Tent Showcase: Outwell Trout Lake 4
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Yes
4 (more 4 berth tents)
33.70 KG
£999.99
2
Bathtub
In one
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Average User Rating:9.04/10 from 27 reviews
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27 Reviews of the Trout Lake 4 Showing 01 to 10 Page:
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By: Blythespirit Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2011 Rating:  Date: 08/10/2012
After persuading my wife that camping could be enjoyable - I quickly realized that the snugness my Vango 'Force Ten' I had last used nearly 30 years ago, wasn't going to cut it. My wife, quite rightly, thought the 'Bear Lake' offered superior living accommodation but it felt a bit extravagant for just the two of us and I wanted a tent I could put up on my own. When my 'Trout Lake' arrived, I lifted the two heavy boxes and was glad I opted for the smaller model. The tent is well made and is comfortable in all weathers. The only drawbacks are the sloping front makes it difficult to arrange furniture and there is nowhere to cook when it is raining.
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By: Mr Dinx Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2012 Rating:  Date: 16/09/2012
Right. This is my personal evaluation of this tent. On the whole I really like this tent. It is easy for two people to set up and does what it is supposed to. My beef is with Outwell
1. The finishing is less than lovely, primarily bad stitching, and small fragments of cloth that should have been removed before stitching
2. Apart from the assembly video on the website and YouTube there is no instructions with the tent nor is there any information on the 'accessory' clips that are on the bedroom which gives rise to the comments in other reviews on this tent.
Nor does it tell you where to hang the set of pockets which come with the tent, that's trial and error searching.
3. The footprint for this tent is much larger than the tent floor area, if you peg it out, then try to peg out the inner over it, you will have to peg THROUGH the footprint, NOT good.
Having said all this, the TENT is good and I won't change it, the problem is with Outwells quality control and their lack of information
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By: Rosieposie Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2011 Rating:  Date: 27/08/2012
Wanted this tent after visiting än outdoor tent exhibition,We were checking out a Bear Lake 6,but was so impressed with the Trout Lake I wanted one,got a Bear Lake,but kept agging the missus,so when it was in the sales last august she gave in and We got One.We have been out 3 Times up to yet,and use it for weekends and 3/4 night stops,its a fab tent,loads of options For windows and doors,the wife calls Me Mr Zippy,as im always Messing about with the windows and doors,theres plenty of space,We use the second bedroom For storage and getting changed.Its been battered by wind and rain and weve been cosy as toast,we got the front extension this year,which is great For cooking or sitting in when its raining,in fact,when our son stops Camping with Us we shant use the Bear Lake,We will go in the Trout as its perfect For two.
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By: SPeace Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2012 Rating: Date: 27/08/2012
I've never pitched a tent in my life and so was somewhat apprehensive when my shiny new Trout Lake 4 arrived. I managed to put it up solo in under two hours, not bad for a first attempt. I know it'll get easier. Oh, by the way, I'm female, under 10 stone and the wrong side of 50. If I can do it, anyone can! Have a look at the photo above - Newbie first attempt.
I suppose I should say something about the tent! It seems very nice but then I haven't actually camped in it yet. It all went together well and seems to be very well made.
2 from 2 people found this review helpful, was it helpful to you?
By: Fairycampers Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2011 Rating: Date: 17/08/2012
After many years of having nylon tents and them letting us down we decided to purchase Polycotton. We previously purchased a Wolf Lake 7 and was so impressed with the quality of this tent, we decided to purchase the Trout Lake 4, footprint and carpet for short weekend trips away.
We found the Outwell video a great help in pitching the tent, and is well worth watching them, without this it can lead to incorrect pitching.
On our first weekend away we experienced hot weather during the day and cold weather on a night. We found that the tent was cool in the sun but on a night the tent was warm and no extra bedding was needed and felt well ventilated We also experienced high winds and the tent stood up to this very well.
There is plenty of room if there is just the two of you definitely a week + camping, but we are a family of 4 and found this too to have plenty of room for a long weekend and we stored all our belongings at the front of the tent and still had plenty of room to use our chairs in the front area without being squashed.
The bedrooms we had two double airbeds and found that there was still room at the sides.
