Hi all - Just signed up to this site and I'm planning to buy a new tent and was wondering if any of you knowledgable lot could give me some advice.
I have camped a bit before but usually just in a cheapo two man dome tent (which was still fun!), but now my OH and I would like to buy a more substantial and comfortable tent for festivals and weekends away etc. It will really just be for the two of us but we would like to be able to stand up in it and have a bit of covered living space. The idea of an zipped/sewn in ground sheet appeals, and I have been reading with interest about the polycotton tents that are available now as the one thing I don't much like about camping is waking up hot and sweaty at 6am with the sun shining through the tent!
One tent which looks like it fits the bill is the outwell trout lake, but it seems very expensive (~£400) for a fairly small tent, and also sounds like it would be pretty heavy (~35kgs).
Does anyone know of anything else that they think might be suitable, or can suggest other things I should be looking at? Also, is now a good time to buy or should I wait until the next camping season gets started in the spring?
Thanks in advance!
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I personally would not use a trout lake for festivals - at 35kgs dry it certainly is not a lightweight tent either - imagine how heavy it would be when wet - unfortunately we dont always get a bone dry tent to pack away.
Have a look at Sunncamp Evolution 400 currently on sale at World of Tents for £89 and there are a few threads about this tent. This provides a SIG and standing room and easy to erect as it only has 3 poles.
There is also Kyham Santiago - again good tent bit of standing room and bedrooms that can be removed but no SIG
As to when you buy your tent will be down to you really - there are some good sales on at the moment but stock is limited as it makes way for next seasons stock which will be hitting the shops at the beginning of the year.
If your not in a rush to go out and buy one straight away - take time and have a good look around - you will get lots of friendly advice off here too.
There is nothing worse than going out and buying something that you will not enjoy getting the use out of.
Best of Luck
------------- Degsy Rowlands is my love, my life and a lunatic!!!!!!!! Louise x
if you're set on buying a polycotton tent then Vango are doing a great new range for 2008 but these are still very expensive to be taking to a festival. A good tent design is the Vango Orchy Tent, available in a 4, 5 and 6 berth and some nice new colours too. Have checked the World of Tents and they are listing these on their site...
www.worldoftents.co.uk I just did a search on their site for Vango Orchy. Something thts wuick to pitch are the Khyam tents and it looks like these are to have carpets available...ooh luxury! Something like the Khyam Freelander DLX tent - plenty of space and a quick erect tent for a good price. World of tents and Outdoor world.co.uk have these
Thanks for your replies. I'm not dead set on polycotton, I just rather like the sound of it, but it seems that it will make the tent rather more expensive and heavy than I'd like so I'm definitely interested to hear of other suggestions any of you might have.
The evolution 400 looks just the right sort of size and I really like the design, and its price and weight seem much more reasonable than the outwell! Can anyone who has one of these tell me if the doors have a seperate mesh layer so that we can keep the bugs out but still let some air through the tent?
The vango orchy also looks interesting, but it looks like it might be a bit more fiddly to pitch. Does anyone know if its doors have the anti-mozzy mesh?
Thanks again for the tips.
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the Orchy has both front and side mesh doors to allow for ventilation without letting in the bugs! The Evolution only has the mesh on the bedroom inner door, the main outer doors are solid material.
The first thing that sprang to mind was the outwell arizona which you can get in a couple of sizes xl being the largest a dome tent - half bedroom, half living area, Coleman Bi space dome living space with bedroom pod off one side, Outdoor Revolution starcamper 3 and Coleman Lakeside 4 tunnel tent look a bit like the trout lake, I also found the Aztec Seville which I liked for the living space.
I don't know if any of them have SIGs though.
To answer the question is now a good time to buy or should I wait until the next camping season gets started in the spring?
Now is a good time to get a deal but it does mean that more than likely you won't be able to see the tent in the flesh, most people on here will recommend going to see the tent up before you buy, I cannot comment as I have bought two tents without seeing either of them before hand. Waiting for a new season will mean new tents and improved models but you wont get any discouts on new season tents.
Once you have got a better idea of what you want you could always ask folks on here to see what others think of the models you've chosen.
My bestest chums have the Evolution 400 as a weekend tent and it does not have mesh outer doors. Also the living area "ceiling" is quite sloping so there is not much usable under cover space. I agree that then new Vango Orchy ( weird name huh?) looks interesting and would offer full SIG, mesh outer doors and a good useable domed living area. It could be slightly more faff to get up but I think it is a superior tent to the Evolution 400.
The models mentioned by smillie are good prices but don't have SIG. If you are festival goers, then I reckon a full SIG is a good idea. (I speak as someone who was combatting rivers of mud through my non SIG tent at a festival last year!!)
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Double skinned throughout, sewn-in-groundsheet, enough height for a 6'2" man, one bedroom for storage, good living area, easy to put up, reasonably priced and weatherproof. Brilliant tent. We had one before we went tin tenting and would thoroughly recommend them.
PS The tent can be put up in the rain and you won't get wet.
PPS Meshed doors and little apetures strategically placed for your EHU. Also has enough windows for when it is isping down.
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Topic: Advice on new tent purchase
