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Hi all,

         After a few years of having our Outwell Montana 6 we decided to upgrade to a Bear Lake 6 after spending this weekend freezing to death at Kingsbury Water Park!! We put in a cheeky bid on Bear Lake on Ebay thinking it probably wouldn't be accepted but it has & now i'm starting to think of the practical issues with owning one-i know a bit late now!!! Here are the issues:-

1) size & weight of tent-we do have a trailer though

2) Pitching it-we can pitch out Montana 6 in 20mins-don't think BL will go up that quick :-s

3)Putting tent down when wet & getting it dry when home

4) Weathering the tent-never had a ploycotton/canvas tent before & quite confused with it all

Think that's it-sorry for the vent-think i just need some fellow campers opinions & advice to either make me feel better or make me realise we've made a very expensive mistake :-(

Cheers in advance for any replies

You'll love it!  Don't have any regrets

Having the monty awning on the front of the bear lake, you can see the massive diffference between the quality of the 2 tents

20 mins to pitch the tent, it's the tables and beds and kitchens that take your time up, whatever tent your using

we just recently got the BL6 and have since used it for 3 nights (a 1 nighter and a 2 nighter).  Fab tent that managed to cope with 7 adults and 5 kids sitting in the lounge area, it kept us dry and warm over the weekend.  The bags are heavy but managable.  We had to buy a trailer (an Erde 153) which makes it easier as dogs are in boot.  I'd love a smaller tho for when it's just me and hubby but know that I won't be happy with another tent so will use the BL6 everytime, so I'm sure you'll love it when you get it

Woohooo welcome to the BL club! 

You picked well my friend

I would suggest having the tent in one bag, ZIG in another and poles in another to assist weight wise also helps to distribute the weight in a trailer

Everything is just a little bit better quality from the poles to the material to the groundsheet to the cloth bedrooms (no more condensation)

You've got to give it at least a try before you say no, go onnnnnnn  please

Have a look at the Bear Lake tent pictures here which might help persuade you you've done the right thing

http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/tents/p/Outwell-Bear-Lake-6/321

Quote: Originally posted by Hartley Hare on 11/5/2010

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Nice choice right, next to the biscaya range as the range rovers of tents.

Hope you win

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Don't worry about weathering the tent, you don't need to. I was asking the same question when I bought our Wolf Lake 5. Basically I was told that the first time it rains, the tent MAY have the odd drop of water seep through the fabric, but nothing to worry about. Well, not a single drop came through, and never has.

I know what you mean about weight too, I packed ours away last time with the ZIG still attached and it weighed a ton! I struggled, and I'm a strapping lad...ahhhhem!!!! Ha.

I think it is worth the sacrifice as once it is up, I feel much comfier than in a polyester tent. One thing that I am dreading though, is packing away when its p***ing it down. That I have yet to experience!

Enjoy

Andy

ps........ Had a Cabanon Stratos trailer tent next to us on last trip. That is one fine looking bit of kit. It has been added to my shopping list when we decide to upgrade from the Wolf (that means a while). Pick them up for £2000 second hand. Bargain!

Andy

Hi all,

      Fetched our Bear Lake 6 on saturday & pitched it.......it's fab...we love it!

It was blazing sun outside but in the tent it was lovely & cool....also very easy to pitch-took us around 30 mins-put tent up 1st,then attached grounsheet....absolutely lurrrrrve it!!

Got a week booked in East Sussex and now can't wait