If like us you are fed up of purchasing nylon and them letting you down, it is well worth the extra money to purchase polycotton and we know this will last us for years.
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By: SoggySteve Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2012 Rating:  Date: 27/06/2012
This is a tough review for me to write as our first experience with out new 2012 Trout Lake 4 wasn't exactly as we were expecting. I will get the bad bits out of the way first as I think it's important this special little tent ends up with a positive end but it's important that any lack in quality control is met with a complaint.
Bought from BCHCamping in Trowbridge (30 miles from home but they had one set up). Our first trip started with myself on my own for a couple of days, then joined by my GF for a few more days. The weather was fine and still. I had watched the video on how to set it up and felt that I could actually manage it on my own. If you are concerned whether you can do the same then I will tell you it's not that hard 'other' than trying to stand the poles up. Opening the front door (to allow the air to pass in easily) helped a lot although remember to close it before you peg the tent down!
Despite how the tent can look a khaki colour in many of the photographs and videos, it's a very pleasant soft green in real life. The material feels solid enough and despite some dubious stitching, felt strong to the touch. On setting up, I realised that the inner bedroom area had been badly stitched which resulted in a small hole in the back. One of the velcro strips at the bottom of the front door simply hadn't been sown in at all. It looked like it had simply been forgotten! This had consequences during the coming downpour. One of the snap in retainers at the top/rear of the inner sleeping area was missing although I have since been informed that it was for a child's bedroom option that is no longer (or was never) available. Outwell have simply not bothered to remove half of the clip in system!??!
The first night I was there was dry. I knew that there is a 'weathering in' period with cotton/polycotton tents so I was hoping for a light rain and then some sun to get through this without leaks. That following evening it rained then dried up resulting in the tent drying up remarkably quickly (I had been told that polycotton take longer to dry then polyester but this is apparently untrue, which makes sense to me now).
So. I hoped that the tent was proofed, or at least had gone through it's first battle with the rain. The rain came back and continued for hours and hours. Come the morning, below the window between the storm door and the front door a small amount of water had been let in which I mopped up with some tissue. Other than that, all good. The sun came out and rather than running for the exit gasping for breath, as i've done so many times in polyester tents, it was pleasantly warm and airy. So much so I drifted back of to sleep. Perfect.! (in fact, rain or shine, i've slept for the longest periods in this tent than any other tent before me (they've all been polyester).
Jumping forward two nights. I awoke in the night needing to use the loo. It was raining fairly heavily. As I stepped out of the sleeping area, I stepped in to a large wet area of the carpet (extra but worth it). I pulled it back and revealed a large puddle of water which took a bath towel to soak up. I checked the door (opposite the storm door) and it was drenched on the inside near the bottom. It appeared properly closed though. The following morning we realised that there was half a builders buckets worth of water creating a pool at the end of the bed (luckily under our double air bed). This combined with the water that we had mopped up represented a substantial amount of water. The inner material of the tent door should NOT have been wet to the level where your hand is dripping when you touch it. The rest of the tent material on the inside was perfectly dry and no other leaks were evident. Since taking it back to the shop it's loosely been concluded that the door missed out on the water repelling treatment that the whole tent should have had.
I phoned up BCH Camping and they politely told me to bring it back to the shop (behind the scenes people were phoning each other at home on their day off to say I was bringing it back which was extremely warming to hear). The manager was called without asking for him and he proceeded to offer probably the best customer service experience I can remember having on any level. We took the tent out of the bag where I showed him the issues i've mentioned and he said that although Outwell want their tent back to ascertain the issues before we would qualify for a replacement or a refund, BCH's policy was to replace the tent completely. Outwell are in Denmark as well so the process would hardly have been swift.
So. Well done to BCH camping. We have a new tent that he personally removed from the bags and check the whole thing over for missing bits or manufactured rips or poor stitching. Despite the shop being moderately busy, he gave the situation all the time it required for me to leave with a smile on my face. Shame on Outwell for missing a bad bit of stitching, for completely forgetting to stitch all the velcro parts on (there are there for a reason) and for seemingly missing out the side door when treating the tent.
