We've just bought our first family tent!

[YouthworkersWife]

We've just bought a vango icarus 500 - I'm so excited and just had to share it with someone!

Pre-kids we have always had a tiny 2man one-room jobby. Now we have a proper family tent with a 'living space' and the possibility of 'separate bedrooms' when the kids are older. Not just that but you can actually stand up straight in it. And sit in it if it rains ... the possibilities are endless.

This is grown-up camping isn't it?

Oh yes! And well done for getting a Vango. I was silly enough to buy a Skandika and while it's OK, I am sorry I didn't go for a Vango.

Very exciting!
Where are you planning on camping, do you know yet?

My Vango tent has been in some terrible weather and is still going strong after 8 years.

We're planning on easing the little one in gently and starting with a week at a youth festival, before heading off to anywhere more 'proper camping'. Also we're out of practice because we've not camped since DS1 was born (3 years now).

But I am very very excited about new tentage! I now just have to reign in my desire to buy new everything.

just saying

Great tent the Icarus

Not helpful headless - not helpful at all. My willpower is staying strong (despite the much smaller and much more portable gas cooker I saw the other day).

We were twelve years out of camping (probably as good as camping virgins at that stage) Youth when we headed off for two weeks in France last summer. It was the best (but also possibly the hardest work - but STILL the best) holiday we've ever had with kids. It was such a complete holiday in that everything takes more time. The kids adored it. I don't think I could ever go back to mobile home "camping" - while the kids are small anyway. And I have never slept (post kids) so well as I did in those two weeks under nylon!! Congratulations!

Ooh, I remember this was us a couple of years ago when we did this, from a three-man dome from Blacks to a two-bedroom + living area from Outwell. It's quite a culture shock, especially when you go from something you could put up on your own in 5 minutes to something that needs 2 people minimum and a half hour head start.

Having somewhere to sit in the rain is a godsend. Get a little heater too and you can get going earlier in the year, or be still going later!

congrats! that's the tent I am hankering after so i am a small bit . we are all camping virgins though, so I am at the 'should we, shouldn't we' stage.
hope you have many a pleasant night in your new tent

we have that tent its great and i can pitch it myself too, we bought a porch awning extension for ours last year which really mans it up some

I love my Icarus