I've just bought and been away in the Outwell Montanna 6.Absolutely fantastic!huge living area, extra rain porch onone side and two 3 berth bedrooms that anyone could stand up in.Also you can unzip the divider between the bedrooms if you want to talk to/sooth the kids etc.I'd definately try to see one erected somewhere.
If the heat inside a synthetic tent is a problem then why not consider a 6 berth canvas frame tent. Most of them come with a 4 berth & 2 berth inner, so one for you all to sleep in & one for storing clothes etc. Lots of windows so you don't feel isolated if the weather is bad. Ours has a 13'5" x 10'6" lounge/kitchen area, and you can stand up in every part of the tent.
The only downside with a frame tent is that they do take up more space in the car. However, I can pitch ours on my own in 50 minutes - all frame tents are so easy to pitch.
I wouldn't recommend the tables with stools attached. If you already have the chairs, just buy a folding table, preferably one with adjustable legs just in case you camp on a sloping field in the future.
Thanks again for all the suggestions with regards to the table, i do already have a folding table with adjustable legs but when we were away i found i was using it to keep things on like baby things, juice, cups etc, we had crates underneath which stored most foods but we founf that everyday things we were using were easier to store on top.
I was thinking more of my kids with the folding table as we wont be camping again this yr i iwll have one child who is 4.5 next yr & the other will be 1.5 so would be good for them to sit at & eat.
I have looked at the some of the tents suggested & so far i like the sun valley 8, montana 6 & 12 but personally think the 12 is to big for us.
I also have seen the Vango Aspen 500dlx which we love but again think it looks hard to erect?
Kim, your comment about the heat in a tent does make me suggest you look at cotton ones. New ones are expensive but if you find the shape/layout that you like, watch for second-hand ones on Ebay. A lot of people here have bought frame tents second-hand and have been very pleased. They can last 25-30 years so even if one is a few years old, provided it's been looked after, you will be onto a winner. Like you I don't like the stuffiness of tents and found that putting my children to bed, they would be sweating like mad after a few minutes. Cotton tents keep you cosy when it's cool, cool when it's hot! The standing room is brilliant and the storage is much better as you can hang things off the poles. We also end up with a couple of tables just as something to dump stuff on! Maybe have a look at some of the storage cupboards, they are handy as open shelving to dump stuff on.
------------- Angie ~~
~ If you see someone without a smile give them one of yours ~
I have the Montana 6 and found the ventilation to be excellent even in really hot weather... as well as the windows on three sides, which can be zipped in various configurations, fully-open/open-but-screened/closed/curtained, and the two large vents behind the bedrooms, there are ventilation vents all round just below roof level to let the heat escape. Shame I probably won't need these features much over the bank holiday - the weather forecast doesn't look too exciting so far :-/
Kim. sorry to labour the point re: folding table, but be careful, both my 2 year old and 5 year old hurt themselves this weekend due to collapses of the fold away table + stools I got cheap from Argos ....... the slightest push in the wrong place or any uneveness in the ground causes this table (in my opinion) to be dangerous.
hmm, I seem to have lost a post I just treid to add here... anyway what I was saying is that I have the Montana 6 and it has plenty of ventilation, and hot weather (such as we have) has never been a problem. The windows on three sides can be opened in several configurations, can be fully open or screened, there are bedroom vents as well as side vents just below roof level to allow heat to escape... good design here by Outwell :-) We often end up with too much breeze rather than not enough, so we keep the vents closed against the prevailing wind, and open on the sheltered side(s), if that makes sense.
I agree about the folding table - I have 3 kids, 7, 5 and 2 and the table collapsed on us this year - it was a cheap Ebay one. I am now looking at this one and having read the rave reviews in the equipment forum think that Its a far better buy and much safer and stronger plus more flexible.
If you want to walk around some tents a good place to go is just outside Godstone on the A22. They have about 20 to 30 tents all erected so you can walk around have alook then go on the internet and see if you can pick it up cheaper!
What do you mean by a material/cotton tent can you do a link for me to one?
Also i think i will leave the table the ast thing i need is my kids to get hurt, but i like the link to that table & 2 bench seats missizippi has put may have to invest in one of them probably worth the extra money for the safety for my kids.
I have been to a tent place in fresham which was ok but would rather see a wider range of tents will have to try & find the one outside godstone....
What do you mean by a material/cotton tent can you do a link for me to one?
Hiya Kim - frame tents are made of cotton canvas (see here for some examples). It is breathable unlike the man-made fabric of tents like your current one, AND is lasts many years longer because it is less vulnerable to UV degradation. The disadvantage of these tents is that their packed sizes are often much heavier and bulkier than the newer dome tents. They don't have a full SIG in the living area like your current tent, usually its a loose GS for the living area and sewn in GS on the bedroom pod. You can often get 2nd hand bargains, because of their long life.
Some manufacturers have aimed for the best of both worlds and now have some tents that are poly-cotton. The Outwell "Lakes" range are like this - e.g.Bear Lake, See here . These provide a better interior climate control than fully synthetic tents (i.e. less stuffy in hot weather and less prone to condensation) but are still less bulky than a traditional frame tent. They are expensive in comparison to synthetic tents and indeed some frame tents, but they are of superior materials in other ways too (e.g. alloy poles) and have some excellent design features such has zip -in groundsheet.
I think frame tents are great if you have the space to transport the extra weight and SK camping have a sunncamp palace to look at. We love ours and it gives all the space we need
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Topic: Well we went camping but......
