Tent Showcase: Outwell Norfolk Lake
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Discontinued
8 (more 8 berth tents)
67.10 KG
3
Fully Sewn-in
In one
Tent
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Average User Rating:
9.35/10 from 31 reviews
Viewed: 22265 times
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31 Reviews of the Norfolk Lake Showing 01 to 10 Page:
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By: Martinjp65 Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2009 Rating:  Date: 19/09/2011
Well, we have owned our NORFY for 3 years now and I thought it may be worth chipping in with a long term catch-up review for any one considering tracking down a second-hand example.
Although it sometimes doesn't feel like it we must have had some sun because the original green colour has faded, this is common to all tents in this range however. We have had no issues with quality, everything is still working fine I use zip maintenance spray on all the zips which does a wonderful job and once a year I wipe over all the poles with a cloth which I have sprayed with 3-in-1 oil with a little more applied to the joints of all the poles, in particular, the spring catch ones on the horizontal bracing poles this stops them binding up. I long ago replaced the original clamp on the bracing poles with a Dorema awning pole clamp which is superb.
This 'summer' we used the auxiliary bedroom pod as we had a family trip to Newquay this proved too small for a double airbed the bedpod touched the outer wall which resulted in water seeping through (this has been the ONLY issue with leakage however and we have been out in a LOT of VERY heavy rain!) so in my opinion the maximum PRACTICAL capacity for this tent would be 5 people (stated berth: MAX 8 'sleep comfort' 6) We always use the additional footprint which is now showing its age a carpet which I found on EBAY which is labelled for a sun valley 8 but fits well APART from the provision for the AUX bedpod corner loop this carpet has a large ugly hole in the wrong place when all that is required is a tiny slit which I made with my leatherman. We have the kids room which the grandkids like a lot when they come with us.
Normally there is just the 2 of us when we go away and this means we have loads of space which is how we like it! one unique (I think) feature of this tent is the partition which separates the ZIG part of the tent from the front this give the best of all worlds you can fully close it in cold weather or have it half or fully open, it also has 2 vent panels which can be closed.The front (bathtub) groundsheet can be left out if you have nice grass on your pitch with sunny weather.
Another feature of this tent now being omitted on some newer models are the windows which you can zip open fully or with mesh and blinds each one having its own toggles/loops! this must be a pain to manufacture and I can see why Outwell are finding excuses not to incorporate them! We use the side doors as normal means of entry and only use the big front sloping door in sunny weather as a canopy or rolled up.
We use an Outwell merope EHU light with a halogen 42 watt lamp which is 60 watt EQUIV' this gives a realistic amount of light for the size of the tent and an Outwell fan heater keeps it warm in colder weather. All in all a great tent with loads more years in it and if you can find a good un I can thoroughly recommend it!
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By: KevanMo Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2009 Rating:  Date: 02/09/2011
After many a night trawling the net and mainly this site, we needed a polycotton tent with 6-8 berth capability. The final decision was the Outwell Norfolk Lake so one was sniped after a few weeks searching a well known auction site.
Compared to our previous Cabanon Espace (which is slightly larger) the Norfolk Lake is a breeze to erect, has a sealed ZIG and three door options.
We put the tent up in an hour and had a great ten days holiday at Wood End Farm in Austwick. During that time we had hot sun, pouring rain and high winds - the Norfolk Lake laughed it all off, it is very good in high winds and we were very impressed with the polycotton being so waterproof and not a drop of condensation unlike other material.
There's no such thing as a perfect tent so here are the things we think could be improved:
1. The doors are really awkward to open with one hand from the inside
2. The front door had a slight leak during the downpour which was only in one place and less than an eggcup full
3. The front groundsheet would be better as a ZIG to seal out the draughts
Now the good points:
1. Very stable in high winds
2. More fixing down points than any other tent we've ever owned
3. ZIG keeps out the draughts and wet
4. Lots of windows!
5. No condensation problems whatsoever
6. Cool enough to be inside the tent even under a hot sun
7. Strong framework
8. Polycotton is very waterproof
Final conclusion - the best tent we've owned and would recommend it to anybody in an instant, but try to get the carpet. We would like to get a porch for general access to the tent as we prefer not to use the front door as it's our kitchen.
