hi Helen, have you looked at the Jackwolfskin or the Vaude range? These brands are in a league of their own and therefore not that cheap, but they tend to be more technical, pack smaller and weigh far less than the average brands of family tents available on the market. Jackwolfskin even brought out a canvas tent this year Kasbash RT sleeps 6.
Quote: Originally posted by f1ferrari0 on 15/4/2008
Is that the one in your pics Val? It's massive!
Yup, that's my old girl...but she's no bigger than most of the modern 6/8-berth TT's around, and some are larger. The sun canopy helps of course...we bought it as a little treat for ourselves last year and it was worth every penny. She measures out at 4.2m x 6.5m approx including canopy, so not much bigger than many of the popular tunnel tents either.
Best thing about TT's of course is that the bedrooms are stacked over the undertent areas so you can sleep a lot of folk in a smaller footprint. Also like canvas tents all the living space is usable thanks to the near vertical walls. We've spent holidays of up to seven weeks living in ours (only four of us though) and we had plenty of room for the travel cot and all the other gubbins we had to drag around for the baby.
We had lovely orange frame tent as kids, many great memories. AND you can get hangers to hang lightweight things up from the frame inside lol
We did use a canvas tent 2 years ago but was just too small and as me and my (recently married) husband were tent novices (we played while tent went up when we were kids), we watched in awe as a couple got a tunnel tent up and packed so quickly. We both decided if we were going camping again, that we wanted one of those! We're still learning though but at least our tent we have now is reliable. After last summers week of torrential rain and wind, my husband has JUST agreed to another week this summer, WAHEY, the kiddies are made up : )
But we did see a TT last summer and was impressed by its size and how compact it packed up though. We now have a large trailer 'ready to roll' in the garage so I think I'd be pushing my luck trying to get one ourselves...
Glad to catch up again though Val, hope all the family are ok x
Thanks Val, Your TT looks smashing, i have had bad experience in past with wobbly upper beds! We really appreciate the comment about vertical walls and usable space! Will look on Ebay, but I think you were REALLY lucky with yours.
Just had look at jack wolfskin and vaude range, never heard of them before, they look good. We are looking for a minimum of 9 berth, to give us some extra storage space for luggage, smelly washing, 14 wellies, belly-boards etc etc etc!!!
Right, so what sort of sleeping arrangements were you thinking of? Who'll go in with who? If you've got a travel cot will that need space in the same pod? I used to share a pod with the baby and a travel cot while Hubby shared with our then five year old. (This was in the big dome we had before the TT.) Or do you want something with a removable divider so that you and OH can sleep one side and the two girls on the other?
We are also a family of 7, we have just bought the Wynnster Saturn 9, from Outdoor Focus for £160. It has a porch, and 2 large bedrooms which you have a divider in the middle so you can actually turn the tent into 4 bedrooms, we haven't used the tent yet, but are looking forward to using the tent in May. We are also getting a utilty tent for extra storage.
To be honest, the baby sleeps with us, The travel cot is more of a play-pen! keeps crawly babies out of trouble, when we are cooking etc.
our old cabanon had a four berth and 2 berth inner, we just put kids in big one and us in other, problem is, at full capacity it left little space for luggage. We needed a bigger tent before our latest surprise showed up! i have stayed in a tt with about the same floor space as ours, and for four or five it was really comfortable, once you start pushing the limits the walls close in, particularly if we get bad weather and have to spend extended time in the tent!
We were looking at the 4 pod nylon tents, thinking big lad could have one, girls in another(eventually) OH and I in another and remaining two in last one. my concern is how Hardy these are, and smaller living area.
I know you can get canopies etc (this is generally where i set up kitchen at present) but am wondering about practicalities such as this in either a 4 pod dome tent or large tunnel tent, Have you or anyone else had either? Also, The frame tent has standing room all through, we really appreciate this, being a fairly tall family, I think I'm just scared of change!
The bedrooms in this tent are fab. Not sure if it has enough living space, though you can get a canopy for it. It will be easier to put up and you should not have any problems getting on a pitch (which you may well do with a sprawling pod style) and i dont think there would be much less living space. Full standing room in the bedrooms too.
Post last edited on 15/04/2008 17:26:17
------------- Always Kate unless Jay is looking over my shoulder :) x
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Topic: New tent - big family
