I'm currently using a Hypercamp Eldorado pyramid tent which is slightly too small for anything longer than a week and barely fits the campbed which I need for my dodgy knees! Lovely for a weekend though!
I was looking at one of the bigger pyramid tents such as the Palermo or possibly a 4m bell tent with added inner but I need to be able to put it up on my own- 5ft4 woman and not very strong! Has anyone got any experience of putting bigger canvas tents up alone? I can't really fit a step ladder in my car with the rest of my kit so need to be able to put everything together from the ground. Any suggestions gratefully received! Oh and I'd like to be able to use it all year!
We used to use a canvas Cabanon pyramid. Took a while to do, but I could put it up myself as the outer went up first (pegs around the edge then dive inside & push the centre up with the main pole). Then the inner was hooked on around the bottom edge, the hardest part was hooking the inner's peak onto the central pole - it wasn't that high up, just under a lot of tension. It had 2 bedrooms and a front area big enough to stand up in, probably too big for one person? Putting it away was a tussle too - big & heavy to roll up and stuff into the bag. I'd go either for a smaller canvas tent (plenty of all-year ones used by mountaineering types), or a roomier one that's made of good quality lighter artificial material.
We have the palamos 6 and being of a similar physic as you describe yourself I wouldn't want to put it up alone.
We have just sold our 4m bell tent which I could erect solo however it was a thicker canvas than most available and weighed over 30kg which made moving it from the house to car or car to pitch hard work.
Personally I would love a hypercamp Alaska to replace the bell tent (for holidays with just the children and short breaks with hubby) as has a lot less pegging points than the Palamos and the front frame looks easier to pitch (weight is more but separate the poles and the canvas should make it manageable).
In addition to the central upright pole that forms the "pyramid" part of the tent, the Palamos 6 has two upside down U frames for the front and middle of the tent, instead of separate poles.
When pitching my Escala 4, which is the smaller 4-berth version of the Palamos 6, one needs to pull the canvas so that the eyelets fit over the spikes of the upside down U frames.
I can just about do it on my own, once I discovered it is easier to fit the middle frame first before fitting the front frame.
I am 5'2, and would not consider myself as particularly strong.
Therefore, I would hesitate to recommend the Palamos 6 to the OP.
A pyramid tent with a different pole system, as in separate poles instead of frames, may be more suitable.
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Hi everyone, thank you for your very helpful feedback- please accept my apologies for not replying sooner- I've been camping out on the North Norfolk Coast and had zero phone/net signal!
Having used the Eldorado for some time now, I'm not sure I would get another Hypercamp tent- I do love the pyramid style, but I'm not convinced how durable this brand are- several of the guy line loops have come away from the tent, and the groundsheet leaked very badly during a storm last week. Since I want to get out in winter as well, I'm thinking a high quality bell tent may be my best option- with the heavier canvas. Being on the campsite has given time to chat with other canvas users and I think I can get a 4m one up alone. I guess I'd better start saving! :)
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Topic: Putting up Pyramid Tent alone?