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By: Issym Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2009 Rating:  Date: 25/06/2011
Having had the tent a few seasons now I thought I'd update and let you know how it has survived. Well the answer is very well. Apart from fading we have had no problems with the tent. We have survived gale force winds and torrential rain with no problems whatsoever.
It is heavy and we struggled for a long time working how to erect the tent. We now have a system that works for us very well; we thread all the pole and concertina the tent, front on top. My husband pulls on the front guy while I stop the front pole from sliding with my foot. The tent rises effortlessly and then we walk it forward in to place. This works best when the poles are fixed into the straps that go across the base before we pull. We have the side extension which we use as the main door due to the sloping front and the rain issue. I wouldn't want a front extension as this would make the tent very long, we already struggle to keep our guys off the road and more often than not pitch across ways.
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By: Gabriels gran Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2009 Rating: Date: 19/02/2011
We bought our Norfolk lake at the beginning of 2009, in a sale at Go Outdoors, couldn't believe the bargain we had bagged as the zipped in ground sheet had been manufactured incorrectly so there is a part which gapes in the main tent, doesn't detract from the stability of the tent though. We have had some great camping trips in it and have just booked two hols for 2011, May, we're going to Mersea Island, and in July going to Brixham in Devon. Our Norfolk lake always attracts the interest of other campers, yes it does look like a submarine, yes it is massive for two of us plus our dog Emma, but we like to camp in comfort and boy is it comfortable. I love it when the weather is wet and windy, you feel so snug and cosy in the Norfolk it's brilliant. Only downside is I hope someone can recommend a front extension for the tent, the sloping front is a problem occasionally when it's wet. Been told that the Bear Lake Front canopy will probably work, but any advice from the rest of you seasoned campers would be more than welcome. Can't deduct points from the scoring for the front door, it doesn't deserve it!
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By: 3narf Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2008 Rating: Date: 26/09/2010
I have been holding back with this review, as, although this tent seemed perfect for us initially, I wanted to experience all aspect of ownership before putting fingers to keyboard.
The tent has been up five times this season; initially at our local village site where it took us about two hours to put up, followed by our first proper camping trip where I proved it can be erected single-handedly with a bit of thought; then came our first putting-up in the rain, followed by two further trips when we refined our technique. The last trip took us less than 1/2 an hour before my wife could start putting stuff inside, while I carried on with pegs, ropes etc.
There's so little wrong with this tent that I really wonder why it was discontinued. The only thing that can be called anything like a design fault, is the sloping front that makes entry/egress a damp affair if it's raining, but as that feature has been repeated with tents like the Montana and Vermont, and by many other manufacturers, it can hardly be slated for that. Also, it could do with some internal coathanger poles, but as the external longitudinal poles contribute significantly to its impressive rigidity, we won't get too hung up on that, either.
We never had any extreme weather apart from some fairly heavy rain in Norfolk, but this tent is unnervingly quiet. Not a flap can be heard. It doesn't move around, squeak or creak. The carpet and kids room, obviously additional items, are superb; even the baby has his own room.
The canopy poles are flimsy; the plating is a different colour to the main poles and they feel like a lighter guage of tubing. They have bent slightly but still do the job. I might replace them next year. The porch bathtub groundsheet could do with being a bit thicker, but to quote Chef from South Park- that don't confront me none.
To summarise- I did quite a bit of research before buying this tent. I think it was an absolute bargain; I paid ฃ500 for tent, footprint, carpet and kid's room. I think the Norfolk Lake is superior to anything Outwell make at the moment. It's definitely heavy, and not a five minute job to put up, but it's rock solid, quiet, roomy and extremely well made.
If you get the chance to buy one, you probably won't regret it. Now, I'm off to regale Outwell for their decision to stop making this great tent.
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By: U400jb9 Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2007 Rating: Date: 06/06/2010
We bought our Norfolk Lake second and from UKCS as we needed a tent with three separate bedroom pods, wanted poly cotton or canvas and needed a ZIG/SIG. The Norfolk Lake ticked all the boxes.
The two bags it arrived in are a bit overwhelming, but it wasn`t to difficult to pitch between two of us and fitted easily into the smaller pitch sizes we are likely to come across.
