After that sinking feeling that the Gelert Quebec 8 was just too small for us all, I now find myself looking at tunnel tents, which seem to have all the space we're after and high headheight too, there are LOADS of this design ( gelert michighan 8, outwells ones, eurohike and vango oregon TBS ( what is this TBS thing? ) to name but a few, but wanted a general view of the style of tent, have been on outwells website and 'viewed' one going up ( sun valley ) and looks easier with few poles compared to a 'dome' type with rooms off which seem to have loads of poles BUT seem more stable?
Pleasy weesy any input on this subject would be sooo helpful right now!
ab xx
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We chose the Outwell Indianna 8 tunnel tent for the height and space it offers, espcieally on rainy days.
I read your reply on the other thread about rumours on leaky Outwells. We stayed in france last year in ours when the weather every night just rained down so hard some tents were washed away. We never had a drop of rain leak through.
Will be honest with you, Our tent is just fabulous but the steal poles are heavy and come in a seperate bag from tent. They weight about 33kg. Also time consumming putting together.
But the tent once erect is got to be the best yet for room and a feel of space and freedom. So steardy. We always get plenty of interest when away in it.
Will get pics to you somehow when i work it out as requested but for now there are a couple of small ones in the gallery part under my username to the left of this post.
Just click on them to enlarge. Shame not every thing is that easy to enlarge
I have had a Gelert Lokon Vario 5 which was a fabulous tent withstood lots of foul weather and then upsized to a Khyam Ontario 8 when the children wanted a room to themselves! Again no complaints with this tent, withstood rain and wind whilst away this year - space is fabulous, easy to erect - I do with the help of my children. Would buy a tunnel design tent everytime.
I have the Vermont L and love all the space and the enclosed porch. The XL is 80cm wider and the 2008 model will have a 2-3-2 bedroom configuration compared to the 2-4-1 configuration this year.
The best thing about the Vermont besides the space is the size of the enclosed porch, we very comfortably sat 5 chairs and still had room to move around. Weather permitting, the entire front unzips and opens up like a canopy. We've actually been given the opportunity to choose any Outwell from the 2008 line, talk about the chance of a lifetime! But so far, none compare to the space and porch feature of our Vermont L. Many of the tunnel tents are just as nice, but don't have the same porch features and with weather like ours, need that porch.
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We have a Vango Vista, 8 berth. We love her, really easy to put up, loads of room in bedrooms and living area, and standing room throughout (this was our main point when we bought 41/2 years ago. It has the TBS (tension band system) which is a system of bands which are contected during windy weather to give extra strength. There are a lot more tunnel tents out there now and if we where to replace we would definately go for a tunnel design.
Tunnel for me too due to the use of space and the head height. Also, having had domes, much easier to put up and all of mine have been sturdy in the wind.
aww thanks guys, sounds like the search for tunnel tent is on then! Will check out the recommendations you have all given, thank you ( keep them coming )....Might have to sneak off to my local tenty shop again.....without OH of course!!
We had a Sunncamp Vario 6 (2004 model) and were very happy with the sleeping and living spaces it provided for 2 adults and 2 young kids. It was simple and relatively quick to put up and all the components had a real feeling of quality about them. Also, the rectangular shape of the living area meant that tables, fridges, larders, etc could all go flat against the walls so nothing 'stuck out' into the living area.
We've since got a TT - partly because of a nightmate weekend we had in May when the wind blew rain in underneath the skirts and soaked all our gear. Like I said, this was a 2004 model which didn't have the SIG which I believe the most recent ones do. It also felt like if was going to take off in the wind as they're not the most aerodynamic shapes in the world - not like some of the dome tents.
Anyway, good luck with your search and let us know how you get on.
------------- "Log off, that cookies s**t makes me nervous!"
We also have the Outwell Indiana (pic in profile) easy to put up loads of room and light. It is heavy though and takes a bit of time to put up. We had a dome in the past and for us found the space not as useable and a lot darker inside. There are loads of different makes and designs of tunnel tent so may be an idea to have a look at some. I have never seen any reports of leaks on the Indiana, but i think this is the last year for them, i have seen some being sold off.
Good Luck
------------- almost always Ruth
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thanks a mill guys your advice has been a great help. was still a bit torn between modern tunnel and frame tents, but couldnt find one nearby at all, was heading off to tenty shop op look at tunnel tents....then....one came up near me, a Cabanon 6 berth for £100, could'nt resist I'm afraid ! OOoohhh am excited now, and getting in on thursday! Will put it up asap and get some pics to put on profile, oooh lordy hope it is a good one!
We had a Gelert LV6, but after a fault with the end door we swopped out LV6 for an outwell Indiana 6.
LV6 :- Cost £215 build time 1h20min - Great tent with lots of living space and 6 large windows, No Sig so the wind blows in under the flysheet.
Indiana 6 :- Cost £260 build time 40min - Same size living space as the LV6, less windows, bath tub GS so no wind, Steel poles make the tent very strong, only roof poles are threaded which make setting up very easy)
If cost was no option I'd go for the the outwell Bear Lake. It basicly the same tent as the Indiana but made to a much higher quality ie polycotton fabric and a zipped in groundsheet.
Great tent lots of space, bit fiddley putting the poles, No SIG and wind tends to blow in under the flysheet.
After a fault with the end door we swopped out LV6 for an outwell Indiana 6.
The Indiana 6 is more expensive than the LV6 but ticks all the boxes the LV6 misses. It has steel poles which vastly improve the stabliety of the tent. The poles only thread through at the top of the tent which make putting the tent up a lot easer to put up, It has a bath tub Ground sheet so you don't get any wind blowing in under the flysheet.
I can also highly recommend the Sunncamp. It is very easy to put up and I get it done quicker than I do my little Royal dome tent. Additional hint. I bought some cheap plastic sheeting from a DIY shop before my last trip away in a muddy field and pouring rain. I put it down before we pitched the tent and used it as a grounsheet for the whole inside area including under the sleeping section. We managed to pack an albeit wet tent minus any mud and threw away the plastic. If it hadn't been so wet and muddy that weekend, I'd have packed it as well and tken it home to clean and reuse.
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Topic: TUNNEL Tents in general;please help!
