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Hi all, newish to camping and been looking for 6 man tent. It's so confusing! Didn't even know about SIG till the other day. i've read alot on this sight ( excellent by the way, love getting reviews on campsites) about it but still don't know what to buy! I am kinda in love with the look of Easy cos 6 frame tent but no SIG. Would appreciate all your input, so here's a few requirements/questions.... Has to be 2/4 berth,  large light living area, I need to be able to put up with "help" from 12 & 6yr old, am wondering about draughts/wet with non SIG as also have 2yr old.

Are frame tents hard/heavy to put up? We would like to camp for coupla weeks sometimes so has to be comfortable. Been looking at Suncamp vario6,Vango Aspen700,and a gelert something or other.   One more thing.....does any one know of a place where they display tents within driving distance of london. Sorry it so long, but this is a big spend out for me and have to get it right 1st time....don't intend to buy another for years!  Thank you for any suggestions, waiting with baited breath!

Hi, we had the Kos 6 and currently have the vango aspen 700dlx....both are superb tents, however being steel frames they are both heavy and bulky in pack size.  The kos 6 doesn't come with any groundsheet, we used to use a tarpualin from B&Q, we just used to pull the draught/mud skirt in and tuck it under the tarp to keep as draught free as possible.  It a very sturdy tent and we loved it but we sold it because if it got packed down wet it was a nightmare to dry out as being cotton/canvas had to go back on the frame to dry and our garden just isn't big enough.  So we then got the aspen and I just love it for it's size and warmth with the SIG, I think it has more space than the Kos 6, it certainly feels better to me anyway and also have the added benefit of the porch which is handy for kicking off muddy shoes and wet coats etc.  For pitching, I (female) could erect the Kos 6 on my own, it's a bit hard work but manageable, the aspen definately needs 2 to pitch it, try taking a look at the vango pitching video for tips.  For me, out of the 2, I definately prefer our aspen as being synthetic it's easier to dry and obviously has more features than the Kos, I feel that i have best of both worlds with the aspen - a frame tent with features of the modern synthetic tents....

For longer breaks these tents are Ideal, just noticed from your post you are also considering the sunncamp vario 600 - we also have this one!!! we bought it to use for quick weekend breaks as the aspen is really suited for longer breaks, the bedrooms are a bit tight on this one, you can't get a double airbed in the 2 berth room and can only get a double & single in the 4 berth...think this may be a bit tight for all of you, it's just passable for the 4 of us, our kids are 8+10...depends on how much other gear you are taking and how much space you want...I think the aspen with it's 3 bedrooms is a better idea or you can make it down into 2 bedrooms by removing a divider between the central/main room and the small room on the right.

Try and see all on display to get a feel for them, they are all great tents you can't go wrong with any but if I had to pick just one of them I'd go for the aspen. 

On a final word, if you do go for an aspen - go for the 2006 model as this one has the porch door that lifts as a canopy - the newer 2007 has a side opeing front door...personal choice but I prefer our 2006...you can also get really good deals on the 2006 models and there is very little difference in them.

me again! - sorry can't help with tent displays near london as not sure exactly where you are, we are about an hour from london and could recommend my local camping store for display but unfortuantely he doesn't have the aspen,kos or vario on display.  But he does have tents that would probably fit your requirements.  I know of PJ camping (think now called inter-tent) which I think is romford way if that helps! 

Ask when you look at the displays if you could erect them on your own!!

Hi

Frame tents can be very heavy.  On our last night of holidays my oh, son and father had to come to the rescue of a family of 4 struggling to put up a Sunncamp in very heavy rain.  The tent was too big for 2 adults to put up in those conditions and their children were too young to help. 

If you are considering camping in the Uk or Ireland a sig would be fairly essential as temperatures can drop if the weather is wet. A tunnel tent would be easier and if you use delta pegs it will be much more stable.

Good Luck

We have the sunncamp family vario 900 which can be put up (annexe and all) in about half an hour.  Its heavy enough in the bag but never seems as bad when you are putting it up.   Loads of space in the living area and just has a nice feel to it.  We can just about get a double air bed in the 2nd bedroom but it's a tight squeeze.

2007 model varios have improved doors but the 2006 vario 600 has 3+3 in the bedrooms, 2007 has 4+2.  There is a model called a vario 6 but that doesn't have the SIG. 

You would probably manage to put it up with a 12 year old helping but it might be easier with 2 adults.  Hope that helps.

If your budget can run to it,look at the cabanon Biscay range that have Sigs i would class them as a tunnel tent. There are number appearing on  ebay. These are a lot lighter that frame tents which can take up a lot of space in your car,I still pack my Espace in the boot and other kit in the top box and they dont come much bigger that the Espace.

As we dont have children travelling with us so it is not problem.I would visit shows to see what suits you. A lot of members like the Aspen but there is a few posts about them not being the easyist to errect until you have done it once or twice.