Tent advice please - Wynnster, Coleman, Gelert or Vango?

[EveryLittleBreeze]

Can anyone recommend me a nice, comfortable tent? I used to camp with my parents and loved it and would like to start again but DH is horrified by the very prospect though I know he'd love it if he tried it and i'm sure a nice tent would really help!

Looking for a 5-6 man tent with decent living room, preferably standing height. Must be good build quality and easy to put up. Am bewildered by brands and configurations so any advice gratefully recived.

[Lucycat]

Out of those makes I'd say that Vango has the most reliable reputation although they are all ok.

Look for a sig (sewn in groundsheet) and a tunnel design, easiest to put up and the sig will mean comfortable camping for your dh.

How many of you are there actually as you'll need to add 2 on to get a comfortable berth tent.

I'll ahve a look round for you

[Lucycat]

oh btw what's your budget?

[Peachy]

No Khyam on list? they're very good you know!

Every brand you listed would be fine build quality wise, and as for standing height- welltnhat's just down to model you choose really.

Khyam have a great 2008 rnage just being launched but you won't go far wrong with any of those- or an outwell either. Only thing i would probably say about an outwell is if your Dh not sure, could be an expensive mistake.

Wondering though about the Khyam QE tents which pop up ike a travel cot, you'd probably want a second hand one off ebay though as not cheap.

My Dh was very like yours at first and we bought and Argos cheapy in the sale as we were broke and it was our only holiday chance that year. now he's a complete addict and we're on our third tent (we had a gelert tahoma for a year, great but tooka while to put up, and now a khyam Ontario- just a great tent imo).

Some places will still have tent sales as well- have a look. A good one to try 9apart from the Ontario which is really easy actually) is the vango breckenridge.

[tissy]

I haven't bought a family tent (yet) but my 20 yr old Vango 1-man is still going strong

[tissy]

this is the tent we would have bought if I'd got round to it last year!

[iheartdusty]

for some reason I thought this was a baby's names thread when I scanned the title.

I would go with gelert myself, Vango might get teased at school

[iheartdusty]

Outwell is another excellent brand.

we have the Outwell Montana 6 and it is great for longer stays, very comfortable and tall, but a bit too much for weekends and festivals.

[midnightexpress]

Some big garden centres do tent 'shows' sometimes in the summer where lots of different models are put up for your perusal - might be worth seeking out if there are any near you?

[Flutterbye]

We bought a Vango Diablo 600 cheap from a tent show last year, a slightly bigger one mentionned by tissy above. It's fab and we'll use it whenever we can but for some campsites it's too big. We're also going to get a Vango Orchy 600 I think when we've seen one in the flesh for smaller pitches and weekends.

[needmorecoffee]

I like Lichfeild meself. Decnt and low priced.
here

They deliver in 2 days too

[pootleflump]

Oooh flutterbye, I've just started looking for a tent (totally new to all this) and so far the Vango Orchy 600 is our favourite too! Likewise, we just need to go see it in the flesh.

[EveryLittleBreeze]

Thanks for all your replies. There are currently 3 of us, me, DH & DS who is 2. Hopefully, there will 4 of us at some point and it might be nice for DS to bring a friend so would a 5-6 man tent (2 beds) be OK? I don't have a budget in mind (mainly because I don't really have money for a tent at all but I'm in denial about that!) so my plan is to draw up a short list and then hang about on Ebay and see what's cheap. Figured they might be cheaper in the winter too. I?m currently watching a Coleman Wyoming.

Having spent childhood summer weekends in a frame tent roughly the size of a small house (my mother was not up for roughing it) I am intrigued by the idea any of these tents being too big for a weekend and for some sites? Have campsites shrunk?!

[hotcrossbunny]

Our Coleman is fab. Its a Coleman trispace polycotton one. Perhpas not the funkiest to look at, bit like a scout tent BUT the polycotton means its a bit cooler when its hot and warmer when its cool iyswim? Easy to put up, was one of the only tents left standing in last years gales (in August!) and I love it.

[iheartdusty]

It's not so much the campsites where pitches are marked out, but unmarked sites and festival where people jostle and squeeze to get their tents in - something where 4 -6 people can sit comfortably round a table inside when it is raining outside seems a bit too palatial!
(or maybe that's just me)

[tiredemma]

We have got a Vango Diablo 900. Its fab, and massive- easy to put up also.