After deciding to go for a Gelert Horizon 8 with porch we've since started looking at alternative tents in the £300 - £400 range that would give us more windows but allow us all to sleep in the same compartment for now, but be able to split compartment later. Would need to fit 2 of us, toddler on air bed, baby in travel cot plus dog. Would also need reasonably large living space.
Have spoken to friend who has an Outwell Montana 6 and if we decide to spend more this could be an option, but could do with some advice on required bedroom size and other suitable tents. Like the look of the Gelert Corvus which would also allow canopy or porch to be added so somewhere to take boots off, dry dog, park pushchair etc. Vango Sungari 600 could be an option.
What is the minimum size compartment that anyone would recommend? Corvus, Sungari and a few others seem to be around 2.8m x 2.2m whereas the Horizon 8 or Montana 6 are more like 3.5m wide (although I appreciate quite different tents).
Mostly long weekend use, week away max most likely.
Will be looking at various tents Saturday at show but could do with a list of final ideas from more experienced campers to run through to compare with what is there.
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I think you should seriously consider the Khyam Ontario as it has greater width .The Sungari on paper looks an excellent choice, and I know it is good value at JR Leisure or Somerset Camping. The Gelert Corvus is also another good option. If the adults use a double air bed , that would be 140cm.I do not know width of a travel cot . The ones in Argos are typically 75cm wide , junior airbed 75cm again , total 290cm . The Kampa Lulworth can be one room of 395cm ,which would be good for you , and a dividing curtain for later.
Yes, have looked at the Ontario and that is still a choice if we stick with a vis a vis style tunnel (although porch looks slightly smaller than Horizon).
Am I right that the Montana 6 compartments can be made into one big one?
I'm trying to put a (final) short list together of tents where we could all sleep in one compartment for now but in a few years time divide them or add extras (Ontario & Horizon seem to suit based on this alone). Have seen Corvus for £310 but main pod may be bit too small (same size as Sungari).
Or, based on life expectancy of polyester am I worrying uneccesairly and likely to be replacing in a few years?
It takes us under half an hour ,with 2 adults and no kids in the way . And using 2 mallets , one each to peg down is a big timesaver . bedrooms can stay attached inside, no need to take them down and rehang them each time either .
Montana is also a good tent, I had one a few years ago, but I prefer the lightweight poles in the sunvallley personally, find them quicker and easier to manage , and the extra bedroom in the SV is brilliant for us as it keeps all the clutter out of the way and still leaves plenty of living area. the canopy is alo good for cooking under cover when its raining. or somewhere shady to sit when its sunny . you would find you probably would also want a canopy or extension too with the Montana.
The kids room , you unclip half of the big bedroom and roll it down , then clip the kids room up in place of it .
I'm not positive , but I don't think you can have it opening into the other side , I think it may be completely seperate, maybe an option for when the kids are older.
I haven't got the side extension myself , never found that we needed the extra room , the tent is big enough as it is for our needs. usually 5 , sometimes 8 of us camping in it. (I take the grandchildren with me )
It all depends on the site, some have skimpy pitches some are okay with any size tents. We camped at a site with very mean pitches a couple of weeks back , and I had the SV8 and my sis had a nevada xl with the SV8 canopy on the side and we were okay for room .
Some CC club sites wont allow tents over 5m wide so wouldn't allow the side canopy on the tent.
Yes, have looked at the Ontario and that is still a choice if we stick with a vis a vis style tunnel (although porch looks slightly smaller than Horizon).
Am I right that the Montana 6 compartments can be made into one big one?
I'm trying to put a (final) short list together of tents where we could all sleep in one compartment for now but in a few years time divide them or add extras (Ontario & Horizon seem to suit based on this alone). Have seen Corvus for £310 but main pod may be bit too small (same size as Sungari).
Or, based on life expectancy of polyester am I worrying uneccesairly and likely to be replacing in a few years?
We have an Ontario 8 and found it to be very spacious and versatile. Each main bedroom pod it really does have lots of room for 4 people. We've used the bedrooms in a variety of ways. I like using half of one of the 2 bedroom pods as a storage area and get rid of all the clothes in there!
Another vote for the Ontario 8 - we absolutely love ours and the fact that the accommodation can be used in a variety of ways to suit an expanding family.
------------- Helen xx
Mini Mad Mum
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Topic: Family tent suggestions please
