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Hi fokes,

I wonder if anyone can help me make my mind up on what tent to buy? i already have a Coleman BiSpace 500 and i find it takes years to pitch up and then when i do so it just does not feel right.So i have been looking at getting a new tent i have looked at the Khyam Ridgi Dome Tourer 200/400 and the Otwell Hartford M. I would be using it for weekends and also full weeks away, for the weekends i know the Kyham would be best due to the quick pitch but i feel the Otwell would be better for the weeks away due to the high quality.

If any of you could please pass on your thoughts and let me know how easy they are to pitch up or how bad/good they are it would make me a verry happy man

Thanks a lot

Craig

Hi Craig, sorry can't comment on these tents but I'm sure somebody will be along very soon who can.

Personally, I'd go for the Vango Aspen 500 or 700.

Hi Craig,

We had a bi space 500, and have moved up a notch to the outwell hartford XL. Great tent although a bugger to put up. We've got it down to an hour now though! The tent is great, totally waterproof we found out last week, no probs with anything other than the bedrooms are a bit wierd cos the sides come in at an angle so if you've a double airbed, the person nearest to outertside of the tent- their face is only a few inches from where the inner tent comes down(hard to describe but if you've a yeomans camp show nearby they usually have one up)

We tried an outwell tunnel tent, cant remember the name though, and that was a breeze to put up, loads of room in it only snag was that because of all the vents it was drafty as hell, (yes the vents were shut!! ha ha).

The hartford is very similar to put up to the bispace, crossed middle poles and then a seperate one for each pod bit that are the bedrooms, but all colour coded as you'd expect, glow in the dark guy ropes etc.I would recommend it definitely.

Hi Craig, we bought a Hartford M about 10 days ago. Have only put it up once in the garden but it seemed pretty easy to me, but I have no experience of the Khyam to compare it with that. We had a frame tent previously so the Hartford was the first of this type we have erected. The M has 3 identical poles crossing the living area, another for the sleeping area, and one at the entrance. It probably took us an hour that first time but I would think next time will be less than 30 mins. Part of the time was taken up moving it to fit within the garden and avoiding paving slabs etc!

We slept in it one night, all nice and snug. It rained pretty heavily over the next 2 days and the tent was fine. I took it down mostly by myself, the OH just helped with the folding and packing of the main part.

Very impressed by the quality of the Hartford, I think it will suit us very nicely. There are just the two of us, but maybe a grandchild or 2 willl join us sometimes. We wanted a good living area without too many sleeping pods and the Hartford M is perfect. we can zip the divider across the compartment if the youngsters join us.

Hope that helps.

Andy

If speed of erection is one of your priorities, then a Khyam is a good idea.

 I don't think that the Hartford is a difficult tent to put up but it is an inner-first ie two stage process to put it up. A flyfirst (one stage) tent will always be quicker to put up eg a Montana or a Sun Valley, if you're thinking about a tent with a sewn in groundsheet. MT

We pitched next to a Kyham a few week-ends ago.  We both arrived at the same time.  Their tent seemed to go up quicker initially, but we finished loads quicker.  We take about 45 mins from start to finish.  By finish I mean everything in the tent, airbed inflated & bed made, all cooking stuff & food unloaded, bums in chairs, beers opened!!

We have the Hartford L, there's just 2 of us & we use it mainly for week-ends.  It doesn't seem like hard work for 2 nights.

Craig

I bet you wish you'd never asked which tent to buy now don't you?  Everyone seems to be really pleased with their choice of tent.  You've got to really have a look at all available tents & decide which one is best for you.  Lots of people (me included) don't buy their ideal tent first time round, that's why there's also 2nd hand tents for sale on ebay.

Good luck

OUTWELL EVERY TIME!!!!

Thank you all,

you were all a big help. i ended up getting the Outwell Hartford M as the Khyam has no window in it! Had a test run of pitching it and found it very easy to do. Going away in two weeks time cant wait.

Thanks a lot again.

Craig

Good choice Craig

I hope you don't mind if I keep this thread going a bit longer?

We too have a Bi-Space 500 and find it a little tricky to put up and, like Craig, it never quite feels right with the tension and all.  A bit hit and miss if the doors will zip up or not!  And we can only squeeze 3 of us in the sleeping capsule due to ridiculous tapered end.

We also have a large rip in it which we are yet to repair but can get a brand-new cover (basically everything except the sleeping capsule and ground sheet) for £40.  I'm just wondering if it's worth it?  I really can't decide.  I think eventually we will get a new tent (probably the Hartford M which sounds good) but not for a couple of years due to finances.  Trouble is we'll never sell a ripped tent will  we, but then would we get our money back?.................oh.... really confused now!

Hi there, just wanted to add that we love our Hartford L.  It was the windows and quality that sold it for us. 

Benski X X X