could you, would you, in a pop-up tent?

[kiwibella]

Me and dd(4) are going to join friends who are camping this week, just for two or three nights. We own two tents but I've never put either up on my own. In fact, only followed hubs' intructions. Millets have a two-man pop-up for £15 so I was thinking this may be my solution? Any problems packing it away can be stuffed in the car for dh to deal with. But, any experience of pop-ups to talk me out of this needless purchase :) are they warm enough? Sturdy enough? Dry enough?

seem sensible and a good invention till you see it in use - MIL used one when we went camping and felt so sorry for her. There's no 'inner' to them, so if you touch the sides from inside, instant soaking (even just from morning dew, if not raining). Also, and certainly the one she had, they just dont seem that long in length. Thought she was going to pop out of it.

I say take the 'simpler' of the two you own, have a go at putting them up and if all else fails, get your friends to help you out.

We've got some from Millets that are two layer (heard bad things about condensation making single skin ones wet). dd1&2 (13 and 11) use them when we go away as a family as they prefer to have some space away from our tent which is just one big room. Also get used for camping out in garden as our garden is too small for any of our other tents!

I wouldn't want to use them myself as I prefer to be able to stand up and not hunch about all the time!

If I were in your circumstances though, I'd seriously consider a pop up tent (if you can find one with a double layer) though as it's very easy to use if just the two of you.

Agree with LikeaCandle. Have pmsl at twits trying to pitch/ put down pop up tents, but all reports I've heard of them are atrociously bad. If you have something relatively decent with an inner, please use that! us campers are very friendly, have helped many a newbie pitch a tent

A £15 tent will be bobbins. Forget it.

kiwibella, come on now [firm voice] You do not need a man to pitch a tent. This is you opportunity to soar free of just receiving instructions. Give instructions! Give them to dd (pass me that peg please), give them to your friends.

You can do it. You are a strong capable woman. You can pitch that tent.

Can you practice putting up the tent at home (if you have space!) so you feel a bit more confident about being able to do it? I'm sure your friends would help you when you get there if needed!

Pop ups from Quechua and Outwell have inner tents and stand up well to rain. They are not £15 sadly.
We use pop ups to save our marriage! Tents should never be put up by 2 people in a relationship IMO
My kids are in the garden as I type having slept in the Quechua base 2, what an amazing tent!

Our Outwell popups are fantastic. Double skinned, great HH, lots of pegging points. We have slept comfortably through a N Wales storm in them no worries. But they were £60 each.

As with all things, you get what you pay for.

kiwi, unless both the tents you have are giant 8man geodesic monsters then you should be able to pitch them either alone, or with your friends helping. Have a practice pitch at home or check on you tube to see if there is a vid of someone else pitching it.

Campers are a generally friendly bunch and if they see you struggling someone will usually offer to help.

thanks for all this! I wish I knew about double layers and inners - I bought a regatta pop-up today. Dd and I can stay in my friend's tent... but I thought a bit of independence might be "nice". If nothing else, we can pitch the pop-up for the kids to play in.

I know, I should be braver and give ours ago. Maybe next time