Quote: Originally posted by Hartley Hare on 08/7/2009
You start putting up your pride and joy with complete oblivion to all the long arguments about how much it cost and all that and wham, broken pole on it's first outing, I can just see your face, I would be so fed up , you have no idea
Fed up doesn't even begin to describe it, if someone had come along at that moment I would have happily given the whole lot to them in exchange for a bottle of anything alcoholic!
I like the video, thanks for the link, but the guy did cheat - he already had the poles fixed into each other and laid out, it took us a good half hour to detangle them all from each other once we got them out of the bag!
Hopefully next time we will be far better prepared thanks to all of you.
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heh, nice tip simon... unfortunately when it's windy or rainy you can't be quite that relaxed about it! :)
also, in my experience putting the BL4 up yesterday it is step 3 that is the killer - pulling that back pole upright with all the weight of the tent on it is quite an effort. after that though it's plain sailing!
Found it a little fiddly and took a good hour first time - doesnt help when is scorching hot - but I guess thats better than raining
I think the way Outwell show it on the video seems the best, when your installing the horital poles it helps to turn the spring loaded pins towards the tent as they snag in the webbing otherwise.
But on balance - its like any tent will get easier each time - we had no leaks at all in the first ever downpoar - The front zip is tight but I guess this is something you have to be aware of when tensioning out. I just wonder if a little silicon lube might help here. As for the quality issues - we have a toggle missing off the organiser hanger and a small snag on the rear panel - Dealer was useless Im afraid to report - says he has no stock to replace with - as for Oase - I have still to get a reply -
Still a fab product, and Im sure that given its volume of sales then complaints will be more frequent than the likes of Cabannon - but then again that doesnt excuse the problem.
Simon
Post last edited on 10/07/2009 14:56:41
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Hi, nice post, made me laugh right until the cabanon comment
Joking apart though I have to agree, who ever makes a product that sells at a premium price and claim's to be the best should at least try and get some quality contol into the mix......make's me mad.... best of all, I want a bear but just don't trust them.
I didnt say anything against Cabanon - I would buy one tommorow if I had the space and money - I just feel that the 90 percent of totally satisfied Bear Lake Owners are being overlooked here for the few that do have problems.
there's no one on the plannet more "picky" than me - but hey I got a great tent for a decent price - so Im happy (ish). Im not saying its perfect - but its a very very good !
we tried the yeomans outdoor way of pitching this time (did the outwell way first two times), as the video posted by blue c, and it is definately quicker. thank you very much, it is a lot easier as well as you don't have to lift the whole tent at once! thoroughly recommended!
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