It sounds like you are a lot closer to making a decision that we are!
I liked both the Colorado too, but I took my OH to Camping and Leisure World this weekend to see the tents set up and he didn't like the Vango or Kyham tents particularly, he thought the Hartford XL looked better quality. But we don't like the idea of having to pitch an inner tent first, so that rules the Hartford out.
He really liked the Norfolk Lake. It is a nice looking tent, nice finishes to it and good size inside. But we can't afford it at the moment - he thinks we should save up and buy something which will last for years rather than rushing off and buying something cheaper.
But I would love to take the kids off camping this summer. Does anybody have any ideas for a nice quality but not expensive weekend tent for a mum and two boys?
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We also think it is probably sensible to save up and buy a good quality canvas tent but want to go camping this summer.
I remember reading somewhere that the first tent you buy is usually not the 'right' one but is a learning experience. If this is the case, I'd rather go for a 200 pound tent than a 500 pound one!
I think we have settled on the Colorado as we need 3 sleeping pods and some of the tempting but expensive cotton tents only have two pods. My only misgiving is the lack of SIG. We don't really want a sig as might be camping in hot weather so it could be nice to lift groundsheet. We will however almost certainly experience some French storm downpours so need something nice and dry. I have read the SIG/nonSIG thread about 10 times and still can't decide which I think is best for our needs.
As I say, I think I'm going to accept that this first tent may not be 'the one' but we will enjoy it and most certainly learn loads from using it about what our ideal tent would be. Real difficulty is that we are having to buy without seeing the tents up, I think if we could see them pitched we would have decided by now.
In answer to your question about an inexpensive tent, I read on another thread that Millets are selling a Vango (Wyoming I think) at around 150 pounds at the moment. There was a link on another thread somewhere, but I'm sure if you look up their website you would find it.
I play a lot of poker, poker is a game of "choices" nothing more, nothing less. One of the things you need to learn when you start playing as often as I do is that if you reach a point where you can't decide what the best move is, then it usually means that its not worth the trouble trying to work it out as neither move is a terrible one.
Camping is fun, you need an attitude of "lol, its all going wrong, lol". I swear blind most of us on here could grab a sheet make it into a leaky tent and still have fun. If your working to a budget I would personally say there is not a fat lot between these tents (for me)
The Wyoming groundsheet is living area only but is the cheapest (obviously the bedroom pods have a groundsheets built in)
The Khyam has the bedroom flexibility, SIG, but it is more expensive,
The Colorado has extra strengthening straps than the Wyoming and a better groundsheet but is the same price as the Kyham.
If you know someone in the C&CC then they can get 10% off at millets so that could knock the price of the Wyoming down to £135, but you would have to check on that as I have not asked.
Anyway, good luck but do not worry too much about making the right or wrong decision, if its a difficult choice then the chances are its not worth worrying over.
Oh, and remember, your probably going to change it within 5 years anyway.
You're spot on Mrs Sphagetti. My OH's choice is the Norfolk Lake which is £645, very pricey, and a lot of money for our first tent. I was all set to buy the Ontario 8, I like the idea of 4 bedrooms - it would mean my boys could be split up on separate ends of the tent and we would have a spare room to store stuff. But OH didn't want to look at it, he had already fallen for the Lake.
I prefer a tent with sig, too particularly with the weather being so erratic - torrential downpours are becoming quite common, and from reading this website, the sig tents seem to cope best with unpredictable weather.
Are you going to buy a new Colorado? Found anywhere with a good price?
Yeah I think we are going to buy the Colorado. As I need it to be shipped over to France, I'm looking for a dealer that is willing to do this at reasonable cost.
Well in the end, we didn't go for the Colorado, but DH came round to the Royal Avignon 6 so I have just bought that. We felt that the living space being more open was better for watching the kids play outside. Just hope it is not too much of a pig to pitch as it is very heavy!
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Topic: Colorado 800dlx or Ontario 8