On the positive side. The tent is potentially lovely. It's easy to work with although learning the ropes with the windows and door retainers will take some practice. In the wet it 'promises' to keep you dry. In the wind, it holds it's own very well. When it's sunny, it opens out so much that just sitting there shading from the hot sun doesn't make you feel that you're missing out on the fine weather. It breathes excellently, it's a lovely colour (earthy) and is remarkably quiet when it's windy.
I can only hope that the new tent has all the properties that we expected from the faulty one. Many of which we've enjoyed already. If you're thinking of buying this tent then I would hate to think that i'd put you off. It's a cracking dwelling, just make sure you look out for issues with the manufacturing and take it back to where you got it if you find any. Buy online at your peril. If I had have done that to save myself a tenner or so. Than I would be footing the bill to send it back to them as well as waiting for probably weeks to get a replacement or maybe the soggy one back with a couple of bits replaced. If you're in the market then I highly recommend BCH camping. It's the first time i've used them and it wont be the last. Privately run businesses versus large warehouse style outdoor shops are clearly better so we should support them as they support us in the way we expect when things go wrong.
The Troutlake 4 is a great tent. It's perfect for couples or a couple with young children. The living area allowed for a couple of little Coleman tables that we bought (the mini ones that aren't that mini really, which have a mesh magazine style rack at the bottom), two lazy boy chairs with enough room to move around. Using the second bedroom as a storage area worked very well as our double air bed fitted comfortably in the other bedroom.
Next stop, France and Spain for three weeks. Wish us well with the weather and the new tent! If the price scares you, but you feel you could stretch to a polycotton or a full cotton tent then I highly advise you do it. I'll never go back to a polyester tent after experiencing cotton.
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By: Mark1010 Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2009 Rating: Date: 13/06/2012
We bought this tent in an end of season sale in 2009 and paid approximately £450. We also purchased the footprint which is well worth it to protect the sewn in groundsheet and we have since purchased the porch which is very expensive but again well worth it especially as it gives you somewhere to cook safely in inclement weather. We have used the tent on eight occasions ranging from a weekend stay to a weeks holiday and have had no problems with it at all. We have just used it for a week in Yorkshire commencing with the Jubilee weekend and despite the constant heavy rain and high winds the tent did not move or let in the rain. It is extremely easy to pitch and despite being poly cotton we can usually get it dry in a few hours in the sun pitched on the lawn or in a day hung up in the garage.
The construction of the tent is excellent it is well designed and very well made. Being polycotton it makes camping warmer, drier, quieter and much more comfortable than in a nylon tent. The only criticism I have is that being polycotton and having aluminium poles it is heavy and takes up a lot of space when being carried but I suppose that is the trade off.
This is our second tent and is by far the best I would not hesitate recommending one to anyone.
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By: Roamfree Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2011 Rating: Date: 10/06/2012
I bought this at the end of 2011 for a bargain price of £430 with the groundsheet. Always hunt for tent bargains at the end of the year, in the middle of winter!
Last year I was camping with friends in France, near Bourganeuf, making our way down South. I had my trusty old Coleman 3 man wedge, treated in Nikwax (which had coped fine in Australian monsoon downpours) and they were in a borrowed cheap and nasty 4 man generic brand nylon tent. That night, the mother of thunder storms parked its self directly overhead. Lightening striking within the immediate vicinity, made for an interesting night with rain drops the size of marbles!
Needless to say, both tents got in trouble. My Coleman’s water proofing failed after about 20 minutes and I was left hiding under bin bags, huddled up trying to keep dry as a fine mist fell from the roof with every rain drop. Hilariously, (I thought!) my friend’s tent had failed quite spectacularly in the high winds and now resembled more of a torn flag than a tent. I heard them making a run for it at about 3 in the morning, child in tow, legging it towards an empty canvas caravan tent for cover. I think they are now forever emotionally scarred when it comes to camping! I decided that I couldn’t abandon my beloved tent that had seen me through so many good times, so stuck it out through the night. What an idiot. Still, we all had a good laugh about it the next day and we're still laughing about it today!
