looking for a smaller tent for weekend breaks and it would have to be something special for us not to choose outwell.
I can't recommend this tent enough, fantastic for families and the great Cumbrian weather
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By: Snowy73 Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2009 Rating: Date: 03/06/2010
My husband decided that it was time to sell our static caravan and buy a tent. I am not a person who is at one with bugs and I have never wanted to own a tent in my life. So having been talked into it, I wanted a tent with space to spread out and also somewhere that wet shoes / clothes could be left out of our way.
The Hartford XXL ticked all the boxes as having 4 pods, we can use 2 for bedrooms and 2 for storage, leaving the living area free for table and chairs with room still for the kids to play.
The porch area is big enough to have wet shoes and clothes with room still for other bits and bobs.
Like many others we have also bought the carpet, footprint and extra front canopy, all of which adding to the experience.
We had our 'trial run' in October and came up against 45mph gusts of wind. The tent was moving a lot but all in all stood up well and kept us warm.
Whilst I would still not be able to camp without electric hook up, my opinion of camping has changed and think that is mainly down to the choice of the tent.
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By: HardyLardy Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2008 Rating: Date: 12/07/2010
Right, had this tent for two years now so I guess it's review time.
This tent is huge and pretty heavy so first up be sure to have plenty of boot space,once out of the bag simply lay the tent out and put all ten poles together,these are colour coded and thread into their respective sleeves. I do not believe you can erect this alone as the best technique is for someone to go inside the tent and lift the centre,other person then proceeds to ring & pin. Time I guess,after two years erecting 35-45 mins fully pegged.
The tent has 24 guy ropes!
Once up you will enjoy the cavernous space,generous airy and light feel because of the excellent windows and skylights,but above all else this tent is sturdy,we have camped in storms no one should be out in and survived without a scratch,never leaked either.It's woth mentioning both rear & front entrances have mosquito screens so you can stay zipped up and still let the breeze in.
The bad. Simply can't find any,i guess the only downside is it's a people magnet,be prepared for everyone you camp with wanting to be in your tent, especially the kids!
Packing up is simple and you can leave all three pods in.Fantastic tent!
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By: Velmskacamps Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2010 Rating: Date: 05/09/2010
We bought our Outwell Hartford XL a couple of weeks ago and took it out for a little pitching practice this afternoon. It was a little windy but after watching pitching videos and reading the instructions we felt very confident. Out first tent was a Cabanon Jupiter trailer tent and that took us 3 hrs the first time! so we were very surprised when after just an hour we had our new tent pitched and ready to add the extension which took a further half hour mainly due to the wind picking up further.
Internally this tent is very spacious and has plenty of head height. We really like the skylight windows for added day light and hopefully a bit of stargazing too. The extension added plenty of space too should be great for an eating space and sitting out on an evening.
We are delighted and cannot wait to experience our first camping trip in this tent, hopefully before the end of the month. Taking the tent and extension down was very simple also, this took just under an hour. The advice to leave to door open when packing away made a huge difference to getting the tent folded and rolled back into bag as the air was able to escape much easier.
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By: Pindy73 Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2011 Rating: Date: 28/05/2011
After months of considering an upgrade from our last tent, finally decided to opt for the Hartford XL with 'extras' as part of an online web exclusive (tent,ext, carpet and footprint). As a party of 7 (and dog) thought that the size would suit our needs and we were not disappointed.
The tent is pitched in one stage, with colour coded pegs for anchorage points, guy ropes and storm flaps, which makes it so user friendly, its easy to pitch. The three integral pods have added storage pockets and a dedicated stowage pouch for the door when unzipped. Being used to camping found the tent was easy to pitch and had it up in an hour, with extension (thanks pops). The central area within the tent is brilliant for size, with electric access, sewn in groundsheet, which with halogen heater did keep the evening chills out.
During warmer weather, the central pod can be collapsed to allow the rear door to be opened to allow airflow, along with air vents over each of the 3 pods. It is extremely sturdy in 'blowy' weather as we found out while camping near an estuary with tidal changes came the winds which didnt bother the sturdy design.
All in all a brilliant tent and so glad we finally got one. If you are considering an upgrade or would like a larger tent for comfort, the Hartford XL is certainly one worth considering!
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By: Jason k Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2007 Rating: Date: 20/07/2011
Excellent family tent, loads of room for when the weather is bad and 3 good size bedrooms.
The only problem we had is the colour coding on the poles is reversed so was a little awkward the first time we pitched it but not a problem.
With the tunnel on the front for cooking and storing wellies and muddy clothes it is great for all weathers.
Nice skylight and good sized windows it is overall a great tent.
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By: MichelleT Reason: I've used one Made in: 2007 Rating: Date: 06/08/2011
Can sum it up in one word 'Fantastic'. We love it - it is easy to assemble, loads of space, looks good, can extend it, bought from new and has been excellent value. Have used for the last 4.5 years and it is still like new. We have used as a family and invited other family members and friends to join us because there is so much space - Perfect!
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58 User Reviews of the Hartford XL - Showing 01 to 10 Page:
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Sponsored by Camping in the Forest Caravan and Campsites If you have used this tent please leave a review, or your comments for other visitors, and have a chance to win and have a chance to win a a 2 night stay on a standard pitch for two adults, courtesy of Camping in the Forest. 20 beautiful campsites set in Forestry Commission locations throughout the UK. From forest walks and trails to active adventures like River Exploration and Kayaking there is something for everyone to enjoy.
An extensive family tent with three separate bedrooms that can take up to eight and still leave generous living space that is further enhanced by the Panorama Room, which comes with a Detachable Bathtub Groundsheet and a front that can be opened up to fully catch the glorious sun. Ideal for those who like their bedrooms separated the Hartford XL pitches flysheet first or as one, and the spacious living area is enhanced by features such as Skylight Windows, OWS System (Outwell Wind Stabilizer System) and OEP System (Outwell Easy Pegging System). There is also a rear door, so access is never a problem.
Recommendation: A true classic large family dome tent that has stayed popular over the years, and could even comfortably accommodate two families!
Type of tent: Four room dome tent Sleeps: 8 people Rooms: 3 bedrooms, 1 living room Pitching way: Flysheet first or as one Flysheet: Outtex® 4000 (75D 100% polyester taffeta) with taped seams Floor: Double-coated 100% polyethylene, 10,000 mm hydrostatic head Inner tent: Breathable 100% polyester Pack size: Tent: 38 x 79 cm / Poles: 18 x 67 cm Weight: Tent: 22.8 kg / Poles: 10.8 kg Poles: Duratec fibreglass 8.5/11.0/12.7 mm
Large panorama room with detachable bathtub groundsheet Large panorama windows with toggle-up curtains Pre-attached inner tents Stow away O-shaped inner tent doors Mesh pockets in the inner tents Rear door Lamp holder and light cable tidies Fully seam-sealed flysheet for maximum protection Reinforcement patch on all stress points Adjustable pegging points Pre-attached guylines Luminous guylines Heavy duty Outwell zips
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Date: 17/08/2008
