need to buy our first family tent - suggestions

[MonkeyChicken]

Not been camping since I had the kids but plan to do a lot more of it in the future. Have agreed to go with another family we are very good friends with plus 4 other families we don't know for 4 nights in August. Now I need a tent and all the gumpf that goes with camping. My DD will be nearly 3 and my DS will be just 1. My DH might not be able to come. He can rarely commit to any holidays so I need a tent that's big enough for 2 adults and 2 kids, will last us a while and that I could put up on my own! Any suggestions. I've been recommended a tunnel tent and told that the "pod" tents are a bit pants. Would something like this be worthwhile? www.gooutdoors.co.uk/hi-gear-holiday-package-p181729
Oh, also, I drive a polo. So probably need to get a roof box or something.

You need one of these - an Outwell Montana 6 complete with all the gubbins but it depends on where you are (as most on ebay are pick up only) and whether you are enjoy the holiday experience enough to warrant spending the money.

and yes you'd probably need a roofbox - again check out ebay or preloved and see if you can pick up a bargain.
hth

What about one of the large Qechua ones

www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/base-seconds-4-1-117139074/

Very easy to put up and take down single handed once you've got the knack

I'm wondering about buying a tent this year too. So far I think the Vango Icarus 600 is top of my list as it looks really easy to put up and isn't too expensive. I have Montana 6 envy

Oh, and the tent you've linked to is on offer this week (if they've got any left in stock) in Go Outdoors stores only for ~£150 and another ~£130 for the carpet,footprint and porch.

I think the Montana 6 might be a bit big to put up on your own. We have an Outell Colorado 5 (not made anymore), that I can just put up on my own.

How about this, I think its a bit smaller?

campingworld.co.uk/Models.aspx?ModelID=6756

Or get 2 tents - a bigger one for when DH comes and a smaller one for when its you and the kids.

I've also got one of the Quercha tents and they are fab and easy to put up and take down. Not as much room as a tunnel tent though. But you can join some of them together to make a bigger tent.

We looked at the Icarus but when for Wynnster Faro 5 instead. I'm really pleased we did. We can have the children with us while they're small (4 years and 16 months at the moment) and then divide the bedroom later.

we have a vango icarus 500 for 4 of us and i can put it up alone.

Just read the OP again and the Faro is tricky to put up single-handedly, even with very small children strapped into the car while you do it. You might find that you need 2 tents, a bigger family one when you all go together/take longer trips and a smaller pop-up one for when you're alone with the the children.

The Decathlon Family pop-ups have really good reviews on UK campsite - the older model with two bedrooms is only £159.99 - we are looking at the XL version which is £219.99

There are videos on youtube showing how you put them up.

ah yes perhaps I should read the OP more carefully too I'd just assumed that the other 4 families would help to put up the tent - hence my two person suggestion!

little late to this discussion and a non-mainstream answer I suspect

my suggestion for solo pitching a tent with young kids would be a Canvas Pyramid. Pyramids are incredibly easy to put up and Canvas is great for kids as it doesnt get hot in the hot weather and is warmer at night

In new canvas Obelink do a couple of options Eldorado (c£170) or Rosas (c£270) are both ideal for a small family (we have Eldorado). If you wanted to save money Relum Izmir crops up occasionally second hand (c£50+), Cabanon Pyramid tents do crop up too but not usually for less than a Hypercamp Eldorado. New a Cabanon Pyramid would be £600 (Guadeloupe) to £900 (Barbados)

two links worth a look:
www.tents-tents.com (UK part of Obelink) and look at Pyramid tents, and
sites.google.com/site/thejoyofcanvas/

Thanks for all your suggestions. Went to stay with my mate who I'm going camping with and went to look at tents. Got all excited and then bought one tonight. Won't be able to put it up on my own (ummm) but at least this August I'll have plenty of people to help me! It's basically the same tent as my mate's, so she should be able to help me put it up in a jiffy!

cgi.ebay.co.uk/WYNNSTER-MONTPELLIER-8-2010-MODEL-AMAZINGLY-CHEAP-PRICE-/150586761710?_trksid=p5197.m7&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D2%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D8644012745510377195

have a look at the Kampa brand - they are really sturdy and cheaper than similar-quality Outwells. I think tunnel ones would suit your family better for the next few years as you/dc's will want to be near each other.
have a look at previous threads on the ukcampsite website too, loads of good advice there.