I ‘awoke’ a couple of hours later, soaked through to the bone. Sleeping bag resembled a wet tea bag and my sense of humour was struggling. As I glanced around a campsite that resembled a scene from Saving Private Ryan, I noticed one tent standing proud, in tip-top condition. The Outwell TroutLake 4. After having a closer look, it was completely dry inside and solid as a rock. Sold!
I ordered from intertent.Co.Uk who delivered quickly and with good communication. This tent is pretty heavy – two bags around 36KG all up. One with the main tent material and inner rooms and the other with the aluminium poles and heavy duty bathtub zip-in ground sheet. Both bags have decent shoulder straps and are pretty easy to carry short distances.
Erecting this tent can be a bit of an effort (although i’ve only done it 3 times) and I would suggest that doing it on your own would be a frustrating experience, if not very difficult. If it’s wet & windy then you’re really going to want two of you chipping in. Having said that, it’s very straight forward thanks to the excellent colour co-ordinated pole system and there are slots in the poles to ensure that they are the right way around. Figure on 25-35 mins for two of you, including the ground sheet. There are a lot of pegs with this tent (3.5KG’s of them!) so remember a rubber mallet or your hands will hurt. I should imagine that you could get this down to 20mins with practice.
Once the tent is up – it’s massive inside and it feels incredibly stable. I’m 6’3” and I felt very comfortable walking around.
This is my first polycotton tent and I was amazed at how much more homely this material makes the camping experience. It really is quieter inside than nylon tents and the temperature is far less susceptible to big fluctuations thanks to that better insulation. In direct sunshine in hot environments the tent does still get warm inside, but nowhere near as hot as a nylon tent. The full bucket zip-in base is also a wonder as it prevents winds from blowing through the tent and keeps out all the ants and other bugs, not to mention keeping out water. It gives you a secure feeling knowing that your more or less sealed in from the elements. The floor feels robust and thick enough to last many, many seasons without puncturing or wearing out. I don’t have the carpet. (Seriously, £45 for a tiny thin blanket?!)
I have used this tent on a couple of occasions without the inner rooms attached. As such, it’s perfect for 4-5 people to sleep in, on separate inflatable beds each, with space in the middle to walk about by the door and plenty of floor room to store you bags and clothes etc. It really is very comfortable. With the inner bedrooms added you feel even more insulated although it’s now more suited to sleeping two couples or, if you unzip the centre wall between the two chambers, one nice big space for one couple.
It has only rained heavily twice on the same camping trip whilst using the Trout Lake 4, and I have to say that it was perfect. Not a single drop of water made it in to this tent in two heavy downpours. Okay, so I haven’t yet tested this tent in prolonged light rain, but my hopes are high. All external material remained hydrophobic with no areas of darkening suggesting that the water may have impregnated the material. There was some slight condensation on the inside, but with 3 of us in the tent at the time and humidity levels being pretty high, this was to be expected.
Ventilation is pretty good. There are vents about all the doors and windows, so even in the rain you can have these propped open to get some airflow. I was missing one of the Velcro props that hold up one of these ventilation areas, from the factory. But that’s the only negative, and it’s a tiny one. Each window had 3 layers, the outside clear plastic, the inner nylon mesh then the inner privacy material.
There are 3 doors on this tent. One big main front door, whereby the entire front door flap at is supported by two poles (supplied) with two guide ropes (supplied). And one side door on the left (if looking front on) with an added supported cover and another door on the right without the added supported cover extension. This makes for a tent that you can pitch in almost any orientation and still have easy access to. I did feel that it was a shame that both side didn’t have the extended rain cover extension – maybe they will add this in future. I would also like to see this supported awning on the front of the tent too.
Taking down and packing away was really very easy and all the items packed away without the usual frustrating experience of having to pack and re-pack everything to fit in the slightly too small carry bags! Just a last comment on overall construction quality, and attention to detail, I found it to be superb, very well crafted.
So there you have it. I am seriously impressed with Outwell’s offering and other than adding the awnings to the other side and the front; I can’t really find anything to complain about. This is a fantastic tent for a family of 3 or 4 and it’s a superb tent for 4-5 friends to go away in. Solid in all weather, very good waterproofing, dependable and durable. You can’t ask for more from a tent. (Apart from being half the weight and price would be nice!)
