To take a 4 man tent to the beach?

[Snailsetssail]

We are going away (hopefully) in August within the U.K. and lan on spending most of the time on the beach (with waterproofs if needed).

We have a beach wind tent but it’s very open to the elements. I’ve seen a basic 4 man tent at Tesco cheap- would I be crazy to take it to the beach? It’s a very simple dome tent, no inner compartments etc.

Height is ok, but length seems little large.

I think it depends on the beach, if you've got 3 little ones you're going to need to park nearby to carry everything. You'd not be able to do this where I live as beaches are lovely but are busy - and that's before visitors are officially allowed - and look at Bournemouth or Brighton.

A 4 man tent is huge.

They're gits to put down as well - plus a stiff breeze would pull it out of the sand, not to mention the likelihood of being told to leave because no camping is allowed - and taking over that amount of area on a beach would make you extremely unpopular.

Bournemouth would definitely tell you to sling your hook. Assuming you could even get on the beach in the first place, as it's almost always packed from early morning onwards. And Brighton would be very difficult in the cobbles, plus they're very alert for campers for other reasons.

I think it'd be quite selfish, unless you were right up the "back" of the beach - that is, close to the start of the beach, and furthest away from the water. Plonking a tent down in the middle of the beach - even a quiet one - is quite selfish, in my view. I think that about wind break style structures as well.

I think it's a good idea but I don't think the other beach goers would love it. This tent is 5sqm and you probably need another 7sqm outside of the tent too with towels and toys so you will be taking up way more space than you should on already very crowded beaches.

Even beaches that aren't normally very crowded are at the moment. There are almost 70 million people trying to staycation in a very overpopulated country with a lack of lakes so the beach is where everyone goes.

I think it depends what coast you are going to. Some beaches are literally miles long and you won't need to be near anyone at all. A small busy beach or cove and it would be anti social. Take it and play it by ear. Even on a soggy day if the beach is deserted but your kids still want to play it will be fine. Pitch it at the back of the beach if others are using the beach.

There is a 2 man version at L100 x W150 x D200 cm, maybe that would be less antisocial?

Why wouldn't you use a wind break and a parasol?

I think it would be selfish for the reasons SwedishK gives.
People are currently camping on the beaches causing nuisance because accommodation isn't available, so I'd expect you to attract a lot of negative attention.

2 person tents are common among day trippers, on our local beaches (North Sea).

Why don't you use an actual beach tent/shelter. We have one which is big enough to store bits and pieces, it's half open so you can sit partially inside too and we make a kind of camp using windbreakers to the side of it.

I think it's fine, but an actual beach shelter with pockets to weigh down with sand may work better? We have one with a zip up door which is compact but we have once eaten sandwiches in there when we were on a wasp infected beach!