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Camping

Our UK Camping forum has all the information you need on finding the right equipment for your tent or caravan.

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Original poster

Which Outwell tent would you buy?

19 replies

papillonrouge · 21/03/2011 14:36

DH and I got very excited by an Outwell Oakland XL in our local Go Outdoors and only just avoided an impulse buy. The guy in the store advised us to look at the other models Outwell do as they don't stock them all there. I have looked at the Outwell webstie - bloody hell! - too much choice.

This is our first family tent - we are me, DH plus DS (9mo) and hope to have another DC very soon. We will be using the tent for our main family holiday of 1-2 weeks, but also for weekends away and want to grow into it! The guy in the store reckoned it could be pitched in about 20 minutes which sounds reasonable even for short breaks. We want something we will be happy in even when it rains so a big porch feels essential.

Any other models we should consider or is this a good bet?

OP posts:

Nikkid21 · 21/03/2011 19:22

We have a florida 6 which is discontinued but the florida 5 or Montana 6 are good bets.

drzeus · 21/03/2011 19:26

We had a Montana 6 with an extra canopy. Fabulous tent. Plenty of space, used the canopy area to cook under. Nice to have the bedroom space too. Had no problem putting it up - took around 20-30 mins.

Going misty eyed as we sold it last year - to trade up to a caravan. (DH was a bit of a wuss when it came to camping and preferred his creature comforts ).

We had some fab holidays in our Monty!

hillbilly · 22/03/2011 14:22

We have the Outwell Oakland Xl and love it. A great buy - we got it for £200 from Go Outdoors. Spacious enough for a family of 4. Easy to pitch. I would definitely recommend it.

mummyosaurus · 22/03/2011 21:52

I am looking at a vermont XL as we have DS and DD, so 3 beds would be useful. It's bloody huge and heavy though, so we'd probably need a trailer to get it about.

Friends have a montana and they love it. Outwells strike me as really well made tents.

I would have to question the 20 minutes to pitch? Might take a few practice to get it up that quick, especially as you have to supervise the kids while you do it...

Needanewname · 23/03/2011 20:12

We had a Hartford XXL, great tent but a bit too big for us (and took too long to put it up) however friends have the normal 2 pod one and are very happy with it.

bilblio · 23/03/2011 20:49

We have the Nevada L for 3 of us soon to be 4. We bought it with the plan to grow into it. Nice big living space, 3 bedrooms but 2 unzip into a larger one and we sometimes take the smaller one down completely if we want more space. We've had 10 people sat comfortably in there on chairs and playing guitars at a rainy festival.
We can pitch it, get everything in whilst entertaining 3yo DD in about 30 minutes.

At the moment we all sleep in the area with 2 bedrooms, we keep the curtain down but unzipped so we can get to DD without waking up too much if she gets upset, and it's warmer that way.
The plan is when the kids are bigger they can have the 4 man area and DH and I will go in the other sleeping pod which is at the other end of the tent. I like the fact there'll be some space between us all :)

You can get a porch for it too but we haven't bothered... maybe one day, or I'll just borrow my brothers :o

mummyosaurus · 24/03/2011 10:22

People with the bigger tents:

Do you find it heavy / big to get about? Do you use a trailer? Two cars?

We have an estate car and just about get everything in with our 8 person skandika tent.

But we are wanting to also take our bikes on holiday so space is at a real premium.

bilblio · 24/03/2011 10:32

Our tent is heavy. I can pick it up but I let DH. :o
We have a Corolla and on the last trip put everything in the boot except for a suitcase of clothes which was strapped onto the back seat the cool box and the sleeping bags. We wouldn't normally have had a suitcase but we were camping for a week then flying to the Scillies for a week.
That was when there were only 3 of us though. We managed to get a roofbox off Freegle for when the 4th arrives.

Actually now I think about it, the reason we chose the Nevada L rather than the Montana was the Nevada packed up smaller. It still takes up a lot of the boot space but the Montana would have practically filled the boot.