The bedroom pods suit us perfectly as my children are not happy sharing so can have their own space on longer trips. The ZIG was a bonus as we have a puppy and didn`t want her to have to be tied up in the tent as well as outside.
The ZIG, although massive, is actually simple to attach once the tent is pitched. The massive porch is great too.
It oozes quality and I cannot find a fault with it.
We have bought the side extension because, although we have`nt used it in the rain I can see the sloping front being a problem when it does.
All in all it is a fantastic tent and I`m delighted with it
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By: Martinjp65 Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2009 Rating: Date: 07/04/2010
O.K. Final update,The only aspect we couldn't previously comment on, was, weatherproofing, that has changed following our Easter break on the Cornish coast! Our pitch was on a cliff overlooking Looe bay, picturesque, but, about as exposed as they come! On the Friday night it hammered down all night and was blowing a hooly to boot and we had no leaks at all (I did find what I first thought was water as the result of a leak on the groundsheet in the front area, on closer investigation this had trickled in at the corner of the black groundsheet due to a very sloping pitch- a little adjustment stopped this) so we are very happy with this.
The only minor niggle we have found is that the top 2 velcro blind tabs on the front sloping window have been stitched on too high and the blind wont stay velcroed on when it is windy, everything else is A1 and the previous points we thought might be a problem have proved not to be so.
After our Easter experience I dont think we will subject our NORFY' to quite such an exposed location again,it has to last us a good few years and, whilst nothing broke,it has a big surface area and how much punishment can you expect ANY fabric to take? 'DELTA' pegs work brilliantly and I am convinced that conventional pegs especially with soft ground would have given up (this happened when we were setting up, to the pegs holding down the back corners when we pulled the flysheet upright)and it must be said it was a stuggle to erect in that particular location in the conditions we encountered.
Our Minnesota 6 carpet we purchased as previously described is an acceptable fit so worth considering if you are searching for one.All in all then very happy, managed to break a screw clamp on the horizontal bracing poles due to over tightening it (blame a stressful set-up due to windy weather!) and I did notice that a couple of the pole sections were a bit hard to separate on this occasion aluminium, due to it being relatively soft, is prone to 'ragging' but a polish and a smear of oil should cure this.
A final word then is it worth buying a polycotton tent? in our experience yes it is, the much written about benefits are great HOWEVER you need to be realistic in your expectations it is warmer in cold weather but we still deployed a Coleman blackcat and northstar and hotties to stay comfy, it is quieter but in extreme winds silent it aint, although it is a deeper 'booming' rather than a nylon 'rustle' cooler in hot weather? hope to find out this summer!
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By: Martinjp65 Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2009 Rating: Date: 12/03/2010
Further to my earlier review, I exhausted every avenue to try to find a carpet for my NORFY, eventually I settled for a 2007 vintage meant for a Minnesota 6 that outdoor action still have in stock at time of writing (march 2010) It is in the much nicer green check that matches the blinds and can be had for ฃ39.95 compare the measurements, it is not an exact match size wise (4.15x2.40 VS the NORFY'S ACTUAL 4.00x2.60) but I do prefer the colour and its better than nowt especially at the price.
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By: Martinjp65 Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2008 Rating: Date: 25/10/2009
Well, after a horrible cut-short week in North Devon in July(!) when our high street tent was blown flat in a horrendous storm we decided that if we wanted to 'carry on camping' we would have to invest in something a bit more substantial. Following much research, quite a bit of saving and visits to tent shows we had narrowed our choice down to, either an Arrow or Bear lake 6, when, the Norfolk cropped up as an end of season deal just within our budget so we grabbed it sharpish. On collection or delivery of an Outwell 'lake' I dont think anything quite prepares you for the size and weight of the boxes, however as has been quite correctly said this is a consequence of the huge size and material. It comes in two bags one in polycotton containing flysheet and bedpods and a nylon one containing poles/groundsheets, as a practical size guide I have an avensis hatchback and with just the two of us and the back seats folded down we can just fit in the tent with one bag on top of the other behind the front seat widthways and have enough boot space left for rest of gear/luggage BUT it is tight!
