OP, if you have not already done so, get some Clamcleat Line-Loks instead of using the standard sliders provided with the tent, as they are much easier to use, especially when wet. A pack of 50 is great value for money, IMHO.
As for tent pegs, the ones supplied are as expected, and better pegs are strongly recommended.
I would use a mixture for Delta pegs for the main load bearing guys and 9in angled steel pegs for the rest.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
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Well it's up. Turned out to be a two person job. Used the peg out one end, insert poles then get them upright and walk them forward technique. Tried one pole at a time starting from the middle but felt like I was forcing it too much and might break something.
Wife was off with the kids, so I had a hand from a guy in a nearby pitch (thanks!). Only need two people to get the poles in position. Once that's done the rest is fine solo. I didn't take any pics during the erection, but will take some pics of the result tomorrow. Might have to wait until I get to a PC to format them though.
Still happy with the quality. I haven't come across any dodgy stitching at all. Only gripe is the way the doors and zig work. A bit more Velcro would keep the bugs out better.
I ended up using the supplied pegs. The ground here is great - just enough for wire pegs to feel secure but soft enough to drive in by hand / tread down.
Just arrived back and thought I'd share some more pics of the tent.
Firstly, here's it in the back of a Kia Cee'd. At the top is the bag containing the main tent and zig. The cheap tarp rolled up in front is two 3.4m x 5.2m tarps from Homebase. They were a good fit joined on the long end with ~1m of the 5.2m length folded in (total ~6.8m x 4.2m).
The extension / extension groundsheet / inner tent bag is just visible at the bottom of the boot. The poles were in the roof box.
We were suprised how much we fit in the car with the larger tent - we got two children and five days of stuff, including everything a nine week old baby needs, without too much trouble.
And here's a few pics of it set up.
We camped for four nights Monday - Friday. Very windy conditions with a lot of rain as well. The tent stood up very well. The sound of polycotton moving in the wind is a lot nicer than the old polyester tent rustling.
There were a few drops of water in after heavy rain - some drops below the windows. Not sure if I need to do anything about it now though, or just wait and see if it improves. There was an information sheet with the tent (in Dutch and German) that mentioned that it might leak a little at first.
We're still very pleased with the tent - we're off again next week!
Edit: Regarding clam cleats - just about to order some now. The supplied line locks were useless when the line got wet.
I nearly asked if you got the front mesh panel... but looking a little closer, I can now see you did! Doh!
I wouldn't do anything at all at this stage, re the few drops of water. In theory, you're supposed to pitch it, soak it, and dry it. Repeat if necessary. Sometimes you get drips, sometimes just a "mist" in the tent, and sometimes, like me, absolutely nothing! :-)
Apparently, according to these forums, the tent, be that the material or the stitching, can arrive "too dry", and the wet/dry process makes all the fibres of the material, and the thread used for stitching, swell up, and fill all the micro holes and gaps (that you can't see). Dry/air it properly, of course, after use, but it shouldn't return to letting water through. Mine certainly didn't, and I've had the same experience with 2 x polycotton's (Kampa, so "only" the "lesser grade" 35% cotton/65% poly) and 1 x cotton canvas.
Getting towards the end of our second outing in the tent now.
Pitching this time was in near gale force winds in driving rain. Didn't go too badly, though I had no chance to try a different solo pitch method due to the wind.
It has been rained on a lot now and has been mostly dry. No more drips around the windows, but Clare reported a 'mist' in the tent during a hard downpour as we were pitching. Nothing since though.
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Topic: Going Dutch!
