I'm a single Mum with a nearly 2 yr old escape artist. Complete newbie to camping and hopelessly impractical.
Trying to find a tent...
Looking at vango icarus500, quechua 4.2 and Khyam chatsworth so far. Any advice?
I'm looking for something with 2 bedrooms next to each other with an optional divider. Ideally dark inner pods to aid sleep and I'd like a sewn in ground sheet.
Budget also an issue. Oh wise ones HELP!
Don't forget to leave a review of all tents you've used, for a chance to win fantastic prizes
The Quechua are quick and simple tents to erect, and very cosy and dry, we bought one out of our local Decathlon sale for our Daughter who is also a single parent with two small children both under school age.
The problem comes though when she wants to pack it away, due to its 'Pop-up' design, its not very easy to wrestle with it alone to get it into its circular bag, and once it is in, its still quite a large package at around a metre in diameter and too big to fit flat into quite a few car boots, or indeed under the front benches of our caravan, even though the pack is only about 10cm thick.
With hindsight, we wished that we had bought her one of the smaller model Outwell tunnel tents, a mini version of our old Winfield, which was quick and easy to pitch, and very storm proof and dry.
Julia.
------------- Just love to be out amoungst Nature and Wildlife
Celebrating 37 years of Caravanning in 2019, Recently Considered Retiring, but Totally Addicted for Life!
Depending on your budget, by far the easiest type of tent to pitch on your own would be an inflatable tent. But they do tend to be expensive compared to the normal poled variety.
------------- May 2015 - Arrow Bank 4 nights
July 2015 - Manorafon 4 nights
August 2015 - Piccadilly Caravan park 3 nights
August 2015 - Wheal Rodney 11 nights
Don't forget to leave a review of all tents you've used, for a chance to win fantastic prizes
Of your options, I would advise the Icarus - it is a good tent but lighter and much cheaper than the Khyam (as you are new to this I wouldn't advise pushing the boat out until you get a feel for your personal requirements).
As Romany Girl said the Quecha are easy to pitch but harder to pack up solo. No doubt you have seen the videos on Youtube. Also - and this is important for many - the Icarus has a sown in groundsheet but the Quecha does not.
Of course whatever tent you choose, you still will still need eyes in the back of your head watching the little 'un.
When my boys were that age I used to give them a couple of rubber hammers and some plastic pegs. That kept them occupied for hours, well - long enough to pitch a tent anyway. Of course, I would then have to pull out all the pegs out that they had hammered in.
If you peg the corners before you insert the poles its easy, and actually safer than the Vango instructions.
Make sure the front door is open and the corner straps are loosened, start with the pole nearest the door and work backwards.
If it is windy, guy out the poles as you go.
This video shows how its done. Cross Camping Method
I use this method to pitch solo all the time. Allows Mrs Rex to take the nippers to the playground so I can crack on without any "help"
Don't forget to leave a review of all tents you've used, for a chance to win fantastic prizes
I went for the pyramid tent option too for ease of putting up. There are a lot of pegging points though so I underestimated the time that would take, but that's just my tent.
i can pitch the icarus 500 solo too! i`m only a diddly thing (5 ft 2)so if i can u can. top tip on pitching it:
main front door leave open (i have the mesh on it closed). the corner peg straps have loose. pitch from front to back and its a cinch. i also have the bedroom pod always attached, so its up in half an hour!
------------- gym bunny hugs!
Don't forget to leave a review of all tents you've used, for a chance to win fantastic prizes
Out of the tents mentioned it would be the Icarus
If you could stretch your budget though I'd be looking at either
Vango flux 500 airbeam or vango genesis 400 or 500 discontinued know but a flux sold on eBay last week for £129
------------- 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
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Single parent - 1 person pitch tent help