Knowing from previous reviews that Outwell are not immune from the odd quality control howler we borrowed a relatives field for a trial run (far too big for the garden!)we found it easy and pleasant enough to pitch as despite its bulk it is not a challenging shape and it can only get easier with practice (two person essential though in my opinion), on carefully checking over the tent all fasteners were present and correct all zips worked very well and we were delighted with our purchase (small snag list at end of review)
In the Norfolk the living space where the bedpods are has a very thick grey zip-in groundsheet we didnt need the additional x2 man bedpod so left it out but its nice to know its there if needed the main bedroom in our model year is the universal with a zipped divider we used one half for a double air bed with room to spare and the other as a wardrobe. The front area beyond the internal partition has a black 'bathtub' clip in groundsheet which is a different material to the grey one but still very substantial and there is a good amount of overlap between the two to keep things clean (if you obtain a 'footprint' which, I would recommend, it only covers the ZIG area)
The windows have enough options to keep you playing for hours and are a great feature. Because of previous experience we invested in a set of Delta ground anchors for the guys and the same companies stainless steel pegs and they are superb and well worth the money we also use caravan awning pegs for the canopy(s) and the guyed vents which are very convenient as you can unhook it without partially removing the peg.
Following our successful trial run we booked a week in Dorset and again everything was very sound our pitch was slightly sloping but again experienced no problem with zips ETC. About the only thing I cannot comment on at this stage is the waterproofing as (minor miracle this!) we have experienced no inclement weather in this tent so far which is great as I really dont fancy trying to air the flysheet off at home if packed damp!
Why only 9/10? well, there are a couple of minor imperfections in the flysheet, on the front sloping door the top seam you can see daylight through and there is a stitching 'overrun' about half way down of about a dozen needle holes there is a tiny snag in the roof polycotton and one small area of uneven dying the size of a two pence piece if any of these do cause a problem I will deal with it with some seam sealer as the word on the forums is that Outwell are discontinuing the beast for next season and compared to all the good points these small gripes do not warrant a return.
Overall very pleased so far but bitterly regret not grabbing the last carpet in stock at the retailer as know unobtainable ANYWHERE will update on waterproofing when it rains on subsequent trips (as no doubt it will!) compared to our previous this tent is the Messiah and I should know I've followed a few!
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By: Issym Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2008 Rating: Date: 20/10/2009
Having used the tent three times this year I felt I needed to update my initial reaction. Every time we use the tent I am more pleased with it. We have just returned from a week in Padstow. While other hardy folk were exiting there tents in the morning with woolie hats and quilted jackets we lazed indoors in the pleasant heat in jim jams. We had a fan heater but once the air was warmed up, about 15 minutes we switched it off, and it stayed extremely pleasant.
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31 User Reviews of the Norfolk Lake - Showing 01 to 10 Page:
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Manufacturer's Description
The manufacturer has advised that this model has been discontinued.
With sleeping accommodation for up to 8 persons in its 3 + 3 inner tents across one end, plus a
removable 2-berth inner, the amazing Norfolk Lake makes a truly spacious holiday home. The full
zip-out groundsheet provides maximum protection from the elements, insects and floor draughts in
the enclosed bedroom and living area, and helps make housekeeping a cinch. The Norfolk is easy to
pitch, uses aluminium poles throughout, and remains stable in adverse conditions. Other strong selling points include the detachable groundsheet in the front living area, the large front door that doubles as a canopy, the additional half-opening entrance, and a wide range of sophisticated and carefully crafted Outwell details. Norfolk Lake is a wise choice for a large family that wants reliable quality and comfort.
Specifications:
Flysheet: Outtexฎ Airtech
Inner tent: Polycotton
Floor: PVC Tarpaulin
Pack size: Tent: 35 x 103 cm / Poles: 35 x 102 cm
Weight: Tent: 34.8 kg / Poles: 32.3 kg
Poles: Alloy poles #6063, 22 mm, 2 upright steel poles
Features:
Detachable bathtub groundsheet for porch area
Organiser pockets
Full length mesh pockets in the inner tents
Lamp holder and light cable tidies
Reinforcement patch on all stress points
Adjustable pegging points
Luminous guy ropes
Heavy duty Outwell zips
Outwell doormat included
Optional Extras:
Kids Room
Carpet
Footprint
... there may be more info on their website
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