Just bought a Vango Lomond 600 - tell me they are fabulous...please!

[MummyPigsFatTummy]

Impulse purchase yesterday - I bought a Vango Lomond 600 on sale. DH, DD and I have never owned a proper family-type tent before - we have a selection of Quechua pop-ups big and small and a beloved 5m bell tent as well as various shelters of different sorts but this is our first grown up tunnel tent.

I am a bit worried we may end up neglecting the bell in its favour as it is no doubt going to be much more practical, particularly for rainy days and sitting up in the evenings which DD is in bed, which is really why I ordered it.

Please tell me you have one of these and they are fabulous and easy to put up and you love yours?

GASP

And where does the chandelier fit?!?!

Happy new year MPFT X

My first flat was much smaller than that!

My original Vango tent is 10 years old and still thoroughly waterproof, and withstood some extremely high winds and storms - they are good quality tents.

Happy New Year to you too Shiraz and may 2014 bring as many good camping weekends as 2013 did!

I must admit I do feel like I am moving over to the dark side with this, but we will hopefully still use the bell for proper sunny weekends (and probably our main holiday in France) as it will be a lot cooler, and I luuuurve it. I even bought and decorated a bell tent glamping table last year, as well as buying the chandelier so I am going to have to use them some time. I vaguely flirted with the idea of finding somewhere in the Vango to hang the chandelier but it will drive DH potty if he keeps bumping into it so I think that is probably out .

Blu, it is massive isn't it ? But DH, DD and I manage to create so much chaos and mess whenever we camp I don't think we would manage in anything smaller. Glad to hear Vangos are so reliable though. Maybe not so bad for an impulse buy.

Now we just have to wait for Spring to try it out....

Hellooooo ladies Happy New Camping Year!

MPFT, since I only live on the dark side I can fully appreciate it! It is very lovely and very practical. I'm sure you already have them, but there are wonderful LED fairy lights that would look lovely on this tent, inside and out.

Not being a bell tent owner (waaah!) I hadn't thought of the rainy evening /sleeping child scenario. A large porch area is highly practical. We have never really done extended camping in bad weather, and all food prep takes place outside as we have only a small porch, but I can see the benefits.

Well, it appears I will not.be joining the dark side after all. Blacks have cancelled my order - some sort of double order problem on their system and they have none left anywhere in the country. It was such a fabulous deal too. I ordered an Icarus instead but my heart isn't really in it any more and I will probably cancel it. The Lomond was so much better for us.

I am surprised how gutted I am . Obviously I will be off shortly in search of a grip but in the meantime I am wallowing in tent-related misery.

Boo hiss MPFT ! V disappointing.

Do you have a nice tarp to shelter under for night times with the bell?

I do hope this summer has as many opportunities to get away as last year did

Oh no! And after all it must have taken to contemplate the dark side .

OTOH. It was blue.

Ah what a shame. Isn't there something that attaches to the front of a bell tent to create a porch?

Yes that is the only saving grace, Blu. At least I won't be in a blue tent! It will give us time to really consider what to do I guess. In the meantime we can use the Coleman shelter with the bell and enjoy the chandelier. So all is not lost.

Roll on Spring now.

And thanks for your sympathy everyone. I have managed to find my grip luckily. It was sitting at the bottom of a glass of wine strangely