Hi to all, we are new to camping and to the forum and wonder if it might be possible to seek some guidance about purchasing our first tent. Now we are no longer working, we are keen to explore the UK and feel that camping is the ideal way to embrace the full experience! As our budget is fairly tight, we are planning to buy used and it seems that this is a good time of year to think about doing just that.
We like the Outwell Montana 4 mainly due to its practical design with the removable bedroom unit, side porch,steel poles and a reasonable HH but the 4 seems rather scarce, has it been discontinued?
Also, is there an age by which a used tent would deem to be too old to be a sensible purchase? What should we look for and ask? Finally, are there any other comprable tents, Outwell or otherwise? Don't forget we may have to take the re-sale value into consideration!!
We appreciate your help, many thanks
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Welcome to the addictive world of camping and to the forum firstly. I have just returned to the forum after a few years away but our camping experience goes back many many years.
OK, the Montana 4 is a nice tent but, yes there is always a but isn't there, if you are going to be using the tent on a regular basis then pushing the boat out slightly or keeping your eyes on the small adds for an Outwell Poly Cotton would be a good move. The Trout Lake 4 can be picked up at a good price now, in fact there is one on ebay with a front canopy for around £160 at the minute. Or there is the Yukon River 4 which is about the same size as the Monty except for the side pod.
The Lake range are made from better quality materials but the River range are a very good second place. Poly Cotton will be longer lasting and they also give a number of benefits over polyester tents such as they don't suffer from condensation, they don't flap in the wind so they are much quieter to sleep in and above all the PC fly sheet makes for a warmer tent when it gets colder in the evenings yet it also makes for a cooler tent in warmer weather over a polyester tent.
Polyester tents are effected by sunlight and the flysheet will start to break down from day one so a tent that is only a few years old but has been used quiet often will be one to avoid compared to a tent a few years older but has only been used for one or two weekend trips. With all tents check for mold but more so with polyester tents as these suffer from condensation as I said earlier and even on a dry morning when they appear dry and are packed away they can still be damp on the inside due to this reason. Older polyester tents do tend to dry out to if they are not unpacked for years so check the taped seams on the inside of the tent because once this starts to break down its time to bin the tent. Yellowing of the seams is not a good sign and the material should feel supple and not overly dry.
Now something the grates with us and it is one annoying failure with a number of tents in our opinion is that of rain and the entrance door. Try and look for a tent with a canopy, or the option of adding one, over the main door because when it rains the design of most tents ensures that that your tent quickly becomes rather wet inside when the door is unzipped. Sloping entrances are the worst as the wet door falls inside the tent, whereas one with a small canopy will at least divert the rain away from that panel. A small point but annoying unless its just me !! The Outwell Bear Lake 4 in its early form can now be picked up at reasonable prices and this is perfect with its large front canopy over the main door which allows you to leave the door open to improve ventilation when it rains or the Trout Lake I mentioned earlier with its additional front canopy.
eBay item number for the Trout Lake:
261564219970
Good luck and I hope this helps.
Oh I meant to say, in reply to your last question, a Poly Cotton tent will hold its price better than a polyester tent too so another reason to go the PC route.
Some very good advice above and you are already looking in the right direction with metal poled tents, walk in height and sewn in groundsheets.
If finances are tight or you are not sure if you will take to camping I wouldn't worry too much about polycotton tents at the moment. Polyester tents are very good and are the most common tents these days although polycotton is starting to take over it seems.
The main issue with second hand tents in my opinion is mould and mildew. If a tent has been put away damp then it can quickly become affected, and that is a killer for tents.
It would be best to go and see a second hand tent erected before buying and examine it for any damage, mould, broken zips etc. You can pick up some good ex display bargains, those being displayed indoors obviously being better than those outdoors. I got my ex display tent on ebay for £35 and it is worth in excess of £300 new. I did reproof it as a precaution and it seems fine but if it only lasts half a dozen trips it has been money well spent.
Whatever tent you buy I would advise buying the carpet or a picnic rug or two as that really makes a difference in perceived warmth and cosiness underfoot.
Obviously there is lots of advice to give but you may be in danger of information overload. Good luck.
If you're looking to buy a second hand tent that is going to last and maintain a decent resale value your best bet is an old fashioned canvas frame tent (preferably Cabanon). It may not have a fully sewn or zipped in groundsheet but you can get a good seal with an oversized ground sheet and the inner tent still has a sewn in ground sheet for the bedroom.
Having experienced pitching a tent with a sewn in ground sheet in the rain I can see the advantage of having a separate ground sheet. And while on the subject of rain remember you may have to dry out your tent at home so having space to dry it is a must.
All this is assuming there are just two of you car camping as pack size for a frame tent are larger and heavier than polyester but so worth it once pitched.
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Hi, thanks for the really useful replies, hadn't considered a poly cotton but they do sound like a better bet. Think we have decided not to rush into making a purchase although it's very tempting just so we can get a couple of trips in before the end of the year! Such a lot to learn though, can't wait to get started, reckon it's gonna be loads of fun!
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Topic: First purchase
