Quote: Originally posted by mcguire6078 on 21/6/2012
It will depend on how the retailers find handling the faulty tents returns and recieving a credit. Some manufactures are no doubt great and easy to deal with others may not be.
From the few dealers I have spoken to I have been told that some manufacturers dictate almost the entire process of refund and return by the conditions of supply that they have with the dealer. Some are told how many tents they must bundle in a return , what is considered as a fault , the process they must follow all the way. Many times it seems talking to a retailer is like asking a kid if he can come out to play ! Hand that rocks the cradle huh !
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I think this thread highlights how we all perceive 'best tent' differently.
On first reading the thread I thought it referred to 'best quality', then as the thread unfolded I realised it could also mean 'best customer service' and 'best value for money' and 'best layout'. Maybe it even means 'best everything considered'?
At the end of the day, perhaps it's about what's best for you, which must be a bit baffling for people who are new to camping, don't you think?
Personally, my best tent is one I can rely on which feels and looks nice, isn't too difficult to pitch and is a good space to live in for either a short stay or longer break. The fact that I prefer canvas tents narrows the field a bit.
I'll stick with that criteria then: canvas tents are best!
My own personal opinion is that Outwell are very good at advertising and presenting the 'perfect picture of camping' with all their accessories. However I believe they are no better than a lot of the other manufacturers and are extremely overpriced.
A lot of people have bought their tents which is why they come so highly recommended on this forum. Since I first joined I have felt that newcomers are alway bombarded by Outwell being the best and only option.
The phrase ' Other brands are available' comes to mind
No one makes the best tents its all subjective to ones needs and what suits one person will not suit another.Out of the most popular brands who designs the best tents probably Outwell who makes the best value for money tents probably Kampa. Cant comment on Vango as havent owned one since the Icarus ot Higear. All manufactures have had problems with certain batches in the past and probably will in the future
------------- Experience enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.
Everything has been said before, but since nobody ever listens we have to keep going back and saying it all over again and again and again
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Wow, didn't I open a can of opinions, thank you everyone, I have read all feeds and I believe I do need to go and broaden my horizons with differerent manufacturers ans leave some money in my savings instead of Outwells account sytem.
Youll probably end up swelling Outwells bank account in the end and this thread will probably continue for a while as well
------------- Experience enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.
Everything has been said before, but since nobody ever listens we have to keep going back and saying it all over again and again and again
We bought a Sunncamp Invader 600 second hand for about £50 a few years ago its a big tunnel tent with loads of space and it does what we have needed it to do, but I would love to upgrade. I have my beady eye on the lovely Outwell Kauai Reef 6 man but damn is that thing expensive. I cannot justify such a large outlay for something we mightonly use for 6-8outings a year but I do love the design and all the innovative stuff like the tinted windows etc. well maybe next year *sigh*
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Quote: Originally posted by alpiner on 21/6/2012During the recent gales in Cornwall i noticed that the tents that stood up well to the very high winds were the ones with alloy/metal poles, most other tents with fibre poles wobbled like jelly
Gosh this is so subjective. The question should really be what is the best tent for you given your needs.
A year ago when I was buying, I really wanted a metal frame polycotton tent, for its quality and robustness. I didn't get one mainly because I would have to get a trailer, and I really don't want to tow. So I got what I thought was the best tent that ticks the greatest number of my boxes.
Everyones needs will be slightly different, it makes for an interesting campsite!
As the owner of amongst other makes, vango, Lichfield, Kampa, i also own 3 current Outwell Lake tents.
I'd say they are very good tents, quality is good.
But what is the best tent for you, may very well be a different best tent to me and the person next door as we all place different values on different aspects of a tent.
I adore cotton or Polycotton - the smell, the sound, the weight of it gives a tent a re assuringly strong solid feel.
The Outwells that I own I like them all for different reasons.
The trout lake is a cute weekend tent, easy to put up, but a bit too cutesy/small for longer than 3-4 days.