I’m heading back to the SW of France later in the year. I hope the thunderstorms make a reappearance so I can feel warm, dry, cosy and ever so slightly smug in my new tent :)
Happy camping. I’ll update this at the end of the year to see if all is well.
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By: Soapyagm Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2011 Rating: Date: 29/05/2012
Bought this to replace a slightly larger polyester Wild Country Tent. We have fancied a polycotton tent since seeing a large selection at a couple of Yeomans Tent Displays. We managed to pick up a full package including a carpet and groundsheet protector from the above at a very good price.
The tent has not disappointed, the wife and I have a bedroom each and there is easily enough room to store spare clothing in the bedrooms without the need for a wardrobe. We bought the tent for two people and find it to be a perfect size without being too big.The build quality is very good and once up it does not move or make a sound in the wind. It seems a good bit cooler in full sun and warmer at night when the temperature drops.
The 3 door layout with windows mesh and curtains has endless possibilities enabling cooling and shelter from the sun whatever time of day. The zip in groundsheet is very substantial and gives a deep bathtub effect. So far very pleased. It is a bit heavy to handle but that is the price to pay with polycotton. I would say its worth it.
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By: Ashy55 Reason: I own(ed) one Made in: 2011 Rating: Date: 20/02/2012
I have admired this tent from afar from the first time I saw it at Yeomans outdoors in about 2008. The quality and attention to detail conspired to make me think that I must have this tent. My desire only became reality at the end of last year , when I managed to pick up this tent for a fantastic price. I took it to Waunfawr in November 2011, outside the normal range of most camping trips. It certainly lived up to my expectations. I already own a Bear Lake 6, so I knew it would be good.
Good points - easy to put up, generous inside (tardis), quality material, warm in cold weather, looks good! (looks the business!)
Bad points - can't think of any! Will repost when I get the chance to take it out again.
I have got the front extension as well, so am looking forward to pitching that too. Didn't pitch front extension in Waunfawr as it was a bit windy - didn't want to have to drop it onto mucky grass!
It's the bees knees!
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27 User Reviews of the Trout Lake 4 - Showing 01 to 10 Page:
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Manufacturer's Description
The manufacturer has advised that this model has been discontinued.
The compact Trout Lake 4 is ideal for the smaller family or couples who demand a little extra space and superlative quality in a full-featured tent. This three room tunnel comprises two bedrooms and a living room that features the superb panorama front. It is made from our unique Outtex® Airtech polycotton with alloy poles housed in flat pole sleeves, and a Zip-out colour-coordinated groundsheet. Good looks are emphasised by the Outwell Floating Guyline System while the Outwell Wind Stabilizer and Easy Pegging Systems enhance stability and easy pitching. The inner has the new stripe front. Features include a Rain-safe side door and the ability to create a screen house by opening all doors to reveal a backing mesh door panel – a great way to maximise the amount of sun and breeze entering the tent while keeping out bugs.
Recommendation: Smaller families and couples will love the quality of this compact full-featured polycotton tent.
Type of tent: Three room tunnel tent
Sleeps: 4 people
Rooms: 2 bedrooms, 1 living room
Pitching way: Flysheet first or as one
Flysheet: Outtex® Airtech (65% cotton / 35% polyester)
Floor: Tarpaulin PVC coated 100% polyester, 10,000 mm hydrostatic head
Inner tent: Breathable 100% pongee polyester
Pack size: Tent: 29 x 106 cm / Poles: 24 x 97 cm
Weight: Tent: 18.0 kg / Poles: 15.7 kg
Poles: Alloy poles #6063, 16/22 mm, 2 upright steel poles
Features:
Large panorama front
Enclosed rain-safe door and additional side door
Mesh in each door
Zip-out colour coordinated groundsheet
Front door and groundsheet can be zipped together
Large tinted windows with polycotton curtains
Striped inner tents
Organiser pockets
Mesh pockets in the inner tents
Lamp holder and light cable tidies
Reinforcement patch on all stress points
Adjustable pegging points
Heavy duty Outwell zips
Outwell doormat included
... there may be more info on their website
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