I've always wondered how people stay warm inside tents during dodgy weather & until we bought our tent a few weeks ago, I'd never considered a restricted season, we'd caravanned into the autumn months with no problems & I always enjoyed the dark evening, it encouraged us to spend time as a family, away from the TV & sitting together talking. Saying that, I don't think I could handle camping in the winter.
Next february at the NEC is going to be a very interesting day out for me, I'll be spending ages looking around the tents on display & I hope one or two experienced campers will be on hand to advise us what to buy & what to avoid so we too can get the very best out of our tent.
Reading through this thread, I see a High performance tent mentioned, what is a High performance tent?
A high performance tent is a tiny two man construction vastly overpriced but has the correct *label* No matter how much you pay for a tent it's still cold and miserable in winter.
i belong to a 4x4 club, we camp in all seasons together in large groups in rally fields, congregate in a large gazebo in the evenings, often do a communal meal or bbq, play games, chat and have lots of fun. the kids seem to love it! we have a variety of outfits, there is always someone who has just that thing you have forgotten, if your tent blows down there are lots of people there to run after it......
but i can understand that family groups may not be so keen on winter camping.
Me too! Just got back from Riverside at Hamble, where we had a 'meet'. All sat round the fire in the evenings, lovely and warm. We were the only unit there without electric hookup, weren't cold at all!
Quote: Originally posted by Basilbrush on 30/10/2008
........Reading through this thread, I see a High performance tent mentioned, what is a High performance tent?
BB
My feeling would be that a high performance tent would be one designed and manufactured to cope with adverse conditions eg year round weather or camping at altitude/in exposed places.
------------- Tackling life the Western District way
Although we used our Folding Camper this year, the other year we used a frame tent to camp at the end of October. Just got back, and although there were mainly caravans on site, there were a couple of folding campers and trailer tents, and one or two tents. Much depends on your equipment, including clothing, being suitable. Plenty of layers, and bedding, as well as a decent tent. We also choose sites with stuff on for the kdis of an evening, so that we aren't stuck in a tent from 4pm. Although it did go cold at night, we were warm, as we had things, like fleece blankets, bed socks and although not used, waterbottles. It was lovely getting up, and walking across a frosty site to the loo block. Same as last visit at night - looking up at the stars in a cloudless sky. During the day we acturally got better weather than we did when we went away in August.
Why couldn't this thread have started before this fool and her family nearly suffered from hypothermia whilst camping in a tent at Filey during half term? Never again. Definitely wait until the warmer weather and longer days before we venture out again boo hoo. Although, if money weren't such an issue we may have considered going to the darker side and buy a caravan to extend the season but unless anyone knows this weeks lottery numbers we'll have to wait until next spring now.
------------- If you have a problem stressing you, sort it. If you can't, there's no point worrying about it coz it won't make a blind bit of difference!!!! Jules
don't get the wrong idea on specialist tents; are for up the side of mountians,where you crawl into them and limbo into your specialist sleeping bag!
has to walking over a frosty field for a pee! well me I did all that years ago in a vest and big blue PT shorts with a moron shouting hurry up ! now I would sooner walk over a thick pile rug with the heating on. . glampers united, bring on light nights and warm weather.
soft! NO practical yes. for what they charge now to kip on a strip of grass!!------------- ----------no contest.
Quote: Originally posted by rexgrant on 30/10/2008
Here is one of the best specialist tents but the very best are made from ventile cotton canvas
Lightweight tents are not made from canvas. Ventile cotton and canvas are two entirely different materials, canvas being an extremey heavy type of cotton used for frame tents, marquees, sails etc.
It's impossible to find out the cost of a Polar Pyramid tent which Rex posted the link to. This means if you have to ask how much you probably can't afford it. I remember Rex posting a link to a performance tent which cost over 4 grand !! Polar are probably in the same price range.
Unless you are half way up Everest performance tents are a waste of money...Might as well use an Argos ten quid job.
Quote: Originally posted by Safeway56 on 31/10/2008
.....Unless you are half way up Everest performance tents are a waste of money...Might as well use an Argos ten quid job.
Well, I don't know enough about 'high performance' tents to say whether they're always worth the price or not but we've got a basic Gelert festival dome tent and a Vaude backpacking tent in this house and even I can see the difference. I would not be happy to wave one of mine off for a February weekend on Dartmoor in the Gelert but no qualms if they were taking the Vaude.
OTOH, the Gelert does a decent job for sheltered summer camping at a weekend festival where the Vaude would be OTT.
There are different standards of tent design and manufacture to meet different situations. Whether the higher end prices are always justified is another question.
------------- Tackling life the Western District way
Quote: Originally posted by Bernie47 on 31/10/2008
Quote: Originally posted by rexgrant on 30/10/2008Here is one of the best specialist tents but the very best are made from ventile cotton canvas
Lightweight tents are not made from canvas. Ventile cotton and canvas are two entirely different materials, canvas being an extremey heavy type of cotton used for frame tents, marquees, sails etc.
Hi Bernie
Cotton canvas is made in dozens of different weights
Ventile is a lightweight cotton canvas made from the centre of the cotton pod were the long pure cotton threads come from. Ventile is also made in different weights for different applications the nearest tent material to ventile is the canvas made by Cabanon it is only half the weight of Ten-Cate I would guess.
Regards
Rex.
PS we were talking about specialist tents not necessarily lightweights
------------- "Be the person your dog thinks you are" (BM)
Quote: Originally posted by rexgrant on 31/10/2008
Hi Bernie Cotton canvas is made in dozens of different weights
I agree that canvas is made in many different weights, but what I was saying was that by definition canvas is an extremely heavy cotton fabric, and there is therefore no such thing as lightweight canvas.
Some people do refer to all cotton tents as canvas, but this is incorrect terminology.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: just can`t see the attraction!
. glampers united, bring on light nights and warm weather.
the nearest tent material to ventile is the canvas made by Cabanon it is only half the weight of Ten-Cate I would guess.
