Still looking to buy our first family tent. It's a big investment so we want to do it right.
We wondered if the steel poles of the Vango Maritsa 700 will make the tent hard to put up as it will be so heavy? We don't want to tire ourselves out putting it up before we've even started!
We have a number of different Outwell tents with steel poles. They are very heavy in the bag, but putting the tent up is fine.
The benefit is that you get a very sturdy tent, and when the winds start blowing you can put your head inside the sleeping bag and go back to sleep without a worry about waking up in the open air
My tent has 20Kg of steel poles so the situation is similar.
There is no doubt that pitching is harder than with flexi fibreglass poles, but with an assistant (even a useless one who ends up just being a "pole holder upper" whilst you run round the tent getting the poles into there fixing eyelets / ring pins on the ground sheet) its not too hard. Practise counts for a lot.
The real issue I find is simply the weight I have to kart around, but at the end of the day there is no substitute in really windy conditions. I've survived a couple of gales that have flattened some tents on the same site with only the barest of tent movement in the wind.
If you can carry the extra weight then there is no real issue in my opinion.
Thanks for the brilliant replies. I am sorry it was a double post I did not know how to remove it from one to leave it on the right one.
I am 35, hubby 2 years older and both in good health and fit. I think the only thing that might get in the way is our ability to stay civil to each other throughout the process whilst our 3 young kids run about between us!
Happy camping ahead!
Amanda
Quote: Originally posted by Taddy3 on 29/4/2010
Thanks for the brilliant replies. I am sorry it was a double post I did not know how to remove it from one to leave it on the right one.
I am 35, hubby 2 years older and both in good health and fit. I think the only thing that might get in the way is our ability to stay civil to each other throughout the process whilst our 3 young kids run about between us!
Happy camping ahead!
Amanda
That's all part of the experience. If you have not pitched your tent yet then get out there and practice a couple of times. Even in the garden, local green area or even on a school field. See if you can find a video of it being erected as well. Makes loads of sense after reading the instructions, but do practice at least once with a new tent before you go (especailly if it's raining).
We find that our steel-poled tent is much sturdier, but the effort of putting it isn't worth it for a weekend, so we take a very similar tent that has fibreglass poles.
I think it depends on when/where you camp and for how long.
When we are only an hour or so from home and can 'abandon ship' holiday wise if the wind is forecast to be very strong then we take the fibreglass poled tent - but when we are 1000 miles away in France we prefer to have the knowledge that the tent can withstand strong coastal winds.
Quote: Originally posted by Taddy3 on 29/4/2010
I think the only thing that might get in the way is our ability to stay civil to each other throughout the process whilst our 3 young kids run about between us!
Just dont forget the duck tape, its an essential piece of kit for when you are pitching... a piece for hubbys mouth and a piece each for the kids, heaven lol
Jak
------------- www.classyballoons.co.uk
'often imitated never copied'
I have no problems pitching a tent with fibreglass poles.
I camp a lot on my own and am just getting that bit more confident, mainly owing to this wonderful site and the posters who give such great advice, so once again, thanks all.
However, going back to steel poles, every experience I have had with steel poles has been disastrous.
I just cannot manage them.
They are so heavy.
I am 5'1.
I struggle like mad.
They are heavy to start with and carrying them a short stride from car boot to where you pitch is an effort in itself, ok, I admit, I am not 'horse strong'
In a 3 poled tunnel tent, I can manage 2 poles in the ring and pin system.
The last one I cannot.
OH managed it with no problems, but he doesn't camp, so, it's left to me.
Yes, there are plenty of people willing to give a hand, but my motto is, If I can't do it myself it's no good for me.
I absolutely adored my Aztec 3 tent, but could not erect it solo, it was so heavy with the steel poles. I hurt my shoulder with it and in the end I gave it up as a bad job.
I sold it for £100 making a loss of £50 but it's gone to a good home where it will be appreciated for the quality tent it undoubtedly is.
As I camp solo a lot of the time, I thought that steel poles would give me that extra security, with their strength.
I think now, with hindsight, that perhaps I was wrong.
as a single camper, I am better off with Vango's TBS system and 3 easy poles to get the tent up.
I think steel poles are briliant, they would always be my first choice if I could manage them.
I can't so move on
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Topic: Steel Poles - heavy??
