Saw a fantastic tent last week and now I can't remember what it was called.

[MegaLegs]

it looke like this but was called something like Gabinelle or Cabinelle (DH went to look up close and now he can't rememebr the name.)

Have tried googling but no luck. It was deffo cotton not polyester and the same shape as the one inmy link but had a biiger canopy.

[MegaLegs]

Wow my typing is crappola when tired.

[dustystar]

What colour was it? If it was green it could be the Outwell Bearlake.

[Slubberdegullion]

Was it a Cabanon?

[Lucycat]

Yep, definately a Bear Lake I'd say.

They are polycotton and lovely - I have the 8 berth version, a Norfolk Lake and she truly is magnificent, if a little havy

Cabanon are even more expensive than my Outwell iirc.

[MegaLegs]

You are sooooo clever Slubber - that was the one I saw. It had a sun canopy on it and looked so sensible. Wow ££££££££s! Will check out the Bear LAke ones too.

[Slubberdegullion]

Those Cabanons are at our local camping shop. I always go in, have a quick stroke of the beutifully sewn seams, look at the price tag, and return to looking at the plastic tents

[satine]

I've just got back from a camping trip - I borrowed a dark green polyester tent, which was fine but dark, not very cosy and functional but my friend has a cream cotton bell tent which just seemed so much cosier, lighter and much more comfortable. We spent far more time in her tent than in ours! So that first link you had looked really nice. I've completely changed my mind about what type I want to buy!

[Slubberdegullion]

But at nearly £1300 you've got to really love it. Why are the canvas ones so more expensive? Is it because of the canvas fabric, or the work involved to make them? I'm sure lucycat will now .

They are much nicer to be inside though (but a pita to dry.....memories of endless tent erecting and re erecting in the garden to get the canvas dry)

[MegaLegs]

We had very windy very wet weather in Cornwall last week and the flapping tent kept us awake most nights. I reckon cotton would be quieter.

It looks really smart too and the big plus was the large living area and large sun canopy. Our tent has nowhere for the adults to sit and eat, drink stay dry in the eve and our friends' wasn't much better ( we squeezed in though, especially as they had electric hook up and fan heater LOL!).

We will deffo need a bigger tent next year as DS4 won't be in with us in a travel cot so will need extra sleeping space, all 4 boys in together should be a laugh!!

Will start saving

[Slubberdegullion]

The norfolk lake that lucycat has is huge (I've seen her piccies on ukcampsite)... it looks like a great tent.

[Sheherazadethegoat]

omg @ the price of these

[Lucycat]

I do love Lakey slubber you're right! I don't know why the canvas ones are sooooo much more expensive than the polycotton ones - but they will last 20+ years, maybe that's why?

The difference being that ours was soaking wet when we took her down in Devon this year >> and we put her up in sections in the garden when we got back and she was dry in a morning, the rain literally rolls off the fabric.

I can remember back in the 70's how my mum and dad's frame tent would take all week to dry out.

satine just remember if you are camping in June it gets light at about 3am, light tents = awake children

[Slubberdegullion]

lol lucycat that you refer to your tent as a 'her'. Does she have a name, did you smash a bottle of bubbly over the side after her first erection?

Maybe if you plough so much money into a canvas one then it warrants a name and official opening ceremony.

[Lucycat]

slubber - now that would be a waste of bubbly! plenty of wine / beer has been consumed admiring her from outside though.

She is just Lakey - we've only spent 3 weeks in her so far, maybe when we're a bit more familiar we can give her a pet name

at £500 she was expensive but still less than hiring a decent static caravan for a week. She is our perfect tent.

[Slubberdegullion]

Can I ask why you went for the poly cotton Norfolk Lake, rather than say the Vermont (which I think is a roughly similar size and lay out)?

I was teetering on the edge of buying the Vermont XL a few weeks ago, but DH has put his foot down and said no new tents this year...I have a whole 6 months+ now to consider next years tent

[Lucycat]

We went to a Yeomans camping show in a muddy field in Cheshire and there was a Vermont next to a Bear Lake - we made the mistake of going into the Bear Lake first and it was soooo quiet and well made.

The Vermont was very rustly, seeemed much more flimsy and they were in no way comparable. We did like the wardrobe idea but you couldn't have used it as an extra bedroom as it was too small, whereas our 3rd bedroom is a good size if we need it, which we don't at the moment. The 3rd bedroom in the Vermont is a single and I felt claustrophic just standing in it!

we also liked the zip out groundsheet in the Lake which meant it was great to clean when we got home, but is still a sig when 'in the field'

oh and we have curtains

We didn't actually see the Norfolk Lake before we bought it as nowhere had one erected!

keep working on your dh

[Slubberdegullion]

Oh it sounds great. The gentle sound of rain against canvas it one of my all time fav soothings sounds from childhood...and the smell of fabric tents..



I do like the sound of the zip out SIG. My ultimate goal is to return to camping in France where I'm sure in hot waether (tries hard to remember what that feels like), it would be nice to have the option to take it out and have some breeze coming through the base.

Oh well maybe DH's foot put downing is actually God's way of telling me that I should upgrade my ideas and budget

[Lucycat]

of course she is

we're off to France next year - at least we will be when I get round to deciding which site to try and book!

[Slubberdegullion]

Have just been looking at the outwell "classic" tents. Am having strong feelings of desire about the Arrow Lake. Down to £499 at Caseys Camping...oooooh it's a steal .

We need good weather. If the rain can just hold off for a few weeks then maybe just maybe I might be able to convince him that we need a lovely big tent to camp in Anglesey in rather than staying in some boring old holiday cottage (no sense of adventure my DH).

[Lucycat]

Bargain!!

now if you're looking for a nice site on Anglesey then Hoe Farm is the one to go for!

Flowers in the toilet block n everything

[Lucycat]

clearly that is Home farm not a farm for ho's

unfortunate typo........

[MrsMarvel]

Over a grand for a tent! That's a week 4-star inclusive! Ours was £99.99 from Halfords - excellent, easy to put up and will be disposable after a few years when it goes all manky with mouldy stuff (they all do).

[Slubberdegullion]

Thanks for that Lucycat, have bookmarked it, lol @ flowers in Loos.

MrsMavel our small 4 man weekender tent was a gift from next door, and they got given it 2nd hand as well. I have never even heard of the brand before (could well have been a 'collect tokens off top of cornflakes box' tent). Works just fine...didn't leak despite all the rain a few weekends ago. Shame that couldn't be said for dd1 (vomiting) and airbed (leaking). For 1 or 2 nights, so long as it doesn't leak I'm not fussy.

But for a week+ long proper holiday I want a bit of space and comfort.

[dustystar]

The Cabannon is expensive but my friend has one and its very nice. I love our Vermont but the quality of the Cabannon was far superior. Still it should be at over £1000.

[Slubberdegullion]

Have just been reading all the polycotton threads on UKcampsite (love that site, the tickers make me lol). Interesting that the only negative comments are about weight, and drying time. No complaints whatsoever about leaks.

Oh I feel my allegiance of 'fantasy tent' may well be turning