I am trying to decide between 2 family tents. My wife and I would like to bring the 2 kids (3 and 1) camping a couple of times a year, mainly in Ireland I guess, and I’m trying to decide which feature trumps the other one.
The two tents are the Vango Purbeck 600 off Amazon or the Kampa Texel 4 off O’Meara’s camping (currently on sale). Both work out at a similar price - the one in O’Meara’s comes with a carpet and footprint so works out around the same I think. What I am having trouble with is the Vango is 80cm wider (380cm vs 300cm) but the Texel has a better waterproof rating (5000 vs 3000). Other than that both seem pretty similar.
I think the extra space is important but I have no idea about HH rating - is 3000 enough for long weekends in Irish weather? We get a lot of rain but not really the really heavy stuff.
Officially, I believe the HH reading should be a minimum of 1500 to be classed as waterproof. That suggests that whilst both should be water proof, the Kampa should hold out better in prolonged/heavier rain.
With your 3rd paragraph in mind, I'd suggest the Vango "should" be up to the job, as far as waterproofing is concerned.
I wouldn't worry too much about the waterproof rating. As Mucker says, the British Standards minimum is 1500mm HH. The average tent is 3000mm and anything above that just increases the price....and even a 5000mm tent could leak at the seams if you are unlucky.
You are looking at a 6 man tent and a 4 man tent which is why the prices differ and the Vango is 80cm wider.
Generally speaking you need to buy a tent twice the 'man' size. In other words, a two man tent is never big enough for two people unless they are sardines, so if there are two of you a 4 man tent would be more suitable. If you have growing family you may feel you will need more space...not just in the bedroom area but the living area too (think of all the toddlers gear you have to carry as well as your own) so a 6 man tent might be more suitable.
On the downside, many campsites charge more for tents larger than 4 man. The 6 man tent will be much more difficult to erect than the 4 man tent but with two of you it should be manageable. Bear in mind though that a couple of excited or bored toddlers may not allow you to erect a tent unhindered.
Quality and style wise, both tents look very good but if this is your first camping experience I may choose the 4 man tent which can easily be sold later if you look after it and decide you like camping and want something bigger. I believe the 4 man tent also has a carpet and footprint which is a bonus and would add a fair amount to the cost of the other tent.
Bob61 - what would the average cost difference be between 4 man and 6 man? That sounds odd to me as the 4 man here is huge (review says it's biggest 4 man they've ever made) and I don't know how a campsite could easily tell if it is 4 man or 6 man. Do the measure it or is it honour system?
I get what you're saying about trying the 4 man having a carpet and footprint but the 6 man is a fair bit cheaper and going by the Amazon price history it could come down again.
I guess you can tell I'm leaning towards the Vango :D
Are 4 man tents easier to sell?
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As someone who has camped with a 3 and a 1 year old only a few years ago, I would say the texel 4 is going to be too small. We have both a 4 and a 6 man tent (The 4man left over from the days of pre-kids!) and we only use it in the back garden! The 6man means you can eat inside comfortably, sit in your pj's in the morning if the weather sucks, but mostly once you have all the beds laid out you will need somewhere to put all the bags, any food, toys and camping gear without tripping over yourselves.
As has been said, waterproofing will be fine whatever you choose.
Although some sites want to know the dimensions of your tent, some just want you to pick a pitch size (Eg M, L, XL) This would not influence my choice of tent though. Have a look on a few campsites you might be interested in and see if it's an issue.
I don't find our 6man tent takes that much more time to put up, however, the bigger the tent, the more stuff you will eventually fill it with! What does influence set up time is the age of kiddies, we found it incredibly difficult to 'do childcare' and put up the tent, so really recommend some activities to keep them occupied ready to hand and a practice run of putting the tent up in the garden or local park beforehand :D REalise you didn't ask for this advice, but I wish someone had told me that beforehand!
We actually looked at the purbeck and (the vango stargrove) as well as the texel 6. Decided against both in the end as we definitely want a tent with blackout inners, having small kids waking at dawn (and then trying to keep them quietly entertained) was just stressful. Also, the purbecks curtains are on the outside and there was no mesh door on the side which would annoy me!
I'm sure you'll love either tent though, happy camping :)
Quote: Originally posted by budgemook on 12/1/2020
Thanks for the replies.