I hate having things loose on the back seat. I will only allow soft things and they all have to be covered over with a blanket then strapped in with the seat belt. DH isn't allowed to pack the car. :o

Needanewname · 24/03/2011 11:37

I couldn't lift the Hartford, well I could for a few seconds but couldn;t carry to and from the car!!

We now have a bell tent which is even heavier, however we have 2 bags for it, will see how I get on in a few weeks time!

The Hartford was big when packed up but fit in the roof box (we also had a porch), I think the bell tent is about the same size packed up but heavier so will go in the boot, hoping that all will fit OK in the car, we have a large boot and roofbox so should be OK.

Friends with the 2 pod hartford have a normal sized boot and no roof box, however only 1 child so less junk essentials to take than us!

frenchitalia · 24/03/2011 17:41

Vango tigris 800 we have just replaced old tent with this it very big and very versatile and the living space so big which is what you need in this country due to wet days so you can live very comfortably inside no bending down at all even to get in the bedrooms - be sure to invest in the "carpet" what a difference it makes!!

frenchitalia · 24/03/2011 17:43

Going camping at easter to cotswolds 4 star holiday park looks wonderful beautiful lake and facilities dont know if anyone knows it near cirencester called hobourne cotswolds!! also featured in Hoseasons lodges brochure?

Original poster

papillonrouge · 24/03/2011 19:44

Thanks for all the responses...I have since managed to look at the review section and realised that the Montana 6 is the MN best - should have done this before really! It has been really good to hear about specific models that the rest of you have. Looking at them all, I think the Oakland is still my favourite, and it is a bit cheaper than the Montana which helps, especially as we are both a bit nervous that camping with DS may be a disaster!! Thanks for the Vango suggestion also but when we have looked at them in store the Outwells just seem a bit lighter and we can probably stretch ourselves.

biblio - particualrly reassured that you can pitch your tent and put stuff in in about 30 mins!

I am so rubbish at making decisions like this, but think we will go and buy the Oakland at the weekend.

OP posts:

bilblio · 24/03/2011 20:59

papillon - DH and I have learnt the trick to pitching so quickly is to speak as little as possible. Basic instructions only Never pass comment on how the other person is doing something, just let them get on with it, bite your lip, or you'll end up rowing.
We also know what each other's strengths are. He's good at brute strength stuff so unloads and puts stuff in the tent, but he can't do guy ropes to save his life, so that's my job.

Bumpinthenight · 24/03/2011 22:25

I love our Arkansas 5. Dh can pitch it on his own, and that only took him about 30 mins. DH, DD and I fit in there comfortably!

Original poster

papillonrouge · 26/03/2011 11:52

bilblio - ha ha! DH and I have mastered a technique for this kind of job in the past but never with a DS to deal with. We also speak as little as possible!

OP posts:

itssnotfunny · 27/03/2011 19:18

Today in our go outdoors they had a basket in the corner with last yrs display otwells reduced with 100-200 quid off, i resisted but was at one on display that ok was canvas but £999 for a feckin tent!

Avantia · 27/03/2011 19:27

we have the montana 6 with canopy and tent carpet - tent carpet makes such a difference - truely !

it is just right for us - we have two boys - we upgraded to it last year - we watched how to put it up on youtube - that really helped - very easy to put up.

the sleeping area although two sleeping pods can be opened up into one . What I really liked about it was that we didn't have to mess around in hanging the sleeping pods up as they were already in .

the canopy is a godsend and we use it for cooking area .

Just hope our new addition to the family - a dog - likes it .

I would look online for best prices - we got ours on the web .

ninah · 28/03/2011 22:14

I have got the Oakand M and I can put it up solo. Fab tents, enjoy!

MilaMae · 28/03/2011 23:17

We've got the Vermont XL and it's lovely.I didn't think it was a whole lot heavier than a Montana(tried both bags).Go to a Yeomans tent fair thing they have them all packaged up.

Having said that if I only had 2 kids I'd go for the Montana as if space is tight you could leave the awning off.

Is it me of have Outwell hiked up their prices this year?

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