I am going on my first camping trip in 2 weeks. A family of 2 adults and 3 kids. And I wanted what tips do I need to look for in a tent and which recommendations do you guys have in a tent.
thanks in advance.
Don't forget to leave a review of all tents you've used, for a chance to win fantastic prizes
I would suggest you go and look at as many tents as you can and buy the biggest and best that your budget allows (empty tents all look huge but with 5 people and all your gear, the space soon gets smaller!!)
For a family of 5 I personally would recommend an 8 berth tent (children only get bigger and seem to need twice as much stuff as adults!)
Tunnel tents offer plenty of usable space, are quick and easy to erect (our 8 berth Khyam Ontario takes about 20 minutes) and make the most sensible use of your pitch when on site.
Check the size of the bedrooms - many manufacturers base their sleeping capacity on using 50-60cm wide mats - camp beds and air beds are often a lot wider than this. This is one of the reasons we chose the Ontario 8 as it can accommodate 75cm wide beds in all the bedroom pods.
The higher the HH rating, the more "waterproof" the tent is - anything over 2000mm is considered ok for the UK.
Buy cheap, buy twice so look at well known makes such as Khyam, Outwell, Kampa, Vango, Gelert and Coleman.
I would go with the sewn in groundsheet and tbh probably most tents you look at will have one anyway. Sewn in groundsheet means less draughts and less wildlife in your tent!
We have an Outwell Montana 6p and there are 6 of us. We can get 5 people (2adults,1teenager and 2 young children) in the bedroom, all on airbeds. My oldest son sleeps in the main living space.
Space can be a little tight but we shove all the beds etc into the bedroom out of the way during the day and so there is a decent amount of room for us for the amount of time we spend in there. Granted, it wouldn't be great if we were stuck in there all day eg if it was chucking it down outside.
The reason we went with our tent is the balance between size, ease to erect\pack, store at home, carry, transport etc. There is alot to consider besides it actually providing accommodation a few times a year!
Rich
We had a zip in groundsheet on our last tent. It was pretty substantial, and the tent would have weighed a ton had we not been able to take it out. Other advantage to zip in, is easier to clean if necessary, but not a deal breaker. Agree with comments above re quality & size. Also check if it is a current model, and are they about to discontinue it. If so, get any accessories you need at the time. They become like rocking horse poo after :)
Also consider pack size for transport, weight when packed (if you have to lug it upstairs for storage etc), and also have you got enough space at home to pitch it if you have to take it down wet...or do you know a friend that has :)
Quality thing goes with equipment too.
Our 3 way camping fridge cost a fortune at the time (for us), but it's nearly 20 years old, silent, works brilliantly, and has never let us down. Also make sure you get decent sleeping bags & something comfy to sleep on.
A cold night in a tent can put you off for life
Quote: Originally posted by callisr on 05/8/2015
There is alot to consider besides it actually providing accommodation a few times a year!
Rich
Post last edited on 05/08/2015 10:11:28
This is very true, I would dearly love to go back to a nice big canvas tent again, but we just don't have enough space to pitch it again when we have to pack up wet.
As for the trespass, I know nothing about it, but who in the marketing department thought that was a good name for a tent.
Quote: Originally posted by chappers2341 on 06/8/2015
As for the trespass, I know nothing about it, but who in the marketing department thought that was a good name for a tent.
Perhaps they were influenced by this bit of the C&CC's history:
"The years leading to the outbreak of the Second World War saw continued membership growth and the addition of several more Club Sites. However, the Thirties were also dogged by legal battles between landowners and those demanding free access to moorlands and uplands, as a growing outdoor movement gained unstoppable momentum. This led to Mass Trespasses being organised and the first of these, on Kinder Scout, was close to the Club’s site at Hayfield. Many Camping Club members took part."
Hi, I looked at the Trespass 8 tent; it has an HH of 3000, which is good, but only has a "riser" groundsheet for the living area rather than a fully sewn in one. That keeps the whole thing quite light (25 kg for an 8 berth tent is good!) but it can mean more drafts and bugs. However, that is a good price for an 8 berth tent. It might be worth searching these forums for comments on the quality of Argos tents, given that there are no reviews.
I know you asked about tents, but with equipment don't get carried away and buy all the bells and whistles. When we had our big tent Outwell Norfolk lake, zip in ground sheet, poly cotton and slept 8. Fantastic tent but we ended up filling it with camping furniture. All great when it is set up but a killer to assemble and pack away. Unless you are absoluty sure you will like camping don't spend too much. A middle of the road tent that is not too big. I have still kept one of my tents a Cabanon Barbados and it is a doddle to put up. No furniture just camping :). I gave the same advice to my BIL and he ignored it and bought a crappy cheap tent and loads of furinture and camping accessoires. They have been for two weekends away and guess what 'its too much effort and the tent leaks'!
Hope you find something you like.
Don't forget to leave a review of all tents you've used, for a chance to win fantastic prizes
Spidey girl is right about camping gear. The only thing to make sure you get right when camping is the tent, and what you sleep on, as a good nights rest is essential! All the other stuff ( chairs, table, lights, pots, pans, bedding) can be taken from home or bought cheaply. If you intend to be cooking then getting a reputable make of stove is also important, and the same goes for EHU if you are using it, because safety with gas and electricity is important.
Then if you find that you like camping, you can slowly re- stock your kit with better gear. This is exactly what I did over 30 years ago when I got my first tent, and to this day I am careful to balance the issue of having enough items to be comfortable, but not have so much gear that loading and setting up/ taking down and packing takes all day!
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: New camper pls help
