Message Forums

As we all do at this time of year we start looking at new tents (come on own up!) and i've been looking for a polycotton tunnel to go with our canvas tipi from soulpad (the soulpad's a nightmare to dry!) and have obviously seen the outwell polycottons but have also noticed the Robens outback range.

Getting to the point... it appears that Outwell and Robens are one and the same company (same website design, same german address, outwell reference on dealer page of Robens site ect) does anyone know if a) they are the same company, b) what the difference is? and c) is the outback range any good?

Many thanks!!

Hi pigwig,

I am thinking of buying (read as will be buying) a soulpad 5000 tribe tipi.

How have you found it in general please, and why is it hard to dry out.

I was looking at the Outwell Tipi, but just don't have the pennies at the moment. I also fancy the more traditional style of the soulpad. I do already have a canvas tent, that I find dries quicker than a synthetic version. Although it is perhaps wetter, it doesnt suffer from droplets that take ages to dry. I was thinking about the Bell tent, but in their photo's of them pitched, they look a bit scruffy around the side and base. If they can't pitch them to look good, what chance would we have?

Regards Bob

Thanks guys for the info on Robens!!

Bob,

the 5000 tribe is a great tent and very big; there lies in the problem of drying, we had it out last season during some terrible rain (remember whitsun floods?) it lasted great but started letting in on the seams after 48 hours of continuous rain (which isn't bad!) and when we got it home we realised that to dry it we would either have to have it drapped around our small cottage or have it outside getting wetter and muddier (they don't stay white for long anyway!) the garden won, we eventually pitched it and due to regular showers it stayed pitched in the garden for 2 weeks; not ideal.

We had it out later in the season in rain and had no problems with leaking (the cotton got properly expanded probably) but still it took a while to dry, this year however I will give it a treatment with grangers to make sure.

So in summary it's a great tent, lots of admiring glances from other campers and a good talking point, loads of space, just miles and miles of canvas to dry out when wet (my OH will only use it fair weather now) the only other thing is it's huge when packed!

I bought the stove with it on a deal but never bothered with it, I'm open to offers for it if your interested!

Any other questions let me know!

Good point... the problem with the early soulpad stove flue pipe (which we have) you had to cut a great hole in the canvas and attach the heat proof thingy. so in effect you then had to take the stove eveytime you went away to make the tent waterproof; which we didin't fancy as the stove is only really needed early and late season as it throws out a lot of heat. (impulse buying again)

However two months after buying mine soulpad launched a new flue kit that utilises the roof vent (no need for cutting but another £200!) just my luck and an expense too far as far as my mrs was concerned. (she's now forgotten this and wants to buy another tent so I'm keeping quiet!)

But I completley agree the stove would dry the tent in no time!

Hi pigwig,

Thanks for the info. Can't wait untill I have enough pennies to get one. I like the idea of the stove, but space is a problem. Also, I don't think I could bring myself to cut a hole in the side. (But you never know). I hope to get more work once the holiday season starts, so hopefully it wont be too long.

Regards Bob

Crikey, I just had a look at the pack size.    That's about the same as my two largest tents stacked together. Where can I hide that then.