i got my new tent last week and am reasonably happy with it but not completely over the moon. but its going to have to do for a while for what it cost.
the problem is this. when i bought the new tent i had no doubts in my mind at all about selling my 1year old bear lake 6 with front and side extension and footprint. no doubts whatsoever. the new tent would be easy for me to put up on my own was justification enough for it.
because the bear lake is big, heavy to put up and has more space than i really need although it feels luxurious to have all that space its too difficult for 1 person to put up.
but the bear lake has a groundsheet that zips in and out, so is easy to clean, can be packed separately from the tent so tent is easier to carry. its also 10,000mm h/h and tough enough you feel you cud drive a tractor over it and it wudnt tear.
its got multiple opening windows.
its a lovely width and height.
i love the shape and the front extension makes a wonderful canopy big enough to cook and sit and eat under.
i am finding more and more reasons thats making it very hard for me to sell this tent! omg what is wrong with me here!
this was supposed to be buy 1 new easy to put up tent and sell 2 tents that in 1 way or another were too much of a compromise.
my 2012 bear lake 6
i need to pull myself together and get this tent listed on here or on ebay!
but im finding it very very hard to do - i guess i actually like ( even Love? ) my bear lake6 more than i thought!!!
anyone else have this dilemma?
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The difference in the money you will get for the bear this season compared to next is probably negligible so why don't you keep the bear for this year, see how you get on with the new one and make the decision this time next year.
You've listed loads of reasons why you like the Bear Lake and only one reason in favour of the new tent. I think you'll regret selling it. Do you have to make the decision immediately or can you give the new tent a try this season and then think again?
I think Frog has a very valid point, new premium tents normally go up in value year on year (they certainly have over the past 5 years). So the second hand value of tents, in good condition can increase as well.
If you can afford to then maybe hang onto the Bear Lake until you are happy to sell it. At least try a couple of camps in the new tent before selling it on...
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i hadnt thought of that at all to be honest - i could hold onto the bear lake - its just the sheer bulk/weight in putting it up and taking it down that i find off putting - everything else about it i absolutely love - its the new tent thats made me realise just how good a bear lake 6 actually is.
its funny how sometimes it takes an event of some sort to make you appreciate something else more than you did before.
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P.S. In response to the original post: yes, I find it really hard to part with tents I like. In fact, when I've sold some of my favourites, I've missed them so much I've gone out and bought the same model again!
I think every tent has some good points and some not so good. You think you'll change tents, either to make life easier (pitching / bulk, for example) or to get something another tent doesn't have, then you just realise you've got to compromise on something else to get it.
No such thing on the perfect tent, that's why tent manufacturers stay in business!
You clearly got the Concorde L because you thought it'd be easier to pitch. It sounds like it's quicker, but maybe not as easy as you'd hoped, and the other things (weight/bulk/window design/groundsheet spec)are niggling you a bit. You've compromised on features (an maybe quality?) to gain the pitching advantage, and it's proving not to be such an advantage after all?
I reckon you should get yourself a good pump (if it's okay to use them?) and try the Concorde out for real, to see how it performs, then see how you feel.
The BL is a great lump to keep if you're not going to use it, as well as being money you could realise and put towards the Concorde, but it's your call and if you think you're going to actually prefer the BL then maybe you could use the Concorde a bit and then sell it when the season properly gets underway (if you really don't take to it).
You just don't know how you'll feel about a tent until you pitch it yourself and live in it for a bit, then take it down and pack it away again. I've done that a few times with a brand new tent, and thought "That can be sold" as soon as it's been packed away! A bit nuts, but not a punishable offence. It happens.
I was in the same dilemna 2 years ago. I had bought a Wolf Lake 5 in 2010, loved it to bits, but had a heck of a time pitching it (solo) for just me and my little boy ... but I loved living in it. Way too heavy for me to lug around, etc. So I decided to get a Hypercamp pyrimid as a weekender and just keep the WL5 for long trips. Even then, I thought it was just too much to handle on my own. So in 2012 i bought a 5m bell and - like you - I fully intended to offload the Outwell because the Bell was to be its replacement as my Big Tent. Well, I just can't part with it .... and I still use it periodically, I go back and forth between the WL5 and bell for long camping trips. The bell didn't live up to my expectations (re practical usage ... no real possibility for kitchen set-up inside, no windows, etc) and that is why I realise how fantastic the WL5 is ... At this stage I would sell the bell before i would sell Wolfie.
So for the moment I will keep the WL5 as its the best tent I have. I would go along wtih the others on this thread .... don't sell it until you are really ready to because you may regret it.
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Topic: has anyone else suffered this problem?
