Having now bought our Oakland, I'd appresciate some advice and opinions about whether we should go for the front extension or the awning to extend it a bit.
Could you good people/experts give me some pros and cons?
Also - our tent is a 2012. We've seen a 2010 awning for £150 as opposed to £250 for the 2012 version. Is there a big difference?
Many thanks.
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Really depends if you want to have an open or closed front. Open gives you somewhere to sit etc semi outside. Closed is like adding another room to the tent. Personally I prefer the extensions as like to be more outside
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Extensions are good but are not totally weather proof and also can be prone to the wind catching under them. Awning, fully enclosed and less likely to to get the wind catching under them.
I would love an awning for our Oakland but at £250 it cost more than the tent did as we got it as an end of season bargain.
Thanks both. Those are exactly what husband and I came up with stood inside the tent at Winfields this afternoon! I prefer the sitting almost outside (extension) and he prefers the awning.
I do think the awning is just another room, as you say, and there are only 2 of us so I can't see the need for all that spce if it's not sitting outside space, if you see what I mean.
RTS shame you're not nearer cos the £150, if it fits the 2012, is a great price. I've just looked on their website and it's not on there to buy and have delivered.
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If there are only two of you in the tent you will have loads of room with just the tent. There are 3 in ours and it is still pretty roomy. However we have a tarp which we put across half of the front (it is only a little Decathlon one) and it works really well for a 'camp kitchen' area, giving shelter from wind and rain. We are about to get a bigger Vango one as it will give full width cover, so cook area and outside sitting area. At only about £70 it is a much better option for us
I'm not familiar with this tent, other than the pics I've just looked at, but, imo...
If you are happy with the size of the actual tent, and are after somewhere to set up an outdoor kitchen, then go for the open fronted option. It looks more than deep enough to keep your kitchen protected from the elements, plus gives you room to "sit out", whilst remaining sheltered.
The closed front will lead you to treat it as inside, and you'll start moaning about the rain following you in through the sloping doorway, and of course, your kitchen would be "inside", so you'll be opening the door when cooking anyway!
Admittedly, I've made a few assumptions with that view, mainly that others use tents etc in the same way as us.... hope you don't mind!!
xxx
Mucker
PS:
If needed, consider the previously mentioned tarp option, which is what we do in our Filey, to protect the cooker, although I suspect our open canopy is shallower than the one you'd be looking at.
PPS:
We have an enclosed canopy to the front of our Icarus, and it gets annoying treating it as a tent, when we should be opening it up and treating it as an open shelter!!
A (long overdue - sorry) update. We now have an outwell tarp which is fantastic, and have used it at the front of the tent. Great for putting a table or two and chairs under.
We also got a second hand side extension, which is massive) so use this for our kitchen and food prep (actual cooking usually done on a smokey joe).
Can highly recommend both.
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We have an oakland XL and purchased an oakland salinas L front awning which opens up completely at the front if you want the feeling of being outside but zips up when the weather is bad. It was much cheaper than the oakland awning as I believe these are now discontinued but it is almost identical to the oakland awning and fits really well. I did a quick search and found this
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Topic: Outwell Oakland XL - extension or awning?
