We are looking to buy an Outwell Vancouver kitchen stand or something similar, always open to suggestions! So where would you cook, in the porch/sheltered entrance and if so is it safe or do you cook outdoors if possible?
We have the canopy and always cook under this,Would highly recommend it
Mel
Is this the porch extension you have Mel? We're thnking about getting one of them but, having just bought our xxl, we're a bit concerned about the size of the tent without the extra porch.
What do you think of the xxl? we haven't used ours yet.
We have only used new tent once this year and cooked in the porch section which was open to elements. I was thinking of buying a porch extension but after seeing other posts with utility tents I think I will go for one of those. Its more flexible if /when I acquire a frame tent .I am also concerned about size before extension as was refused by 2 sites this year!
Gail
------------- 2026
Various weekends, weather and time permitting
April - Yorkshire and Yorkshire
June - Wiltshire and Oxfordshire
Autumn - North and Scotland
Quote: Originally posted by gailbonney on 20/11/2008
Hi
We have only used new tent once this year and cooked in the porch section which was open to elements. I was thinking of buying a porch extension but after seeing other posts with utility tents I think I will go for one of those. Its more flexible if /when I acquire a frame tent .I am also concerned about size before extension as was refused by 2 sites this year!
Gail
Hello Gail
I'm not trying to nick the thread but, we've only recently bought our Hartford, we got the xxl because we have four children & they're getting old enough to want their own space. How did you get on with your new XL, were you pleased with it?
We use the same site about 4 times a year & have done for many years but with a caravan, this is going to be a first for us with a tent but the family want to try it.
I've been in touch with the site & they've got no problems with the size of the tent. I don't know how they'd feel if we put an extnsion on it as well though.
We love the XL, we have 2 children 12 and 3 so they like their own bedrooms (well 3 yr old will when we put in kids room next year) We also have 2 dogs (see profile) one of which is large! We have enough space to eat inside if weather is British and can still move around. We thought about an XXL but decided against as extra space would just get used for dumping rubbish...so instead we have to keep place tidy (thats a joke with 3 males!!!)
I am looking for a canvas to extend camping season and also in case we have problems with sites we really want to go to not accepting our size tent (7x7)
Hope this is helpful
Gail
------------- 2026
Various weekends, weather and time permitting
April - Yorkshire and Yorkshire
June - Wiltshire and Oxfordshire
Autumn - North and Scotland
We have only used ours once (and prob not again now so will be in ads next year).
We didn't 'cook' for the whole week on that trip. We did do very simple snacks and boil the kettle but we had one of those all in one seats and table and used a small alu backpackers table on top of this to put the suitcase stove on and do any 'cooking' that we did. This was all outside of course - no windbreak, no utility tent (didn't have either then and still no utility tent now)
In the Sunvalley we cooked under the canopy section. Again didn't take the windbreak. I have no problems with cooking outside as OH does it all . He's OK with it too.
With the Khyam we used a windbreak (no porch area at all on this tent) and the backpacker table to put the stove on but again as it was the weekend we had lots of no cooking food and used the site restaurant.
Cheers for the replies. We will probably continue to cook in the entrance porch (not the extension as we don't have one) just worried about the fire issue. Had thought about a utility tent but with the size of the XL I feel we may take up too much space.
Well ...... it was our first tent and we used it in August this year. Great tent and nothing to fault it at all. We then bought a 2nd hand Khyam tourer 400 for weekends and loved that too. Then we got a Sunvalley 6 (because we couldn't resist it for £200 brand new) and really love that one too.
I had always wanted a canvas tent though and it took me this long to persuade the rest of the family how perfect they were. We are picking it up at begining of December and I can't wait to go off in it. It's more a now and looking to the future investment purchase as it will last us for a long long time.
Unfortunatley something has to go as OH can't justify all of the tents (we also have a caravan and 2 awnings, groundsheets, 4 windbreaks etc etc). Although we are in an old farmhouse and have outbuildings we still need space to live in the house and one tent has to go (so says OH but it's not next year yet and if I keep quiet he'll forget HE said it had to go ). No other reason than that really - nothing bad to say about it.
Hi, our Canopy came included with the tent (is the 2006 model). It does make the tent that bit bigger, but we have never had a problem with the size, althogh we have requested large pitches! As well as cooking under it, we sometimes eat under it to save the mess in the tent with 3 young children. We also keep shoes, food, bikes, beach stuff out there, so the inside of our tent is pretty empty!
I do think it is invaluable for us, but if it hadn't come with the tent we would have considered a utilty tent instead. Hope this helps, Mel
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: Harford owners where do you cook?
. He's OK with it too.
). No other reason than that really - nothing bad to say about it. 