The Bear Lake I love for its spaciousness, So many quality features, all the side windows can open, with or without fly screens, tremendously heavy sturdy rubber 10,000mm h/h ground sheet - feels like you could drive a bull dozen over it and it wouldn't puncture.
It's so strong with the design of its frame having lateral supports on both sides - it would take a tremendous storm to bring this tent down if pitched correctly.
The Concorde L - tent goes fom bag to up in about 7 minutes Plus pegging + guying time. Not as large as the Bear Lake 6 but comfortable nevertheless. Not keen on non-opening tinted windows - unless your camping in suth of France or Italy - makes the inside of the tent very dark!
None of the above tents is perfect. The trout too small for short breaks, the bear too heavy & big to put up single handed
, the Concorde too narrow and lack of opening windows and thin flimsy permananetly attached groundsheet irritates me.
Yet some folks who own 1 of those tents will tell you its the best tent to buy - ask them why, then ask yourself - but does it suit My needs?
From a quality perspective, Outwell are good. If they were a car, they would for me be a ford or a vauxhall. Good cars.
But they are not the Maseratis or the Bentleys of the camping world.
That belongs to Karsten and DeWaard.
Or as someone once said, - DeWaard owners can disregard the weather and carry on camping.
As an example though, you ll need to seriously up your budget if you want to consider one of those premium brands.
Like double it from an Outwell budget.
A family De Waard like the Paradijsvogel complete with inner bedrooms, ground sheet and front porch will cost you in the region of £3200.00
Makes an Outwell look like a bargain.
That is, until you notice the difference in the quality.
Park a ford beside a Bentley and I'm not talking size, but the tiny details.
The thickness of the cotton. The faultless stitching. The finished off threads. The way the poles are so perfectly engineered and just click together and for perfectly.
They are a different standard altogether.
There's a thread under Tent Talk - 2nd page - First Pitch De Waard Lepelaar - have a look at the pictures - of course the pictures can't let you see the quality of the tent. And the shapes and styles are not to everyone's taste. But the quality is unquestionably up there at the pinnacle of tent making.
Suddenly the cheaper Outwell looks like just like that - cheap!
Except of course it isn't cheap at all.
Somehow though I still love my impossibly hard to put up on my own 2012 used once Bear Lake 6 and I'm finding every reason to not put it up for sale!
Sorry, this hasn't answered your question of Who Makes the Best tent, well I'd definitely say, it isn't Outwell, but maybe iv opened a new avenue for you to explore.
And if your hankering after a once used 2012 year Bear Lake 6 with every extra - make it easy for me and just buy the bloomin thing from me and then I can be put out of my misery and get on with using my Concorde L!
Happy camping !
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Living the Dutch Dream - Karsten 300 pod + extns in Sea Green and Pure Cotton
Great post traciemills I have been searching for my 3rd tent & my head hurts after weeks of looking up tents and failed bid attempts. I loved my last tent a Vango icarus 500 so been trying to find another or 600.
Although I have only managed to save £130 as income has reduced. Been looking at hi gear customer return models and like the look of the voyager model, but after reading through this as needed some inspiration on makes etc.. to broaden my search found your topic interesting and at the same time I'm confused again lol back to searching and all the best with yours
Hi lizgooner
We owned a voyager 6 for about 3 years and loved it
The only reason we sold it was that it started to fade on the roof section but it had been heavily used
If you can pick one up at a fair price then go for it think we sold ours 2 years ago for £150 on eBay
Post last edited on 14/04/2014 19:57:02
------------- April Peak District Beech Croft Farm
May Peak District Duke of York
May Holland Delfse Hout
June Cotton Arms Nantwich
july/aug Cornwall Pentewan Sands
And quite a few local weekenders
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Topic: WHO MAKES THE BEST TENTS?
and this thread will probably continue for a while as well
I have been searching for my 3rd tent & my head hurts after weeks of looking up tents and failed bid attempts. I loved my last tent a Vango icarus 500 so been trying to find another or 600. 