Bob61 - what would the average cost difference be between 4 man and 6 man? That sounds odd to me as the 4 man here is huge (review says it's biggest 4 man they've ever made) and I don't know how a campsite could easily tell if it is 4 man or 6 man. Do the measure it or is it honour system?
I get what you're saying about trying the 4 man having a carpet and footprint but the 6 man is a fair bit cheaper and going by the Amazon price history it could come down again.
I guess you can tell I'm leaning towards the Vango :D
Are 4 man tents easier to sell?
The cost of tents varies so it is impossible to give you an average cost between 4 and 6 man tents but a larger tent usually costs more than a smaller one...that is not always the case though and I was just pointing out the comparison. I would say that the reason why the 4 man tent is more expensive in this case is because you are getting the carpet and footprint as well...nothing is for free.
You will more than likely want a carpet after your first trip in a tent without one...there is nothing worse than stepping out of bed onto a freezing cold groundsheet. A carpet also aids insulation. The footprint keeps the bottom of the tent clean and dry and protects the sewn in groundsheet from sharp stones and thorns etc; so although I camped for years without one I now always use one after sustaining a hole in the groundsheet.
That said, if you buy the cheaper tent you may find the cost of large carpets both in the living area and the bedroom area, plus a footprint, may take the price equal or above the other one.
I would say 4 man tents are easier to sell because they are more common than a 6 man.
With regards to campsites charging more for a large tent...many campsites don't ask the size of your tent but those that do expect you to tell them the truth. It would be quite easy for them to check the size of your tent online...and they could tell just by looking at it anyway, and then a very irate campsite owner or warden may pay you a visit wanting extra cash. Not only that but many campsites have different sized pitches and if you book a 6 man tent onto a 4 man tent pitch you may find it doesn't fit...and then you will get another irate owner or warden giving you grief and may even ask you to leave without a refund if they can't accommodate you and you lied to them.
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Quote: Originally posted by budgemook on 12/1/2020
Thank you very much. This is all very helpful. I'm in no rush to buy anyway so I'll mull it over and then buy something in a couple of months.
In a couple of months the prices will go up because everyone will be thinking about camping
Prior to our current tent, we (just the two adults) had a large 6 berth, then a 4 berth. We have never been charged more for one over the other, purely on tent/pitch size.
I must point out, however, that we generally camp at privately owned sites, never "Holiday Parks" and the like.
Yes, we get asked for the tent size fairly regularly, but that is only so they can ensure you fit where they plan to pitch you.
Some sites/pitches are less restricted than others, of course, with boundary-less pitches and/or "Pitch-where-you-like- type set up.
If a site suggests you need to book two adjacent pitches (due to having a large tent), and pay accordingly, simply consider looking at other sites!
Ultimately, each site will have it's own way of pricing, and a fair number charge for "extra's" (EHU/children/dogs/pup tents for the kids/showers/trailers etc), but only the final total figure for your particular set up and needs should be of interest to you.
Not all "extra's" are necessarily a bad thing, if the total suits your budget.
I also agree totally with old man Bob ( ), with regards to the advantages of having a footprint and carpet. Both are a must for us.
Thanks again - I'll definitely get a footprint and carpet for trip 1. I have a few bits and pieces already and after that I'll build up my stuff as I go.
Quote: Originally posted by budgemook on 12/1/2020
Thank you for the advice jojo2020, that's really helpful.
The purbeck says it has lights out rooms but not black out. No idea how dark lights out would be.
Would you mind telling me what tent you went with in the end?
It's a higear tent from Go Outdoors - Manitoba 6. Blackout inner tent, porch, inner tents which can be zipped together/to separate, good size living space. It's not my perfect tent, but we don't have the funds for that at the moment :) Hopefully it will last us many years.
I thought the vango lights out was equivalent to black out, but saw a few vangos with it on display and it wasn't any different at all.
'All bedrooms are Queen Size, allowing 60cm per person, meaning you have plenty of room.'
120cm per bedroom space is definitely not my idea of plenty of room! Even with 2 adults and 2 littlies, I'd rather have 2 x bedroom areas at 140cms wide, than 3 at just 120cms!
If you prefer the Kampa but want a bit more room,'m sure you've noticed that the Texel 6 with carpet, footprint and storm straps is £100 more... a bit of a beast to pitch just for long weekends, though.
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Topic: Advice on family tent (entry level)
via mobile 11/1/2020 at 11:01pm
