Well it may seem an obvious thing to do to most to check your new tent before you embark on your first trip with it.
We decided, as new tent arrived yesterday, that we didnt need to have a practice put up, because it is fairly straightforward and we have had several tents. But we thought we had best check that everything was there!!
What a bloody good job we did, because all the poles were missing!!! What a laugh (NOT) that would have been arriving at site with no poles, and its not like we have just left them at home either, we would have been stuffed!!
I phoned the shop, who first thought it was the manufacturer problem, as they thought poles and tent all packed as one, but after double checking, they realised this was not the case, they had just not been sent, so they are en-route and should be here tomorrow!
I was checking a tent over for an ebay sale and found it had no pegs! I couldn't understand where they could have got to as I'm really strict about checking a site over before we leave! At least I had a few days before the auction was up to buy some more!
Last year I had not one but two faulty tents. The first was supplied with totally the wrong inner (not even approaching the right shape) and the second went up but the inner didn't fit right. I have a 3rd tent, un-pitched awaiting a test pitch in the garden this weekend!
We don't have anywhere to actually test ours so we've booked a site only 20 mins away in the hope that everything is okay before we go to wales in the summer. This has made me think we need to just have a quick check in the bag for poles though!
------------- May/June - Spring Valley
Aug/Sept - Leekworth
Yes indeed..we pitched our new tent and it had a few holes!!! one being in the SIG groundsheet---awaiting arrival of new tent before holiday starts on Thursday!!!!
When we went in sept last year with our new tent it was the first pitch for us too, but we were close to home and to the shop where it was bought, and we had the van so we put the other tent in there just in case too! Our garden isn't big enough to pitch the new tent in, and it's not safe with the toddler to let him roam by the nearby green as there's a road there too. Didn't fancy walking half way round the village with it!!
------------- Single mum of 4 crazy children!!
2011 So far...
April - 2 nights in Easter Hols in Haven, Burnham (down the road).
Taking my sister and family for a trial camp locally 20th May
GLASTONBURY!! And *no* kids this year!! (Working: secure camping too!)
Chy Carne July/Aug 2011...
Poles have arrived today - Hooray! A complete tent!
But am definatley going to do a complete test pitch over weekend, just in case - even though it was the shops fault we didnt get the poles, and not the manufacturer, but I think it makes you a bit paranoid after a bad experience!
Our utility tent came today, and that has already been checked and pitched and is back in bag!
Bought a Coleman Coastline 4 (weekend tent) yesterday from outdoorworld in warrington, pitched it last night and there was a huuuge hole in the back of the flysheet, went back this morning and replaced so all good. Glad I checked it though, woulda been a pain if i was away and found the hole.
------------- i've said it before & i'll say it again: life move's pretty fast. you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. Ferris Bueller 1986 1 Life
OH picked up a friend's tent from the courier but, only a couple of hours later, he was on his way back to pick up the poles! They were in the parcel marked 3 of 3. You'd have thought that parcels 1 of 3 and 2 of 3 would have been enough of a clue for the courier to think to hand over all 3 parts at once!
Glad we noticed as theirs is a Vango marquee - it does have another name but I've forgotten it for now. It gets its first outing this coming weekend - none of us has the space for a test pitching so, if there's any problem, I guess our Vango Carrera 600 will get a bit busier!!!
------------- Best Wishes and Happy Travels,
Feecamp
I would add that it is worth doing all the seams with seam sealant. I don't care what the manufacturers say about taped seams etc because I have had top-end expedition tents that leaked on the seams
We bought a Sun Valley 6, put it up on a test run, and found a small fault. Kept the poles, sent tent back and the shop sent a SunValley 8 flysheet & inners by mistake...
The thought did cross my mind to just keep the SV8, and make up the extra pole, but I'm a law abiding chap and had it swapped again for the correct one (although, looking back, a SV8 would be nice...)
The rule is ALWAYS check & test pitch a new tent before you go (and also always test pitch and check tents at the beginning of the season...)
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Topic: Always check new tents before trip!
